Iguais ou diferentes? Cuidados de saúde materno-infantil a uma população de imigrantes

Os concelhos de Amadora e Sintra constituem um território de fortes características de identidade na Área Metropolitana de Lisboa que resultam, entre outros aspectos, da elevada densidade populacional (sobretudo Amadora), do marcado crescimento na última década (sobr etudo Sintra, onde a população residente aumentou cerca de 40% entre 1991 e 2001) e, principalmente, da sua diversidade social, cultural e étnica. D e facto, a proporção de imigrantes nestes concelhos atinge um dos v alores mais elevados do país. A equidade na pr estação de cuidados tem sido demonstrada como factor de r edução das disparidades na saúde que determina a morbilidade e a mortalidade decorrentes da assimetria das populações. Na Unidade de Saúde D (Hospital Fernando Fonseca e 9 Centr os de Saúde da Amadora e Sintra), não tinha ainda sido desenvolvida uma investigação científica estruturada sobre os níveis de saúde e o acesso e utilização dos serviços e que sustentem políticas ajustadas às vulnerabilidades deste grupo. Este conhecimento possibilita a reorganização dos serviços de cuidados de saúde e é fundamental para (r e)pensar processos de planeamento e modelos de inter venção que culminem numa integração de sucesso para o século XXI.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sensory neuron–derived NaV1.7 contributes to dorsal horn neuron excitability

Expression of the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7 in sensory neurons is required for pain sensation. We examined the role of NaV1.7 in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord using an epitope-tagged NaV1.7 knock-in mouse. Immuno–electron microscopy showed the presence of NaV1.7 in dendrites of superficial dorsal horn neurons, despite the absence of mRNA. Rhizotomy of L5 afferent nerves lowered the levels of NaV1.7 in the dorsal horn. Peripheral nervous system–specific NaV1.7 null mutant mice showed central deficits, with lamina II dorsal horn tonic firing neurons more than halved and single spiking neurons more than doubled. NaV1.7 blocker PF05089771 diminished excitability in dorsal horn neurons but had no effect on NaV1.7 null mutant mice. These data demonstrate an unsuspected functional role of primary afferent neuron-generated NaV1.7 in dorsal horn neurons and an expression pattern that would not be predicted by transcriptomic analysis

Resonance fluorescence from a telecom-wavelength quantum dot

© 2016 Author(s).We report on resonance fluorescence from a single quantum dot emitting at telecom wavelengths. We perform high-resolution spectroscopy and observe the Mollow triplet in the Rabi regime - a hallmark of resonance fluorescence. The measured resonance-fluorescence spectra allow us to rule out pure dephasing as a significant decoherence mechanism in these quantum dots. Combined with numerical simulations, the experimental results provide robust characterisation of charge noise in the environment of the quantum dot. Resonant control of the quantum dot opens up new possibilities for the on-demand generation of indistinguishable single photons at telecom wavelengths as well as quantum optics experiments and direct manipulation of solid-state qubits in telecom-wavelength quantum dots

Tools for analysis and conditional deletion of subsets of sensory neurons [version 1; peer review: 4 approved]

Background: Somatosensation depends on primary sensory neurons of the trigeminal and dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Transcriptional profiling of mouse DRG sensory neurons has defined at least 18 distinct neuronal cell types. Using an advillin promoter, we have generated a transgenic mouse line that only expresses diphtheria toxin A (DTA) in sensory neurons in the presence of Cre recombinase. This has allowed us to ablate specific neuronal subsets within the DRG using a range of established and novel Cre lines that encompass all sets of sensory neurons. // Methods: A floxed-tdTomato-stop-DTA bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic reporter line (AdvDTA) under the control of the mouse advillin DRG promoter was generated. The line was first validated using a Nav1.8Cre and then crossed to CGRPCreER (Calca), ThCreERT2, Tmem45bCre, Tmem233Cre, Ntng1Cre and TrkBCreER (Ntrk2) lines. Pain behavioural assays included Hargreaves’, hot plate, Randall-Selitto, cold plantar, partial sciatic nerve ligation and formalin tests. // Results: Motor activity, as assessed by the rotarod test, was normal for all lines tested. Noxious mechanosensation was significantly reduced when either Nav1.8 positive neurons or Tmem45b positive neurons were ablated whilst acute heat pain was unaffected. In contrast, noxious mechanosensation was normal following ablation of CGRP-positive neurons but acute heat pain thresholds were significantly elevated and a reduction in nocifensive responses was observed in the second phase of the formalin test. Ablation of TrkB-positive neurons led to significant deficits in mechanical hypersensitivity in the partial sciatic nerve ligation neuropathic pain model. // Conclusions: Ablation of specific DRG neuronal subsets using the AdvDTA line will be a useful resource for further functional characterization of somatosensory processing, neuro-immune interactions and chronic pain disorders

All You Can Eat: High Performance Capacity and Plasticity in the Common Big-Eared Bat, Micronycteris microtis (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)

