Prediction of overwash in alongshore variable barrier islands [Previsão da ocorrência de galgamentos em ilhas barreira com variabilidade longilitoral]

Overwash prediction is very important for coastal zone management. This work intends to identify alongshore variations in storm impact and evaluate the role of sub-aerial and submerged morphologies in overwash occurrence. For this study, 24 cross-shore topo-bathymetric profiles were set on Barreta Island (Ria Formosa barrier island system, Portugal). Pre- and post-overwash surveys were made between August 2012 and April 2013. During overwash events, tidal levels and wave parameters at breaking were obtained. Overwash occurred under storm and non-storm conditions, the latter coincident with spring high-tide. Beach morphology was spatially variable, and changeable from one overwash episode to the next. Predictions of overwash occurrence were made using the Overwash Potential, defined as the difference between runup and barrier elevation. Several runup equations were tested, and the results compared to the actual observations. The selected predictor provided an accuracy of 88% for the identification of the locations where overwash occurred. This study proves that nearshore and foreshore morphologies have a major impact on the longshore distribution of overwash.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Impacto das variáveis sociofamiliares no desenvolvimento cognitivo da criança

O presente estudo explora a variável meio (urbano vs rural) no desenvolvimento cognitivo das crianças. A investigação na área aponta que fatores sociofamiliares (profissão da mãe e do pai, habilitações escolares da mãe e do pai e meio de pertença urbano vs rural), assim como os contextos escolares, estão associados a diferenças nas habilidades cognitivas das crianças. Nesta comunicação recorremos à aplicação da Escala de Competências Cognitivas (ECCOs4/10) a uma amostra de crianças com idades compreendidas entre os 6 e os 9 anos, do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, de escolas públicas e privadas, do meio rural e urbano. Esta aplicação da escala procurou analisar as reações e atitudes das crianças em relação a cada uma das provas e aos seus itens, no fundo um estudo mais qualitativo dos processos e estratégias cognitivas que as crianças usam na resolução da ECCOs.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

The South Region Cancer Registry: an evaluation of its exhaustiveness in a cohort of lung cancer patients

Poster presented at the 2nd International Congress of CiiEM: Translational Research and Innovation in Human and Health Sciences, 11-13 June 2017, Campus Egas Moniz, Caparica, PortugalN/

A simulator of intelligent transportation systems

This paper presents the most recent developments of the Simulator of Intelligent Transportation Systems (SITS). The SITS is based on a microscopic simulation approach to reproduce real traffic conditions in an urban or non-urban network. The program provides a detailed modelling of the traffic network, distinguishing between different types of vehicles and drivers and considering a wide range of net-work geometries. In order to analyse the quality of the microscopic traffic simulator SITS a benchmark test is per-formed.N/

Aspiração manual de trombos no enfarte agudo do miocárdio com supradesnivelamento segmento ST: impacto da técnica de aspiração manual de trombos na reperfusão do miocárdio durante a intervenção coronária percutânea primária

Mestrado em Tecnologia de Diagnóstico e Intervenção Cardiovascular. Área de especialização: Intervenção Cardiovascular.Introdução: A principal limitação do benefício clínico imediato e a longo prazo da intervenção coronária percutânea (ICP) primária é o fenómeno “no-reflow” causado pela microembolização de material trombótico e aterosclerótico. Com o intuito de diminuir estes efeitos deletérios na microcirculação foram desenvolvidos dispositivos de protecção embólica dos quais se destacam, pelo seu sucesso clínico em diversos estudos, os dispositivos de aspiração manual de trombos. Estes resultados impulsionaram a inclusão da técnica nas mais recentes recomendações internacionais com indicação classe IIa e nível de evidência B. No entanto, recentes estudos sobre dispositivos de aspiração manual de trombos, não demonstram benefícios significativos desta técnica na diminuição da taxa de mortalidade e na prevenção de eventos clínicos futuros. Objectivo: Avaliar o impacto da técnica de aspiração manual de trombos na reperfusão do miocárdio e na ocorrência de eventos cardíacos adversos major (MACE’s), em doentes com enfarte agudo do miocárdio com supradesnivelamento do segmento ST (EAM-ST) submetidos a ICP primária. Metodologia: Estudo observacional do tipo coorte retrospectivo no qual foram incluídos 97 doentes com EAM-ST que realizaram ICP primária, dos quais 52 foram submetidos a manual de trombos – coorte, e 45 realizaram ICP primária simples. A reperfusão do miocárdio foi avaliada pelo blush, resolução do supradesnivelamento do segmento ST e TIMI final, tendo sido avaliado a ocorrência de MACE’s seguimento clínico a um ano. Resultados: O blush miocárdio foi significativamente melhor no grupo da aspiração (RR=0.667; IC 95%=0.407-0.989; p=0.048), no entanto, a resolução do segmento ST (RR=0.867; IC 95% =0.612-1.227; p=0.415), do TIMI final (RR=0.462; IC 95% =0.156-1.373; p=0.148) e da ocorrência de MACE’s não foi estatisticamente significativa entre os dois grupos. O blush miocárdico reduzido e a persistência do supradesnivelamento do segmento ST foram relacionados, respectivamente, com a ocorrência de re-enfarte (RR=1.630; IC 95%=1.208-2.199; p=0.047) e morte (RR=1,786; IC 95%=1.048-3.041; p=0.015). Conclusão: A utilização indiscriminada da técnica de aspiração manual de trombos em todos os doentes com EAM-ST durante a ICP primária é ineficaz em termos das variáveis clínicas estudadas, sendo necessário desenvolver novos estudos com intuito de se identificar quais os sub-grupos clínicos que beneficiam desta técnica. ABSTRACT - Background: The main limitation of immediate and long-term clinical benefit of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the "no-reflow" phenomenon caused by microembolization of thrombotic and atherosclerotic material. In order to reduce these deleterious effects on the microcirculation, several embolic protection devices were developed, namely the manual thrombus aspiration devices which have shown clinical success in several studies. These results promoted the inclusion of the technique on the latest international recommendations with a class IIa and level B of evidence. However, recent studies on manual thrombus aspiration devices, did not show significant benefits of this technique on the mortality rate and in the prevention of future clinical events. Objective: To evaluate the impact of manual thrombus aspiration devices on the myocardial reperfusion and the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE's), in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary PCI. Methods: Observational retrospective cohort study which included 97 patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI, 52 patients of which were subjected to manual thrombus aspiration – cohort A - and 45 underwent simple primary PCI – cohort B. The myocardial reperfusion was assessed by the myocardial blush, the resolution of the ST-segment elevation and final TIMI flow, and the occurrence of MACE’s were evaluated in an one year follow-up period. Results: The myocardial blush was significantly better in the aspiration group (RR = 0,667, 95% CI = 0407-0989, P = 0.048), however, the ST-segment resolution (RR = 0,867, 95% CI = 0612-1227 p = 0415), the final TIMI (RR = 0,462, 95% CI = 0156-1373, P = 0148) and the occurrence of MACE's was not statistically significant different between the two groups. The reduced myocardial blush and persistent ST-segment elevation were related respectively to the occurrence of reinfarction (RR = 1,630, 95% CI = 1208-2199, P = 0.047) and death (RR = 1.786, 95% = 1048-3041, P = 0.015). Conclusion: The indiscriminate use of manual thrombus aspiration in all patients with AMI-ST during primary PCI is ineffective, being necessary further studies to evaluate the potential benefit of these technique in a sub-group of patients

Songbirds promote connectivity between riparian galleries and adjacent habitats

Riparian galleries are among the most vulnerable habitats in the world and are well known for their importance to the most specialized riparian bird species. In this study, we analyzed songbird composition, songbird diet, trophic ecology and seed dispersal in riparian galleries and adjacent Montado matrices in southern Portugal to address the importance of birds in promoting the connectivity between riparian galleries and adjacent habitats. We used fecal samples to compare diet, and blood samples to compare nitrogen stable isotopes from birds in these two habitats. The seasonal variation in the abundance of arthropods and fruits was evaluated in both habitats and seed movement between both habitats was assessed from fruits marked with fluorescence. Abundance of food resources for birds (arthropods and fruits) declined throughout the season in a similar way for both habitats, and there were strong similarities in the diet and trophic ecology of songbirds in the riparian gallery and adjacent habitat. In both habitats, birds preyed heavily on Hymenoptera and Coleoptera but birds more abundant in the Montado fed more on Araneae and Hymenoptera. Seeds were moved significantly more frequently from the riparian gallery into the adjacent Montado than vice-versa. Our results suggest that birds from the adjacent habitat move frequently to the riparian gallery to forage and disperse seeds into the adjacent habitat as they depart. This study shows that birds play an important role in promoting connectivity between riparian galleries and adjacent habitats

A Multiplex PCR Assay for Detection of Salmonella sp., Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter sp., Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Contaminated food and water are usual vehicles for bacterial pathogens transmission. According to EFSA they promote foodborne illness. Salmonella sp., Campylobacter sp., Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus are the most foodborne pathogens reported. Bacterial contamination levels remain at high level, particularly in Europe, despite regulatory efforts to address the situation. The need of new diagnostic tools is crucial. Ideally, tests easy to perform, enough accurate and low cost. The present work talk about optimization of a multiplex PCR (mPCR) test used to detect 5 foodborne contaminants: Salmonella sp., Campylobacter sp., L. monocytogenes, E. coli and S. aureus. For specificity evaluation, 5 PCR amplification reference DNA were used respectively: 103bp, 174bp, 151bp, 121bp and 136bp. No amplification was observed when primers and DNA from mismatching species were subject to PCR amplification. Furthermore, the sensitivity of this assay was evaluated by using serial dilutions of DNA extracted from clean 1CFU culture of each pathogen. This assay will be optimized by using Real-Time PCR and DNA plasmids containing a single copy of each gene, towards a new and rapid test for food and food manipulated surfaces control. Results are promising and allow us to postulate the design of an accurate and useful assay for bacterial control

Caffeine and adenosine A 2A receptor inactivation decrease striatal neuropathology in a lentiviral-based model of Machado–Joseph disease

Objective: Machado–Joseph disease (MJD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with an abnormal CAG expansion, which translates into an expanded polyglutamine tract within ataxin-3. There is no therapy to prevent or modify disease progression. Because caffeine (a nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist) and selective adenosine A2A receptor (A2A R) blockade alleviate neurodegeneration in different brain diseases, namely at early stages of another polyglutamine-related disorder such as Huntington’s disease, we now tested their ability to control MJD-associated neurodegeneration. Methods: MJD was modeled by transducing the striatum of male adult C57Bl/6 mice with lentiviral vectors encoding mutant ataxin-3 in one hemisphere and wild-type ataxin-3 in the other hemisphere (as internal control). Caffeine (1g/L) was applied through the drinking water. Mice were killed at different time points (from 2 to 12 weeks) to probe for the appearance of different morphological changes using immunohistochemical analysis. Results: Mutant ataxin-3 caused an evolving neuronal dysfunction (loss of DARPP-32 staining) leading to neurodegeneration (cresyl violet and neuronal nuclei staining) associated with increased number of mutant ataxin-3 inclusions in the basal ganglia. Notably, mutant ataxin-3 triggered early synaptotoxicity (decreased synaptophysin and microtubule-associated protein-2 staining) and reactive gliosis (glial fibrillary acidic protein and CD11b staining), which predated neuronal dysfunction and damage. Caffeine reduced the appearance of all these morphological modifications, which were also abrogated in mice with a global A2A R inactivation (knockout). Interpretation: Our findings provide a demonstration that synaptotoxicity and gliosis are precocious events in MJD and that caffeine and A2A R inactivation decrease MJD-associated striatal pathology, which paves the way to consider A2A Rs as novel therapeutic targets to manage MJD

Dystonia is a Common Phenotypic Feature of MEGDEL Syndrome

This letter was written in response to an article called "Adult-onset generalized dystonia as the main manifestation of MEGDEL syndrome", about a 31-year-old male with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria with deafness, encephalopathy, and Leigh-like (MEGDEL) syndrome due to a compound heterozygote variant in the SERAC1 gene. The article raised a number of comments and concerns, which the authors outline in this lette

Data-driven prescription patterns in patients under maintenance treatment for respiratory diseases from the Portuguese prescription database

We aimed to identify prescription patterns in respiratory patients using an unsupervised (data-driven) method, in a random sample of patients aged >14 years (n=8799), retrieved from the Portuguese Electronic Medical Prescription database. Respiratory patients were defined if >2 packs of maintenance treatment for respiratory diseases were prescribed in 2016. We analysed all the prescriptions (n=39810) for respiratory diseases and exacerbations by medication type. Two-step clustering was based on the presence of ICS, LABA, LTRA, LAMA, LABA, SABA, SAMA and on the speciality of prescriber.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio