Os projectos de combate ao insucesso e abandono escolar: uma utopia ou uma realidade

O trabalho que vou apresentar é sobre o programa da turma de alunos de etnia cigana de Bragança de 2004, constituída por 19 alunos com idades compreendidas entre os 13 e os 18 anos, sendo alguns de etnia cigana, que foi integrada na Escola EB 2,3 Augusto Moreno, em Bragança, e a problemática que se originou à sua integração na mesma escola, motivando grande discussão na cidade e país. A esta distância de tempo, procuro fazer uma abordagem sobre a problemática originada analisando as suas causas e consequências. Procurarei ao mesmo tempo avaliar o sucesso deste programa neste grupo de alunos e as suas implicações no mundo do trabalho. Avaliar os benefícios que este programa trouxe a estes jovens? Onde se encontram hoje e quais os seus percursos de vida seguidos entretanto

Antioxidant and anti-browning activity of different bioactive compounds

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ReStoragePear: development of strategies to the prevention of superficial scald and internal browning in the Rocha pear and quality assurance in long-term storage

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Antioxidant and anti-browning activity of different bioactive compounds

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Antioxidant extracts from natural sources as potential enzymatic browning inhibitors in fruits

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Strategies to preserve postharvest quality of horticultural crops and superficial scald control: from diphenylamine antioxidant usage to more recent approaches

Horticultural crops are vulnerable to several disorders, which affect their physiological and organoleptic quality. For about forty years, the control of physiological disorders (such as superficial scald) in horticultural crops, particularly in fruit, was achieved through the application of the antioxidant diphenylamine (DPA), usually combined with controlled atmosphere (CA) conditions. However, identification of DPA residues and metabolites in treated fruits, associated with thei toxicity, banned the use of this antioxidant in Europe. This triggered the urgent need for novel and, ideally, natural and sustainable alternatives, combined with adequate storage conditions to protect cultivars from harmful agents. This review systematizes the state-of-the-art DPA application on several fresh cultivars, such as apples, pears, and vegetables (potatoes, spinach, etc.), as well as the possible mechanisms of the action and effects of DPA, emphasizing its antioxidant properties. Alternative methods to DPA are also discussed, as well as respective effects and limitations. Recent research on scald development molecular pathways are highlighted to open new non-chemical strategies opportunities. This appraisal shows that most of the current solutions have not lead to satisfactory commercial results; thus, further research aimed to understand the mechanisms underlying postharvest disorders and to design sustainable and safe solutions to improve horticultural products storage is needed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Corneal Sub‐Basal Nerve Plexus Assessment and its Association with Phenotypic Features and Lymphocyte Subsets in Sjögren's Syndrome

Purpose: To assess and compare corneal sub-basal nerve plexus morphology with circulating lymphocyte subsets, immunologic status and disease activity in Sjögren syndrome (SjS) patients. Methods: Fifty-five SjS patients, 63 Sicca patients (not fulfilling SjS criteria), 18 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 20 healthy controls (HC) were included. Systemic disease activity in SjS was assessed with the ESSDAI score. Lymphocyte subpopulations were studied with flow cytometry. Corneal confocal microscopy and ImageJ software were used to characterize corneal sub-basal nerve plexus in terms of nerve density (CNFD), length (CNFL) and tortuosity (CNFT). Conventional dry eye tests were also performed. Results: CNFL and CNFD were lower in SjS, Sicca and RA groups, compared to HC (p < 0.001 for both SjS and Sicca); CNFL p = 0.005, CNFD p = 0.018 in RA). CNFT was higher in SjS, followed by Sicca, RA and HC. A negative correlation was found between ESSDAI score and CNFL (r=-0.735, p = 0.012). CNFL correlated negatively with IL21+ CD8+ T cells (r=-0.279, p = 0.039) and a positively with total memory (r = 0.299, p = 0.027), unswitched memory (r = 0.281, p = 0.038) and CD24Hi CD27+ (r = 0.278, p = 0.040) B cells. CNFD showed a tendency to significance in its negative correlation with ESSDAI (r=-0.592, p = 0.071) and in its positive correlation with switched memory B cells (r = 0.644, p = 0.068). Conclusions: This is the first study aiming to correlate ocular findings with lymphocyte subsets in SjS. The associations founded between CNFL and CNFD and disease activity, IL21+ follicular T cells and some B-cell subsets suggest that corneal nerve damage may parallel systemic disease activity and inflammatory cells' dynamics.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Low energy nanoemulsions as a carrier of thyme and lemon balm essential oils

The aim of this work was to produce monomodal and stable thyme and lemon balm-loaded nanoemulsions (NE), through a low energy approach. NEs were prepared by the emulsion phase inversion method using sunflower oil as carrier and Tween 80 as surfactant. Different surfactant-to-oil ratios (SOR) and essential oil (EO) loadings were evaluated. Nanoemulsions presented a monomodal diameter distribution below 200 nm and high negative zeta potential (>-40 mV). Nanoemulsions loaded with EOs were physically stable for 3 months at 4 degrees C and 20 degrees C. Nanoemulsions with thyme EO presented the highest radical scavenging activity by DPPH and ABTS tests. Loaded nanoemulsions were not effective against Escherichia coli but could inhibit Staphylococcus aureus. Cytotoxicity studies using cell counting kit-8 and resazurin assays revealed a dose-responsive effect of nanoemulsions on Caco-2 cells after incubation for 24 h. A concentration of 100 mu g oil/mL of NE for unloaded and thyme loaded and 50 mu g oil/mL of NE for lemon balm loaded showed to be safe to use.This research received funding from the H2020 research and inno-vation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 778388 (H2020 MSCA-RISE-2017, FODIAC) , and MICRODIGEST project (grant agreement 037716) co-funded by FCT and ERDF through COMPETE2020. We would like to thank the Earth Essences for its kind supply of essential oils

Promoter methylation and large intragenic rearrangements of DPYD are not implicated in severe toxicity to 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy in gastrointestinal cancer patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Severe toxicity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) based chemotherapy in gastrointestinal cancer has been associated with constitutional genetic alterations of the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene (<it>DPYD</it>).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, we evaluated <it>DPYD </it>promoter methylation through quantitative methylation-specific PCR and screened <it>DPYD </it>for large intragenic rearrangements in peripheral blood from 45 patients with gastrointestinal cancers who developed severe 5-FU toxicity. <it>DPYD </it>promoter methylation was also assessed in tumor tissue from 29 patients</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two cases with the IVS14+1G > A exon 14 skipping mutation (c.1905+1G > A), and one case carrying the 1845 G > T missense mutation (c.1845G > T) in the DPYD gene were identified. However, <it>DPYD </it>promoter methylation and large <it>DPYD </it>intragenic rearrangements were absent in all cases analyzed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results indicate that <it>DPYD </it>promoter methylation and large intragenic rearrangements do not contribute significantly to the development of 5-FU severe toxicity in gastrointestinal cancer patients, supporting the need for additional studies on the mechanisms underlying genetic susceptibility to severe 5-FU toxicity.</p

Distribution of Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) in the invaded range: a geographic approach with notes on species traits variability

Corbicula fluminea is considered one of the most important non-native invasive species (NIS) in aquatic systems mainly due to its widespread distribution and ecological and economic impacts. This species is known to negatively affect native bivalves, also with severe effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Throughout an exhaustive bibliographic survey and with the aid of Geographic Information Systems tools, this study tracks the species dispersion from its native range, including the description of important physical and environmental barriers. Additional analyses were conducted to examine possible influences of latitudinal/ temperature gradients on important traits (e.g. life span, maximum and mean body length, growth at the end of first year). Altitude and winter minimum temperature appear to be delaying the invasion worldwide, but it seems inevitable that the species will spread across the globe. Latitude and summer temperature show a relationship with growth and life span. Overall, the information gathered in this review may be relevant to forecast future distribution patterns of this NIS, and to anticipate the possible implementation of effective management measures. Moreover, it may constitute a valuabletool inthe prediction of population responses to an increasingly changing environment.This research was supported by FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology), through a PhD grant attributed to D. Crespo (SFRH/BD/80252/2011), a post-doc grant attributed to S. Leston (SFRH/BPD/91828/2012) and M Dolbeth (SFRH/BPD/41117/2007) and BIOCHANGED project (PTDC/MAR/111901/2009), subsidized by the European Social Fund and MCTES (Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) National Funds, through the POPH (Human Potential Operational Programme), QREN (National Strategic Reference Framework) and COMPETE (Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio