Impact of contact lenses on environment

Dissertação de mestrado em Genética MolecularAs lentes de contato (LC) são mais populares do que nunca e, com o aumento da prevalência da miopia e dos números de pessoas com presbiopia, espera-se que o número de utilizadores aumente. E, por questões de conveniência e de higiene, as lentes de contato descartáveis (LCD) tornam-se a primeira escolha, estando disponíveis para diferentes modalidades de uso. No entanto, estas podem ter um impacto ambiental adverso resultante da necessidade de descartar muitas lentes e as suas embalagens. Como não existem estudos que mostram se as LC têm impacto ambiental, este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar se os microrganismos conseguem degradar/deteriorar o material das LC. Foram selecionados seis fungos unicelulares (Pichia orientalis, P. fermentans, Candida humilis, C. intermedia, C. tropicalis e Wickerhamomyces anomalus), duas bactérias (Bacillus megaterium e Brucella melitensis) e três hifomicetes aquáticos (Articulospora tetracladia, Tricladium splendans e Varicosporium elodea) para incubar com os materiais de LC Nesofilcon A (Bausch & Lomb) e Senofilcon A (Johnson & Johnson) por um período desde 40 horas a 8 meses. O impacto da presença do material das LC no crescimento de leveduras, bactérias e hifomicetes aquáticos foi avaliado e os resultados indicaram que a sua presença não afetou significativamente o crescimento. Além disso, ao final do período de incubação com leveduras (40 h), o índice de refração das LC (IR) e o conteúdo em água (CA) não se alterou quando comparados com as lentes novas. A integridade da LC após as incubações com leveduras e bactérias permaneceu intacta, porém, após 8 meses na presença de hifomicetes aquáticos, as LC apresentaram roturas na sua superfície. Para avaliar o impacto da LC no meio ambiente, a LC foi colocada no solo e num extrato do solo e o IR e o CA também foram analisados após 1, 2, 4, 6 e 8 semanas. Os resultados indicaram que os valores de IR e CA não mudaram significativamente ao longo das semanas nas duas condições testadas. As análises aos materiais das LC com Microscopia de Força Atómica (AFM) e com Espectroscopia de Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourier acoplada a um acessório de refletância total atenuada (FTIR-ATR) incubadas por 6 e 8 semanas nestas condições indicam que há um aumento na rugosidade das LC, no entanto, não há alterações na composição polimérica das lentes. Estas LC foram incubadas com bactérias e testadas quanto à sua resistência ao estiramento. Os resultados mostram que a percentagem de alongamento até quebra da LC Senofilcon A piorou em todas as condições, mas o mesmo não foi observado para LC Nesofilcon A. Concluiu-se que as LC não afetam o crescimento de leveduras, bactérias e hifomicetes aquáticos. Após inseridas durante 8 semanas no solo ou no extrato do solo não parecem degradar-se ou deteriorar-se significativamente. No entanto, a lente Senofilcon A, composta por Silicone-Hidrogel (SiHi), começou a apresentar um sinal de deterioração, o que sugere que esta LC pode contribuir para o aumento dos microplásticos no meio ambiente. Considerando que o número esperado de utilizadores de LC aumentará, particularmente as LCD diárias, as LC que terminarem nos rios ou nos aterros sanitários devem ser consideradas um problema ambiental.Contact lenses (CL) are more popular than ever and with the increase in the prevalence of myopia and people with presbyopia, it is expected that the number of users will increase. The convenience and hygiene issues make disposable contact lenses (DCL) the first choice as they are available for different wearing modalities. However, they can have a high adverse environmental impact resulting from the need to discard many lenses and their packaging. Since there aren’t studies that show if CL have an environmental impact, this study aims to evaluate if microorganisms can degrade/deteriorate CL materials. Six unicellular fungi were selected (Pichia orientalis, P. fermentans, Candida humilis, C. intermedia, C. tropicalis, and Wickerhamomyces anomalus), two bacteria (Bacillus megaterium and Brucella melitensis), and three aquatic hyphomycetes (Articulospora tetracladia, Tricladium splendans, and Varicosporium elodea) to incubate with the Nesofilcon A (Bausch&Lomb) and Senofilcon A (Johnson&Johnson) CL for a period from 40 hours to 8 months. The impact of the presence of the CL material on yeast, bacteria and aquatic hyphomycete growth was evaluated and results indicated that their presence didn’t significantly affect their growth. Also, at the end of the incubation with yeast (40 h), the CL refractive index (RI) and water content (WC) didn’tt change when compared with the new lens. The CL integrity after the incubations with yeast and bacteria remains intact, however, after 8 months in the presence of aquatic hyphomycetes, the CL presented breaks at their surface. To evaluate the impact of CL on the environment, CL were placed in soil and in a soil extract and RI and WC were analyzed after 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks. Results indicated that the RI and WC values didn’t change significantly over the weeks in both conditions tested. Analyzes of CL materials with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) incubated for 6 and 8 weeks in those conditions indicate that there is an increase in CL roughness, however, there are no changes in the polymeric composition of the CL. These CL and CL incubated with bacteria were tested for their resistance to stretch and the results show that there is an impairment of Senofilcon A in all conditions but the same was not observed for Nesofilcon A. We concluded that CL do not affect yeast, bacteria and aquatic hyphomycetes growth. After inserted during 8 weeks in soil or soil extract doesn’t seem to significantly degrade or deteriorate CL. However, Senofilcon A CL, composed of silicone-Hydrogel (SiHy), began to present a sign of deterioration, which suggests that this monthly DCL may contribute to the enhancement of microplastics in the environment. Considering that the expected number of CL users will increase, particularly the daily DCL, CL ending in the rivers or in the land field should be considered an environmental problem

Anaerobic biological removal of pharmaceuticals: impact of these micropollutants towards different microbial groups in anaerobic communities

Pharmaceutical compounds are originated essentially from anthropogenic activities and end up in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). Despite the low concentrations usually detected in wastewater (ranging from ng L-1 to g L-1), levels of mg L-1 have been detected in some countries. Moreover, in conventional WWTP these compounds are hardly degraded and tend to accumulate in sludge, being an environmental and public health problem. A possible treatment and valorization of contaminated sewage sludge is through anaerobic digestion, but for that purpose, the effect of these micropollutants on the activity of crucial microbial groups present in the anaerobic sludge (i.e., acetogenic and methanogenic microorganisms) must be assessed. In this work, the effect of ciprofloxacin (CIP), ibuprofen (IBP), diclofenac (DCF), and 17-ethinylestradiol (EE2), on the activity of acetogenic and methanogenic anaerobic communities was investigated1. The microorganisms respond dissimilarly to these micropollutants, at different concentrations (0.01-100 mg L-1), but in general they were more affected by CIP, followed by EE2, DCF and IBP. The specific methanogenic activity (SMA) was not affected in concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 mg L-1. However, acetoclastic methanogens were the most sensitive microorganisms, being affect by all the pharmaceuticals, at higher concentrations. The SMA of these microorganisms was inhibited 20% by 1 mg L-1 of CIP, and circa 50% with higher concentrations. Acetogenic bacteria were not affected by IBP at all the tested concentrations, but they were sensitive to CIP at concentrations above 1 mg L-1, and to DCF and EE2 at concentrations above 10 mg L-1. Instead, hydrogenotrophic methanogens were not affected by any concentration, indicating their lower sensitivity. It can be concluded that methanogenic communities were not severely affected by these pharmaceuticals. So, the application of anaerobic digestion for the treatment of wastewater and sewage sludge contaminated with pharmaceuticals seems promising. Indeed, another study showed that CIP can be removed by anaerobic sludge in the presence of carbon materials (99% removal), and treated wastewater was much less toxic than before the treatment (46% detoxification), as assessed with the standard bioassay using Vibrio fischeri.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Patient-physician discordance in assessment of adherence to inhaled controller medication: a cross-sectional analysis of two cohorts

We aimed to compare patient's and physician's ratings of inhaled medication adherence and to identify predictors of patient-physician discordance.(SFRH/BPD/115169/2016) funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT); ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) through the operations: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029130 ('mINSPIRERS—mHealth to measure and improve adherence to medication in chronic obstructive respiratory diseases—generalisation and evaluation of gamification, peer support and advanced image processing technologies') cofunded by the COMPETE2020 (Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização), Portugal 2020 and by Portuguese Funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estresse, qualidade de sono e conhecimento sobre saúde mental dos acadêmicos de fisioterapia da FAESO / Stress, sleep quality and mental health knowledge of FAESO physiotherapy academics

Introdução: No cenário atual, a globalização e suas novas tecnologias, criaram diversas alterações no ritmo de trabalho e também nos estilos de vida. Consequentemente, ocorre uma desordem no organismo causada pelo estresse, que pode ser provocado por estímulos psicológicos, ambientais ou fisiológico que causam um impacto direto na qualidade de sono, desencadeando déficit de atenção, memoria, função cognitiva e ansiedade. A formação profissional em saúde se encontra em um cenário árduo e a busca por um olhar humanizado e imprescindível para a promoção integral a saúde, pois o desconhecimento sobre saúde mental interfere diretamente no tratamento e relação com o indivíduo. Assim, a inclusão de questões sobre saúde mental se faz necessário na perspectiva acadêmica do fisioterapeuta, para integralizar a equipe, capaz de diminuir distúrbios mentais e ajudar na reabilitação psicossocial. Objetivo: O objetivo da presente pesquisa é avaliar a qualidade do sono, estresse, incidência de sintomas e o conhecimento em saúde mental dos acadêmicos de fisioterapia. Metodologia: Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória, quantitativa, realizada através de um formulário impresso contido de três questionários: estresse, qualidade de sono e conhecimento sobre saúde mental, respondido individualmente pelos acadêmicos. Resultados: Foram analisados 47 questionários preenchidos por acadêmicos de fisioterapia e foi possível verificar que a respeito da qualidade de sono, a maioria dos acadêmicos são classificados como “maus dormidores”. Já em relação ao estresse a maioria se encontram na fase de resistência, os resultados apontaram também que dentre os participantes que apresentaram níveis de estresse, houve maior ocorrência de manifestações de sintomas físicos. Ao analisar o conhecimento sobre saúde mental, os avaliados compreendem mais sobre as perguntas relacionadas ao estigma da doença (procura de ajuda, apoio, reconhecimento, emprego, recuperação e tratamento). Conclusão: É possível concluir que a maioria dos acadêmicos se encontram em fase de resistência, apresentando predominância nos sintomas físicos durante esse período de estágio, no qual a rotina acadêmica interfere de forma impactante na qualidade do sono, classificando-os como maus dormidores. No âmbito relacionado ao conhecimento sobre saúde mental adquirido, destacou-se a falta dele com relação às doenças mentais, no qual foi assinalado erroneamente o estresse, no entanto, podemos destacar que obtivemos uma alta pontuação ao afirmarem que saberiam aconselhar um amigo com problema de saúde mental a procurar ajuda de um profissional. Logo, podemos afirmar que os participantes compreendem sobre o estigma das doenças, porém, falta conhecimento específico relacionado às doenças de saúde mental. Portanto, concluímos a importância da inclusão na grade curricular da graduação de fisioterapia a matéria sobre doença de saúde mental, para agregar pessoalmente e profissionalmente na vida dos acadêmicos

Low frequency of CD4+CD25+ Treg in SLE patients: a heritable trait associated with CTLA4 and TGFβ gene variants

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>CD4⁺CD25⁺regulatory T cells play an essential role in maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing autoimmunity. Therefore, defects in Treg development, maintenance or function have been associated with several human autoimmune diseases including Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by loss of tolerance to nuclear components and significantly more frequent in females.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To investigate the involvement of Treg in SLE pathogenesis, we determined the frequency of CD4⁺CD25⁺CD45RO⁺T cells, which encompass the majority of Treg activity, in the PBMC of 148 SLE patients (76 patients were part of 54 families), 166 relatives and 117 controls. SLE patients and their relatives were recruited in several Portuguese hospitals and through the Portuguese Lupus Association. Control individuals were blood donors recruited from several regional blood donor centers. Treg frequency was significantly lower in SLE patients than healthy controls (z = -6.161, <it>P </it>< 0.00001) and intermediate in the relatives' group. Remarkably, this T cell subset was also lower in females, most strikingly in the control population (z = 4.121, <it>P </it>< 0.001). We further ascertained that the decreased frequency of Treg in SLE patients resulted from the specific reduction of <it>bona fide </it>FOXP3⁺CD4⁺CD25⁺Treg. Treg frequency was negatively correlated with SLE activity index (SLEDAI) and titers of serum anti-dsDNA antibodies. Both Treg frequency and disease activity were modulated by IVIg treatment in a documented SLE case. The segregation of Treg frequency within the SLE families was indicative of a genetic trait. Candidate gene analysis revealed that specific variants of <it>CTLA4 </it>and <it>TGFβ </it>were associated with the decreased frequency of Treg in PBMC, while <it>FOXP3 </it>gene variants were associated with affection status, but not with Treg frequency.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>SLE patients have impaired Treg production or maintenance, a trait strongly associated with SLE disease activity and autoantibody titers, and possibly resulting from the inability to convert FOXP3⁺CD25^-into FOXP3⁺CD25⁺T cells. Treg frequency is highly heritable within SLE families, with specific variants of the <it>CTLA4 </it>and <it>TGFβ </it>genes contributing to this trait, while <it>FOXP3 </it>contributes to SLE through mechanisms not involving a modulation of Treg frequency. These findings establish that the genetic components in SLE pathogenesis include genes related to Treg generation or maintenance.</p

Exploring the correlations between epi indicators of COVID-19 and the concentration of pharmaceutical compounds in Wastewater Treatment Plants in Northern Portugal

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus led to changes in the lifestyle and human behaviour, which resulted in different consumption patterns of some classes of pharmaceuticals including curative, symptom-relieving, and psychotropic drugs. The trends in the consumption of these compounds are related to their concentrations in wastewater systems, since incompletely metabolised drugs (or their metabolites back transformed into the parental form) may be detected and quantified by analytical methods. Pharmaceuticals are highly recalcitrant compounds and conventional activated sludge processes implemented in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are ineffective at degrading these substances. As a results, these compounds end up in waterways or accumulate in the sludge, being a serious concern given their potential effects on ecosystems and public health. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the presence of pharmaceuticals in water and sludge to assist in the search for more effective processes. In this work, eight pharmaceuticals from five therapeutic classes were analysed in wastewater and sludge samples collected in two WWTP located in the Northern Portugal, during the third COVID-19 epidemic wave in Portugal. The two WWTP demonstrated a similar pattern with respect to the concentration levels in that period. However, the drugs loads reaching each WWTP were dissimilar when normalising the concentrations to the inlet flow rate. Acetaminophen (ACET) was the compound detected at highest concentrations in aqueous samples of both WWTP (98. 516 g L1 in WWTP2 and 123. 506 g L1in WWTP1), indicating that this drug is extensively used without the need of a prescription, known of general public knowledge as an antipyretic and analgesic agent to treat pain and fever. The concentrations determined in the sludge samples were below 1.65 µg g1 in both WWTP, the highest value being found for azithromycin (AZT). This result may be justified by the physico-chemical characteristics of the compound that favour its adsorption to the sludge surface through ionic interactions. It was not possible to establish a clear relationship between the incidence of COVID-19 cases in the sewer catchment and the concentration of drugs detected in the same period. However, looking at the data obtained, the high incidence of COVID-19 in January 2021 is in line with the high concentration of drugs detected in the aqueous and sludge samples but prediction of drug load from viral load data was unfeasible.This study was supported by the Competitiveness and Internationalisation Operational Programme, Lisbon Regional Operational Programme and Algarve Regional Operational Programme with the support of FEDER, through the Incentive Scheme: research and development activities and investment in testing and optimisation (upscaling) infrastructures in the context of COVID-19, through the Project “SARS CONTROL: Evaluation of the impacts of SARS-CoV-2 on the urban water cycle and the downstream effects on Public Health" (Ref. 070076). Acknowledge is also due to the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit, and by LABBELS – Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems, LA/P/0029/2020. Strategic funding from FCT to cE3c and BioISI Research Units (UIDB/00329/2020 and UIDB/04046/2020) and to the Associate Laboratory CHANGE (LA/P/0121/2020) is also gratefully acknowledged. ARS holds an FCT grant SFRH/BD/131905/2017 and COVID/BD/151951/2021.ARLR and MFRP acknowledge the financial support from LA/P/0045/2020 (ALiCE), UIDB/50020/2020 and UIDP/50020/2020 (LSRE-LCM), funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). ARLR acknowledges FCT funding under DL57/2016 Transitory Norm Programme.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Viral hepatitis in female sex workers using the Respondent-Driven Sampling

OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus and C virus infections and their genotypes and analyze the risk factors for the markers of exposure to hepatitis B virus in female sex workers in a region of intense sex trade. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study performed with four hundred and two female sex workers in Goiânia, Brazil. Data have been collected using the Respondent-Driven Sampling. The women have been interviewed and tested for markers of hepatitis B and C viruses. Positive samples have been genotyped. The data have been analyzed using the Respondent-Driven Sampling Analysis Tool, version 5.3, and Stata 11.0. RESULTS The adjusted prevalence for hepatitis B virus and C virus were 17.1% (95%CI 11.6–23.4) and 0.7% (95%CI 0.1–1.5), respectively. Only 28% (95%CI 21.1–36.4) of the participants had serological evidence of vaccination against hepatitis B virus. Being older (>; 40 years), being single, having a history of blood transfusion and use of cocaine, and ignoring the symptoms of sexually transmitted infections were associated with positivity for hepatitis B virus (p < 0.05). We have detected the subgenotype A1 of hepatitis B virus (n = 3) and the subtypes of hepatitis C virus 1a (n = 3) and 1b (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS We can observe a low prevalence of infection of hepatitis B and C viruses in the studied population. However, the findings of the analysis of the risk factors show the need for more investment in prevention programs for sexual and drug-related behavior, as well as more efforts to vaccinate this population against hepatitis B. The genotypes of the hepatitis B virus and C virus identified are consistent with those circulating in Brazil

