4,987 research outputs found
Anuário científico da Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa - 2021
É com grande prazer que apresentamos a mais recente edição (a 11.ª) do Anuário Científico da Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa. Como instituição de ensino superior, temos o compromisso de promover e incentivar a pesquisa científica em todas as áreas do conhecimento que contemplam a nossa missão. Esta publicação tem como objetivo divulgar toda a produção científica desenvolvida pelos Professores, Investigadores, Estudantes e Pessoal não Docente da ESTeSL durante 2021. Este Anuário é, assim, o reflexo do trabalho árduo e dedicado da nossa comunidade, que se empenhou na produção de conteúdo científico de elevada qualidade e partilhada com a Sociedade na forma de livros, capítulos de livros, artigos publicados em revistas nacionais e internacionais, resumos de comunicações orais e pósteres, bem como resultado dos trabalhos de 1º e 2º ciclo. Com isto, o conteúdo desta publicação abrange uma ampla variedade de tópicos, desde temas mais fundamentais até estudos de aplicação prática em contextos específicos de Saúde, refletindo desta forma a pluralidade e diversidade de áreas que definem, e tornam única, a ESTeSL. Acreditamos que a investigação e pesquisa científica é um eixo fundamental para o desenvolvimento da sociedade e é por isso que incentivamos os nossos estudantes a envolverem-se em atividades de pesquisa e prática baseada na evidência desde o início dos seus estudos na ESTeSL. Esta publicação é um exemplo do sucesso desses esforços, sendo a maior de sempre, o que faz com que estejamos muito orgulhosos em partilhar os resultados e descobertas dos nossos investigadores com a comunidade científica e o público em geral. Esperamos que este Anuário inspire e motive outros estudantes, profissionais de saúde, professores e outros colaboradores a continuarem a explorar novas ideias e contribuir para o avanço da ciência e da tecnologia no corpo de conhecimento próprio das áreas que compõe a ESTeSL. Agradecemos a todos os envolvidos na produção deste anuário e desejamos uma leitura inspiradora e agradável.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Neuroanatomical and gene expression features of the rabbit accessory olfactory system. Implications of pheromone communication in reproductive behaviour and animal physiology
Mainly driven by the vomeronasal system (VNS), pheromone
communication is involved in many species-specific fundamental innate socio-sexual behaviors such as mating and
fighting, which are essential for animal reproduction and survival. Rabbits are a unique model for studying
chemocommunication due to the discovery of the rabbit mammary pheromone, but paradoxically there has been a
lack of knowledge regarding its VNS pathway. In this work, we aim at filling this gap by approaching the system
from an integrative point of view, providing extensive anatomical and genomic data of the rabbit VNS, as well as
pheromone-mediated reproductive and behavioural studies. Our results build strong foundation for further
translational studies which aim at implementing the use of pheromones to improve animal production and welfare
Transcriptional networks of transient cell states during human prefrontal cortex development
The human brain is divided into various anatomical regions that control and coordinate unique functions. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a large brain region that comprises a range of neuronal and non-neuronal cell types, sharing extensive interconnections with subcortical areas, and plays a critical role in cognition and memory. A timely appearance of distinct cell types through embryonic development is crucial for an anatomically perfect and functional brain. Direct tracing of cell fate development in the human brain is not possible, but single-cell transcriptome sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets provide the opportunity to dissect cellular heterogeneity and its molecular regulators. Here, using scRNA-seq data of human PFC from fetal stages, we elucidate distinct transient cell states during PFC development and their underlying gene regulatory circuitry. We further identified that distinct intermediate cell states consist of specific gene regulatory modules essential to reach terminal fate using discrete developmental paths. Moreover, using in silico gene knock-out and over-expression analysis, we validated crucial gene regulatory components during the lineage specification of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. Our study illustrates unique intermediate states and specific gene interaction networks that warrant further investigation for their functional contribution to typical brain development and discusses how this knowledge can be harvested for therapeutic intervention in challenging neurodevelopmental disorders
TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF EFFORTFUL FUNDRAISING EXPERIENCES: USING INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS IN FUNDRAISING RESEARCH
Physical-activity oriented community fundraising has experienced an exponential growth in popularity over the past 15 years. The aim of this study was to explore the value of effortful fundraising experiences, from the point of view of participants, and explore the impact that these experiences have on people’s lives. This study used an IPA approach to interview 23 individuals, recognising the role of participants as proxy (nonprofessional) fundraisers for charitable organisations, and the unique organisation donor dynamic that this creates. It also bought together relevant psychological theory related to physical activity fundraising experiences (through a narrative literature review) and used primary interview data to substantiate these. Effortful fundraising experiences are examined in detail to understand their significance to participants, and how such experiences influence their connection with a charity or cause. This was done with an idiographic focus at first, before examining convergences and divergences across the sample. This study found that effortful fundraising experiences can have a profound positive impact upon community fundraisers in both the short and the long term. Additionally, it found that these experiences can be opportunities for charitable organisations to create lasting meaningful relationships with participants, and foster mutually beneficial lifetime relationships with them. Further research is needed to test specific psychological theory in this context, including self-esteem theory, self determination theory, and the martyrdom effect (among others)
Examining the Impact of Personal Social Media Use at Work on Workplace Outcomes
A noticable shift is underway in today’s multi-generational workforce. As younger employees propel digital workforce transformation and embrace technology adoption in the workplace, organisations need to show they are forward-thinking in their digital transformation strategies, and the emergent integration of social media in organisations is reshaping internal communication strategies, in a bid to improve corporate reputations and foster employee engagement. However, the impact of personal social media use on psychological and behavioural workplace outcomes is still debatebale with contrasting results in the literature identifying both positive and negative effects on workplace outcomes among organisational employees.
This study seeks to examine this debate through the lens of social capital theory and study personal social media use at work using distinct variables of social use, cognitive use, and hedonic use. A quantitative analysis of data from 419 organisational employees in Jordan using SEM-PLS reveals that personal social media use at work is a double-edged sword as its impact differs by usage types. First, the social use of personal social media at work reduces job burnout, turnover intention, presenteeism, and absenteeism; it also increases job involvement and organisational citizen behaviour. Second, the cognitive use of personal social media at work increases job involvement, organisational citizen behaviour, employee adaptability, and decreases presenteeism and absenteeism; it also increases job burnout and turnover intention. Finally, the hedonic use of personal social media at work carries only negative effects by increasing job burnout and turnover intention.
This study contributes to managerial understanding by showing the impact of different types of personal social media usage and recommends that organisations not limit employee access to personal social media within work time, but rather focus on raising awareness of the negative effects of excessive usage on employee well-being and encourage low to moderate use of personal social media at work and other personal and work-related online interaction associated with positive workplace outcomes. It also clarifies the need for further research in regions such as the Middle East with distinct cultural and socio-economic contexts
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After Creation: Intergovernmental Organizations and Member State Governments as Co-Participants in an Authority Relationship
This is a re-amalgamation of what started as one manuscript and became two when the length proved to be more than any publisher wanted to consider. The splitting consisted of removing what are now Parts 3, 4, and 5 so that the manuscript focused on the outcome-related shared beliefs holding an authority relationship together. Those parts were last worked on in 2018. The rest were last worked on in late 2021 but also remain incomplete.
The relational approach adopted in this study treats intergovernmental organizations and the governments of member states as co-participants in an authority relationship with the governments of their member states. Authority relationships link two types of actor, defined by their authority-holder or addressee role in the relationship, through a set of shared beliefs about why the relationship exists and how the participants should fulfill their respective roles. The IGO as authority holder has a role that includes a right to instruct other actors about what they should or should not do; the governments of member states as addressees are expected to comply with the instructions. Three sets of shared beliefs provide the conceptual “glue” holding the relationship together. The first defines the goal of the collective effort, providing both the rationale for having the authority relationship and providing a lode star for assessments of the collective effort’s success or lack of success. The second set defines the shared understanding about allocation of roles and the process of interaction by establishing shared expectations about a) the selection process by which particular actors acquire authority holder roles, b) the definitions identifying one or more categories of addressees expected to follow instructions, and c) the procedures through which the authority holder issues instructions. The third set focus on the outcomes of cooperation through the relationship by defining a) the substantive areas in which the authority holder may issue instructions, b) the bases for assessing the relevance actions mandated in instructions for reaching the goal, and c) the relative efficacy of action paths chosen for reaching the goal as compared to other possible action paths.
Using an authority relationship framework for analyzing cooperation through IGOs highlights the inherently bi-directional nature of IGO-member government activity by viewing their interaction as involving a three-step process in which the IGO as authority holder decides when to issue what instruction, the member state governments as followers react to the instruction with anything from prompt and full compliance through various forms of pushback to outright rejection, and the IGO as authority holder responds to how the followers react with efforts to increase individual compliance with instructions and reinforce continuing acceptance of the authority relationship. Foregrounding the dynamics produced by the interaction of these two streams of perception and action reveals more clearly how far intergovernmental organizations acquire capacity to operate as independent actors, the dynamic ways they maintain that capacity, and how much they influence member governments’ beliefs and actions at different times. The approach fosters better understanding of why, when, and for how long governments choose cooperation through an IGO even in periods of rising unilateralism
Behavioural Genetics and Social Environment in the Small Carpenter Bee, Ceratina Calcarata
Most bees are solitary but the eastern small carpenter bee, Ceratina calcarata, are both subsocial and facultatively social. Females form associations of parents and a single generation of offspring, often including a smaller under provisioned dwarf eldest daughter (DED) who feeds her adult siblings. To study the influence of social environment on this species, firstly, observation nests were constructed, and secondly, I conducted an experiment in the field to compare gene expression profiles among ages and phenotypes of foraging females. Observation nests were treated by removing either only mothers, or both mothers and DEDs. In the absence of mothers offspring were more tolerant, and aggression was significantly greater in the absence of both mother and DED. Here I also present brain gene expression profiles of foraging mothers, DEDs in the presence and absence of mothers, and regular daughters. I found significant differences in gene expression associated with age, size and social environment
Conjunctures in Law and Development: Assemblages for Progress in Indian Agricultural Futures
This dissertation asks: how are the legal, political, and social legacies of the Green Revolution and India's incorporation into the global knowledge economy shaping or undermining the emergent discourses, practices, and regulatory rationalities of India's current Climate Smart Agriculture development initiatives? To answer this question, I construct a theoretical/methodological framework that brings together conjunctural analysis, assemblage theory, Foucaultian governmentality, and transnational legal pluralism. I identify two previous historical eras of significant agricultural and developmental change in India: the Green Revolution (1950s-early 1970s) and the liberalization of Indian agriculture as part of India's broader incorporation into the global knowledge economy (1991-mid 2000s). I study the historical relationship between the modern Indian state and Indian farmers across these eras of agricultural and developmental transformation to investigate how they are informing current Climate Smart Agriculture programs, how these contemporary programs work, and the extent to which these programs and the political struggles they incite represent a new historical phase of state power in India. I argue that Climate Smart Agriculture programs and the accompanying introduction of Big Data technology in Indian agriculture should not be understood as a singular event or a unique and novel initiative, but as the most recent project of governmentality mediating the relationship between the Indian state and Indian farmers. This dissertation further shows how relationships between states in the Global South and farmers are shaped by the interplay of technologies (understood both conventionally and in the Foucaultian sense) that are constructed and regulated through the law. I simultaneously demonstrate how the entwined processes of postcolonial state- and subject-making in the domains of agriculture and development always invokes forms of resistance that often result in contradictory regulatory outcomes, which continue to establish the conditions for future political contestation. This dissertation contributes to the field of Socio-legal Studies at large, and the subfields of Law and Development, Law and Globalization/TWAIL, and Green Criminology
Maternal thyroid hormones role in Zebrafish neural development
Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential for proper embryonic development of the central
nervous system. During this period maternal supply of TH is the only source of these
hormones to the embryo. Using a zebrafish MCT8 knockdown model, with consequent
inhibition of maternal thyroid hormones (MTH) uptake to the target cells, the aim of this
thesis is to start a comprehensive understanding of the role of MTH during embryonic neural
development. We characterised the transcriptome in 25hpf CTRL and MCT8MO zebrafish
embryos and found 4,343 differentially expressed genes. Reactome analysis show that MTH
regulate the expression of core developmental pathways such as NOTCH, SHH and WNT.
The cellular distribution of neural MTH-target genes demonstrated their cell specific action
on neural stem cells and differentiated neuron classes. We identified a series of genes
involved in several key neurogenic processes to be modulated by MTH. By analysing these
genes by qPCR in a temporal series, from the start of segmentation through hatching, we
determined the developmental time-window where MTH are required for appropriate CNS
development. We show MTH are involved in the regulation of NOTCH pathway
components such as notch1a, dla, dld, her2 and her4 during neurogenesis, whereas
neuroectodermal genes are not affected. Response to MTH begins at 12hpf, and the time
window between 22-25hpf is particularly sensitive to MTH action. Overall, these results,
show that MTH is not involved in neuroectoderm specification nor CNS
compartmentalisation but stress the involvement of MTH in the early stages of neurogenesis
by promoting the maintenance of specific neural progenitor populations. Analyzing the
cytoarchitecture of the spinal cord we found that by the end of embryogenesis cells
populating the spinal cord of control and MCT8 MO zebrafish are substantially different.
Lack of thyroid hormone uptake leads to a generalized disorganization of the neural tissue,
together with a decrease in: neural stem cells population, subpopulations of neuron
progenitor cells, radial glial cells, mature glial cells and oligodendrocyte precursors, while
the primary motor neuron domain was maintained. Colocalization analysis of neural
progenitors with thraa, thrab and mct8 allowed identifying cells under the regulation of
MTH via MCT8. Survival and proliferation of neural progenitor cells are compromised in
MCT8MO, which could later impact on the diversity of neural cell populations obtained in
the end of embryogenesis. Analysis of cell autonomous Notch activation showed it cannot
rescue the phenotype induced by the lack of MTH demonstrating the niche importance in
the regulation of TH action. Given that MTH regulate several important morphogenetic pathways it is likely that its action occurs as an integrator enabling an adequate equilibrium
between all these signals in a time a context dependent manner. MTH actions are reflected
on the timely development of neurons and glial cells. It is of great interest to continue to
explore the significance of these findings to further clarify the genetic and cellular causes
underlying human AHDS syndrome. In conclusion with this work, we show that thyroid
hormone transferred from the mother to the embryo allows the enrichment of neural
progenitor pools and the generation of cell diversity necessary to produce a fully functional central nervous tissue.As hormonas da tiróide (TH) são essenciais para o correto desenvolvimento embrionário do
sistema nervoso central (CNS). Durante este período o fornecimento de hormona da tiróide
pela via materna é a única fonte destas hormonas para o embrião, uma vez que a produção
endógena desta hormona é iniciada apenas numa fase posterior do desenvolvimento.
Evidências mostram que mesmo níveis baixos de deficiência de hormona da tiróide na mãe
estão associados a desordens neurológicas e psiquiátricas nos filhos. No entanto os
mecanismos moleculares envolvidos na ação desta hormona no embrião e feto continuam
amplamente desconhecidos. Em humanos, mutações no principal transportador celular de
TH, MCT8, causa a síndrome de Herndon-Dudley (AHDS). Esta síndrome é caracterizada
pelo atraso mental, atraso global no desenvolvimento, impossibilidade de falar e uma
deficiência neuromotora severa. O MCT8 é o principal transportador de hormona da tiróide
presente no embrião. No presente trabalho utilizamos o “knockdown” deste transportador,
inibindo a sua tradução, no modelo de peixe zebra. Este modelo foi previamente estabelecido
e possui características semelhantes à síndrome AHDS humana. Neste modelo o transporte
da hormona da tiróide materna (MTH) para as células alvo é bloqueado, uma vez que o
MCT8 está ausente, inibindo a ação da hormona. O objetivo desta tese é começar a
compreender o papel destas hormonas durante o desenvolvimento neural embrionário. Para
isso caracterizamos o transcriptoma de peixe-zebra CTRL e MCT8MO às 25 horas pósfertilização
(hpf) por RNA-seq. Foram encontrados 4343 genes diferencialmente expressos.
A análise utilizando o Reactome revelou que a MTH está envolvida direta ou indiretamente na expressão de genes pertencentes a importantes vias de sinalização, incluindo Notch, Shh e Wnt. A análise da distribuição celular de genes alvo da MTH por hibridação in-situ revelou
uma ação celular específica em células estaminais neurais, mas também sobre várias classes
de neurónios diferenciados. A análise transcriptómica revelou também que uma série de
genes envolvidos em vários passos de processos-chave da neurogénese são modulados pela
MTH. Analisando alguns destes genes numa série temporal desde a fase da segmentação até
à eclosão do embrião de peixe-zebra por qPCR, determinamos a janela temporal na qual a
MTH é necessária para um correto desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso central no peixezebra.
Mostramos que a MTH está envolvida na regulação de componentes da sinalização
Notch, tais como notch1a, dla, dld, her2 e her4 durante o processo de neurogénese, enquanto
que genes envolvidos na formação e manutenção da neuroectoderme não são regulados pela
MTH. A resposta à ausência de MTH inicia-se às 12hpf, sendo que a janela de
desenvolvimento entre as 22 e 25hpf parece ser particularmente sensível à ação da MTH.
Globalmente estes resultados mostram que a MTH não está envolvida na indução neural,
nem na compartimentalização do sistema nervoso central. No entanto é demonstrada a
importância da MTH na fase inicial da neurogénese pela promoção da manutenção de
populações de células progenitoras neurais. A análise à citoarquitectura da medula espinhal
revelou que na fase final do desenvolvimento embrionário as células neurais presentes em
embriões CTRLMO e MCT8MO diferem substancialmente. A diminuição de transporte de
MTH para as células alvo leva a uma desorganização geral do tecido neural, para além duma
redução em células estaminais neurais, subpopulações de células progenitoras de neurónios,
células radiais gliais, células da glia maduras e progenitoras de oligodendrócitos; enquanto
que a população de neurónios motores primários é mantida na ausência de MTH. Análise de
colocalização de células progenitoras neurais her2(+), dla(+) e fabp7a(+) com RNAm de
componentes do metabolismo da hormona da tiroide, nomeadamente recetores (thraa e
thrab) e o transportador mct8, permitiu a identificação de células que estão sob a regulação
da MTH. Um dos papeis clássicos da TH envolve a sobrevivência a proliferação celulares,
no entanto a sua função varia com o tipo celular, o estadio de desenvolvimento e contexto
celular. Verificámos que em embriões MCT8MO a sobrevivência e proliferação de células
progenitoras neurais her2(+) e dla(+) estava comprometida, tanto na medula espinhal como
no romboencéfalo. Este facto pode impactar a diversidade das células neurais obtidas no
final da embriogénese. Na verdade, a divisão assimétrica de células progenitoras originando
células da glia ou progenitoras intermediárias está diminuída nos embriões MCT8MO,
mostrando um possível papel da MTH na sua formação. Com vista a esclarecer o papel da MTH sobre a sinalização Notch procedeu-se à ativação da sinalização Notch em células neurais da espinhal medula de embriões MCT8MO e CTRLMO. Esta sobre-expressão
celular isolada da sinalização Notch em células individuais mostrou ser insuficiente para
recuperar o fenótipo induzido pela falta de MTH, demonstrando a importância do nicho
celular na regulação da ação da MTH. A ação da MTH parece estar envolvida no memanismo
de divisão assimétrica de células neuroepiteliais. Este tipo de divisão está na origem da
diversidade de células neurais obtidas. Um reflexo da perda deste tipo de divisões na espinhal
medula pode ser a perda de progenitores intermediários que expressam neurogenina 1 e
neurod6b. Dado que a MTH regula várias vias morfogenéticas é provável que a sua ação
seja a de integradora entre estas vias, permitindo o equilíbrio entre estes sinais num
determinado tempo e contexto celular específicos. As ações da MTH refletem-se no
desenvolvimento correto e atempado de neurónios e células da glia. É de grande interesse
continuar a explorar o significado destas descobertas, nomeadamente para esclarecer as
causas genéticas e celulares que causam a síndrome de Herdnon-Dudley (AHDS). Foi
desenvolvido um modelo de ação da MTH durante o desenvolvimento no peixe zebra, em
que em subpopulações de células progenitoras contendo MCT8 e recetores da hormona da
tiroide (sensíveis a TH) na ausência desta sofrem apoptose e/ou redução na proliferação em
momentos distintos do desenvolvimento neural. As células progenitoras não responsivas à
TH prosseguem o seu desenvolvimento. O balanço final será uma diminuição da diversidade
de progenitores neurais e consequente perda na variedade de neurónios e células da glia
maduros. Este efeito a nível celular terá efeito na função do CNS. Em conclusão este trabalho
mostra que a hormona da tiroide transmitida da mãe para o embrião e que dá entrada nas
células alvo através do MCT8 permite o desenvolvimento de populações de progenitores neurais e o consequente enriquecimento da diversidade celular, necessária à formação de um sistema nervoso central funcional.This study received Portuguese national funds from operational programmes CRESC
Algarve 2020 and COMPETE 2020 through project EMBRC.PT ALG-01-0145-FEDER-
022121.
The author was a recipient of a FCT PhD grant SFRH/BD/111226/201
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