Ecological specialization and resource partitioning are expected to be particularly high in the species-rich communities of tropical vertebrates, yet many species have broader ecological niches than expected. In Neotropical ecosystems, Neotropical leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae) are one of the most ecologically and functionally diverse vertebrate clades. Resource partitioning in phyllostomids might be achieved through differences in the ability to find and process food. We selected Micronycteris microtis, a very small (5–7 g) animalivorous phyllostomid, to explore whether broad resource use is associated with specific morphological, behavioral and performance traits within the phyllostomid radiation. We documented processing of natural prey and measured bite force in free-ranging M. microtis and other sympatric phyllostomids. We found that M. microtis had a remarkably broad diet for prey size and hardness. For the first time, we also report the consumption of vertebrates (lizards), which makes M. microtis the smallest carnivorous bat reported to date. Compared to other phyllostomids, M. microtis had the highest bite force for its size and cranial shape and high performance plasticity. Bite force and cranial shape appear to have evolved rapidly in the M. microtis lineage. High performance capacity and high efficiency in finding motionless prey might be key traits that allow M. microtis, and perhaps other species, to successfully co-exist with other gleaning bats

Effect of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles on The Physicochemical Properties of Pectin Packaging Material for Strawberry Wrapping

Citrus peel pectin was used to prepare films (cast with or without glycerol) containing mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Nanoparticles reduced significantly the particle size, and had no effect on the Zeta potential of pectin solutions. Mechanical characterization demonstrates that pectin+nanoparticles containing films slightly increased tensile strength and significantly decreased the Young’s modulus in comparison to films made only of pectin. However, elongation at the break increased in the pectin+nanoparticles films cast in the presence of glycerol, while both Young’s modulus and tensile strength were reduced. Moreover, nanoparticles were able to reduce the barrier properties of pectin films prepared with or without glycerol, whereas positively affected the thermal stability of pectin films and the seal strength. The 0.6% pectin films reinforced or not with 3% nanoparticles in the presence of 30% glycerol were used to wrap strawberries in order to extend the fruit’s shelf-life, over a period of eighty days, by improving their physicochemical properties

Child health promotion in underserved communities: The FAMILIA trial

Background: Preschool-based interventions offer promise to instill healthy behaviors in children, which can be a strategy to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease later. However, their efficacy in underserved communities is not well established. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a preschool-based health promotion educational intervention in an underserved community. Methods: This cluster-randomized controlled study involved 15 Head Start preschools in Harlem, New York. Schools and their children were randomized 3:2 to receive either a 4-month (50 h) educational intervention to instill healthy behaviors in relation to diet, physical activity, body/heart awareness, and emotion management; or their standard curriculum (control). The primary outcome was the change from baseline in the overall knowledge, attitudes, and habits (KAH) score of the children at 5 months. As secondary outcomes, we evaluated the changes in KAH subcomponents and emotion comprehension. Linear mixed-effects models were used to test for intervention effects. Results: The authors enrolled 562 preschool children age 3 to 5 years, 51% female, 54% Hispanic/Latino, and 37% African-American. Compared with the control group, the mean relative change from baseline in the overall KAH score was ∼2.2 fold higher in the intervention group (average absolute difference of 2.86 points; 95% confidence interval: 0.58 to 5.14; p = 0.014). The maximal effect was observed in children who received >75% of the curriculum. Physical activity and body/heart awareness components, and knowledge and attitudes domains, were the main drivers of the effect (p values <0.05). Changes in emotion comprehension trended toward favoring intervened children. Conclusions: This multidimensional school-based educational intervention may be an effective strategy for establishing healthy behaviors among preschoolers from a diverse and socioeconomically disadvantaged community. Early primordial prevention strategies may contribute to reducing the global burden of cardiovascular disease. (Family-Based Approach in a Minority Community Integrating Systems-Biology for Promotion of Health [FAMILIAThis study is funded by the American Heart Association under grant No. 14SFRN20490315. The CNIC is supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades and the Pro CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505). Dr. Fernandez-Jimenez is a recipient of funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 707642. Dr. Bansilal is an employee of Bayer Pharmaceutical

Peri-orbital foreign body: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Foreign bodies inside the orbital cavity are rare. They can cause more or less serious complications, depending on their nature and size.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a case of a work-related accident involving a peri-orbital foreign body. The patient was a 50-year-old Caucasian man whose face was injured on the right side while he was working with an agricultural machine. On admission, he was fully conscious and did not have any neurological deficits. He had no loss of vision or ocular motility, but had a laceration of the lateral side of his right upper eyelid. A computed tomographic scan revealed a 6-cm-long bended metal object lodged in the lateral bulbar space of the right orbit. The patient recovered well after surgery and a course of antibiotic therapy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The original aspects of this case are the singularity of the foreign body and its relative harmlessness in spite of its large size.</p