Influenza virus type/subtype and different infection profiles by age group during 2017/2018 season

DDI-INSA em colaboração com a Rede Portuguesa de Laboratórios para o Diagnóstico da GripeBackground: Influenza has a major impact in hospitalization during each influenza season. We analysed the influenza type/subtype distribution by age group and medical care wards (ambulatory, hospital, intensive care unit). Material and Methods: During 2017/2018 season, 14 hospitals from Portugal mainland and Atlantic Island (Azores and Madeira) reported to the National Influenza Centre 13747 cases of respiratory infection, all tested for influenza type and/or subtype. Epidemiological data: age, sample collection, hospital dwelling service and patient outcome were reported. Results: From the 13747 reported cases, 3717(27%) were influenza positive of which 2033 (55%) were influenza B, 722 (19%) A unsubtyped, 505 (14%) AH3, 442 (12%) AH1pdm09 and 15(0,1%) mixed infections. Influenza A was detected in 71% (204/208) of toddlers(<5 years) although in the remaining age groups influenza B was detected in more than 50% of the confirmed flu cases. Influenza B was the predominant virus in hospitalized and ICU influenza cases between 5-14 years (69% and 75%, respectively) and played a major role in elderly (65+ years) hospitalized and ICU cases(57% and 67%, respectively). AH1pdm09 virus was detected in 30% of the influenza confirmed ICU patients, 2.1 times more than in hospitalized cases in other wards and 3.3 times more than influenza AH1pdm09 cases in ambulatory care. Influenza mixed infection were detected sporadically,mainly in hospitalized and ICU patients. From 2080 known outcomes, 40(1.9%) patients deceased, influenza was confirmed in 11(28%) of these cases. Conclusions: Cocirculation of different influenza virus type/subtype may indicate different infection profiles by age groups and should guide influenza preventive/treatment measures.N/

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Hyptis pectinata (l.) Poit.

Essential oil was extracted from leaves of Hyptis pectinata using hydrodistillation, and its composition determined using GC-FID and GC-MS. Chemical analysis showed that there was a predominance of sesquiterpenes, of which β-caryophyllene (18.34%), caryophyllene oxide (18.00%) and calamusenone (24.68%) were measured for the first time in the genus Hyptis. Twenty-one compounds were identified, and calamusenone was isolated using preparative thin layer chromatography with a silica gel plate (60 PF254). The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal microbicidal concentration (MMC) were determined for various pathogenic microorganisms. H. pectinata oil was most effective against Gram (+) bacteria and yeasts

SARS-CoV-2 introductions and early dynamics of the epidemic in Portugal

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal was rapidly implemented by the National Institute of Health in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic, in collaboration with more than 50 laboratories distributed nationwide. Methods By applying recent phylodynamic models that allow integration of individual-based travel history, we reconstructed and characterized the spatio-temporal dynamics of SARSCoV-2 introductions and early dissemination in Portugal. Results We detected at least 277 independent SARS-CoV-2 introductions, mostly from European countries (namely the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, and Switzerland), which were consistent with the countries with the highest connectivity with Portugal. Although most introductions were estimated to have occurred during early March 2020, it is likely that SARS-CoV-2 was silently circulating in Portugal throughout February, before the first cases were confirmed. Conclusions Here we conclude that the earlier implementation of measures could have minimized the number of introductions and subsequent virus expansion in Portugal. This study lays the foundation for genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal, and highlights the need for systematic and geographically-representative genomic surveillance.We gratefully acknowledge to Sara Hill and Nuno Faria (University of Oxford) and Joshua Quick and Nick Loman (University of Birmingham) for kindly providing us with the initial sets of Artic Network primers for NGS; Rafael Mamede (MRamirez team, IMM, Lisbon) for developing and sharing a bioinformatics script for sequence curation (https://github.com/rfm-targa/BioinfUtils); Philippe Lemey (KU Leuven) for providing guidance on the implementation of the phylodynamic models; Joshua L. Cherry (National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health) for providing guidance with the subsampling strategies; and all authors, originating and submitting laboratories who have contributed genome data on GISAID (https://www.gisaid.org/) on which part of this research is based. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the view of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government. This study is co-funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Agência de Investigação Clínica e Inovação Biomédica (234_596874175) on behalf of the Research 4 COVID-19 call. Some infrastructural resources used in this study come from the GenomePT project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022184), supported by COMPETE 2020 - Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa2020), Algarve Portugal Regional Operational Programme (CRESC Algarve2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio