Knowledge and attitude towards the gradual reduction of salt in bread – an online survey

Aim: Assess knowledge and attitude towards the gradual reduction of salt in bread and the potential impact on eating habits of children (6-18 years) and their families, as part as a Health Impact Assessment pilot study.N/

Inhalable antitubercular therapy mediated by locust bean gum microparticles

Tuberculosis remains a major global health problem and alternative therapeutic approaches are needed. Considering the high prevalence of lung tuberculosis (80% of cases), the pulmonary delivery of antitubercular drugs in a carrier system capable of reaching the alveoli, being recognised and phagocytosed by alveolar macrophages (mycobacterium hosts), would be a significant improvement to current oral drug regimens. Locust bean gum (LBG) is a polysaccharide composed of galactose and mannose residues, which may favour specific recognition by macrophages and potentiate phagocytosis. LBG microparticles produced by spray-drying are reported herein for the first time, incorporating either isoniazid or rifabutin, first-line antitubercular drugs (association efficiencies >82%). Microparticles have adequate theoretical properties for deep lung delivery (aerodynamic diameters between 1.15 and 1.67 μm). The cytotoxic evaluation in lung epithelial cells (A549 cells) and macrophages (THP-1 cells) revealed a toxic effect from rifabutin-loaded microparticles at the highest concentrations, but we may consider that these were very high comparing with in vivo conditions. LBG microparticles further evidenced strong ability to be captured by macrophages (percentage of phagocytosis >94%). Overall, the obtained data indicated the potential of the proposed system for tuberculosis therapy

Adaptação transcultural do shoulder rating questionnaire para a língua portuguesa (srq-pt): tradução; validação; análise da consistência interna e replicabilidade.

Shoulder dysfunctions originate functional limitations that compromise the performance of daily living activities by means of restricting the participation of individuals with this clinical condition. Therefore, functional/quality of life (QOL) measures are essential in the evaluation of treatment outcome. The Shoulder Rating Questionnaire (SRQ) is a self-administered QOL instrument designed in the USA with the purpose of assessing symptoms and function of the shoulder. The present study aims to translate and adapt the original version of the SQR into the Portuguese language of Europe and test its psychometric properties. This study was conducted at Hospital Cuf Descobertas - Department of Orthopedics. There were consecutively recruited fifty-five users (n = 55) diagnosed with different disorders of the shoulder. The original version of the SRQ was translated and adapted in accordance with the international standards. The results of internal consistency using Cronbach's coefficient α are: 0.91 for the total questionnaire, and of 0.84; 0.92; 0.82; 0.86 for the domains: pain, daily living and domestic activities, recreational and athletic activities, global assessment and work, respectively. In the calculation of the test-retest reliability - Spearman-Brown, the coefficient obtained for the total questionnaire was r=0.90, and r=0.78 for global assessment, r=0.83 for pain, r=0.88 for daily living and domestic activities, r=0.92 for recreational and athletic activities, and r=0.94 for work. The values of Cronbach's coefficient α at the 30th day was .94. The empirical data obtained show that the SRQ-PT is a valid and reliable measurement instrument in the assessment of various disorders of the shoulder

Exome sequencing in a consanguineous family clinically diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease identifies a homozygous CTSF mutation

We have previously reported the whole genome genotyping analysis of 2 consanguineous siblings clinically diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this analysis, we identified several large regions of homozygosity shared between both affected siblings, which we suggested could be candidate loci for a recessive genetic lesion underlying the early onset AD in these cases. We have now performed exome sequencing in one of these siblings and identified the potential cause of disease: the CTSF c.1243G>A:p.Gly415Arg mutation in homozygosity. Biallelic mutations in this gene have been shown to cause Type B Kufs disease, an adult-onset neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis with some cases resembling the impairment seen in AD

WC-Cu thermal barriers for fusion applications

ABSTRACT: WC-Cu cermets have been devised for thermal barriers between the plasma facing tungsten tiles and the copperbased heat sink in the first wall of nuclear fusion reactors. Composite materials with 50 and 75 v/v% WC have been prepared by hot pressing at 1333 and 1423 K with pressures of 37 and 47 MPa, respectively. Microstructural changes have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The materials consolidated have also been evaluated in terms of Archimedes' density, thermal diffusivity, Vickers hardness and elastic modulus. Implantation was carried out at room temperature with Ar+ at 100 keV ion beam with a fluence of 4 · 1020 at/m2. The materials consisted of homogeneous dispersions of WC particles in a Cu matrix and presented densifications of about 90%. Incipient swelling in copper-rich regions have been observed on the implanted surfaces, however no significant changes have been detected by X-ray diffraction. Higher WC content in the cermet materials increased hardness and the elastic modulus. The cermets' thermal diffusivity was significantly lower than that of pure copper or tungsten, as desirable for a thermal barrier.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Neuropsychological profile of amyloid-positive versus amyloid-negative amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Patients diagnosed with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are at high risk of progressing to dementia. It became possible, through the use of biomarkers, to diagnose those patients with aMCI who have Alzheimer's disease. However, it is presently unfeasible that all patients undergo biomarker testing. Since neuropsychological testing is required to make a formal diagnosis of aMCI, it would be interesting if it could be used to predict the amyloid status of patients with aMCI.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Juvenile Dermatomyositis Forty Years On: Case Report

We present a case report of a 42 year old female, diagnosed at the age of 3 with Juvenile Dermatomyositis. The clinical course was severe and refractory to immunosuppressive therapy. Currently, she is mostly affected by severe muscle atrophy, large joint contractures, calcinosis, and a lipodystrophy associated metabolic syndrome with hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, high total testosterone and hepatic steatosis. She developed Hodgkin´s lymphoma in the course of her disease. Personalized therapeutic choices are discussed as regards juvenile dermatomyositis complications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tuning the Biological Activity of Camphorimine Complexes through Metal Selection

This research was funded by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, through projects CQE (UIDB/00100/2020 and UIDP/00100/2020) and C2TN (UID/MULTI/04349/2019), the projects of the Research Unit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences—iBB (UIDB/04565/2020 and UIDP/04565/2020), the project LA/P/0140/2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy—i4HB, and a PhD grant to J.P.C. (UI/BD/152244/2021).The cytotoxic activity of four sets of camphorimine complexes based on the Cu(I), Cu(II), Ag(I), and Au(I) metal sites were assessed against the cisplatin-sensitive A2780 and OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells. The results showed that the gold complexes were ca. one order of magnitude more active than the silver complexes, which in turn were ca. one order of magnitude more active than the copper complexes. An important finding was that the cytotoxic activity of the Ag(I) and Au(I) camphorimine complexes was higher than that of cisplatin. Another relevant aspect was that the camphorimine complexes did not interact significantly with DNA, in contrast with cisplatin. The cytotoxic activity of the camphorimine complexes displayed a direct relationship with the cellular uptake by OVCAR3 cells, as ascertained by PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission). The levels of ROS (reactive oxygen species) formation exhibited an inverse relationship with the reduction potentials for the complexes with the same metal, as assessed by cyclic voltammetry. In order to gain insight into the toxicity of the complexes, their cytotoxicity toward nontumoral cells (HDF and V79 fibroblasts) was evaluated. The in vivo cytotoxicity of complex 5 using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was also assessed. The silver camphorimine complexes displayed the highest selectivity coefficients (activity vs. toxicity).publishersversionpublishe