Association between Elevated Iodine Intake and IQ among School Children in Portugal

Funding Information: This project was funded through grants by the Public Health Initiatives Programme (PT06), financed by EEA Grants Financial Mechanism 2009–2014, and supported by FEDER through the operation POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007746 funded by the Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização—COMPETE2020 and by National Funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., within CINTESIS, R&D Unit (reference UIDP/4255/2020) and within the scope of the project RISE, Associated Laboratory (reference LA/P/0053/2020). DP and VCF also received individual funding from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (SFRH/BPD/109158/2015 in the first case; SFRH/BPD/109153/2015, UIDB/50006/2020, UIDP/50006/2020, and LA/P/0008/2020 in the second case).The goal of this work was to examine whether elevated iodine intake was associated with adverse effects on IQ among school-age children in Portugal. In a representative sample of children from the north of the country, IQ percentiles by age (assessed with Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices) were dichotomized to <50 (“below-average” IQs) and ≥50. Morning urine iodine concentrations, corrected for creatinine, were dichotomized to <250 µg/g and ≥250 µg/g, according to the European Commission/Scientific Committee on Food’s tolerable upper level of daily iodine intake for young children. Data were examined with Chi-square tests, logistic regression, and GLM univariate analysis. The sample (N = 1965) was classified as generally iodine-adequate (median urinary iodine concentration = 129 µg/L; median iodine-to-creatinine ratio = 126 µg/g) according to the WHO’s criteria. A greater proportion of children in the ≥250 µg/g group had below-average IQs, compared to children with less than 250 µg/g (p = 0.037), despite a sizable (though non-significant) proportion of children in the less-than-250 µg/g group also presenting below-average IQs, at the bottom of the iodine distribution (<50 µg/g). The proportion of below-average IQs increased with increasingly elevated iodine concentrations (p = 0.047). The association remained significant after the adjustment for confounders, with the elevated iodine group showing increased odds of having below-average IQs when compared with the non-elevated iodine group (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.11–2.17; p = 0.011). Consistently, the former group presented a lower mean IQ than the latter (p = 0.006). High iodine intake was associated with lower IQs even in a population classified as iodine-adequate. These results bear on child cognition and on initiatives involving iodine supplementation.publishersversionpublishe

MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL : A data set of terrestrial, volant, and marine mammal occurrences in P ortugal

Mammals are threatened worldwide, with 26% of all species being includedin the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associatedwith habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mam-mals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion formarine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems func-tionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is cru-cial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS INPORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublishedgeoreferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mam-mals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira thatincludes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occur-ring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live obser-vations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%),bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent lessthan 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrowsjsoil moundsjtunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animaljhairjskullsjjaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8),observation in shelters, (9) photo trappingjvideo, (10) predators dietjpelletsjpine cones/nuts, (11) scatjtrackjditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalizationjecholocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and100 m (76%). Rodentia (n=31,573) has the highest number of records followedby Chiroptera (n=18,857), Carnivora (n=18,594), Lagomorpha (n=17,496),Cetartiodactyla (n=11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n=7008). The data setincludes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened(e.g.,Oryctolagus cuniculus[n=12,159],Monachus monachus[n=1,512],andLynx pardinus[n=197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate thepublication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contrib-ute to ecology and conservation-related research, and therefore assisting onthe development of more accurate and tailored conservation managementstrategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite thisdata paper when the data are used in publications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mammals in Portugal: a data set of terrestrial, volant, and marine mammal occurrences in Portugal

Mammals are threatened worldwide, with ~26% of all species being included in the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associated with habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mammals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion for marine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems functionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is crucial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublished georeferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mammals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira that includes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occurring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live observations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%), bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent less than 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrows | soil mounds | tunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animal | hair | skulls | jaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8), observation in shelters, (9) photo trapping | video, (10) predators diet | pellets | pine cones/nuts, (11) scat | track | ditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalization | echolocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and 100 m (76%). Rodentia (n =31,573) has the highest number of records followed by Chiroptera (n = 18,857), Carnivora (n = 18,594), Lagomorpha (n = 17,496), Cetartiodactyla (n = 11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n = 7008). The data set includes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened (e.g., Oryctolagus cuniculus [n = 12,159], Monachus monachus [n = 1,512], and Lynx pardinus [n = 197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate the publication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contribute to ecology and conservation-related research, and therefore assisting on the development of more accurate and tailored conservation management strategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications

Study of swallowing in older people with dementia due Alzheimer\'s and validation of an evaluation protocol

No presente estudo, propôs-se estudar a deglutição em idosos saudáveis e em idosos com Demência devido à Doença de Alzheimer (DDA), em estágios leve e moderado. Objetivou-se especificamente: verificar a frequência de disfagia nessa população; verificar se há associação entre a presença de disfagia e os aspectos cognitivos, de estado nutricional e de independência funcional; adaptar um protocolo de avaliação clínica da deglutição para esta população; analisar a confiabilidade inter examinadores; avaliar a validade de critério do protocolo; e verificar as medidas de sensibilidade e de especificidade do instrumento de avaliação. Participaram do estudo 52 idosos saudáveis; 50 com diagnóstico de DDA leve (DAL), 50 idosos com DDA moderada (DAM). Foram realizadas avaliações da deglutição, cognitivas utilizando os instrumentos: Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), Teste do Desenho do Relógio (TDR), a prova da Memória de Leitura de Palavras (MLP), a Evocação Tardia da Leitura de Palavras (ETLP), Teste de Nomeação de Boston - versão reduzida (TNB), a American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Functional Assessment of Communication Skills (ASHA FACS); avaliação do estado nutricional utilizando a escala a Mini Avaliação Nutricional (MAN); e avaliação da independência funcional, utilizando a Medida de Independência Funcional (MIF). Para a etapa de validação, participaram 27 idosos do Grupo Controle (GC) e 25 do grupo Demência de Alzheimer Leve (DAL) e 25 do grupo Demência de Alzheimer Moderada (DAM). Realizou-se a adaptação do protocolo de avaliação clínica da deglutição, proposto por Pacheco (2017), para a população com demência e utilização neste estudo. Foram realizadas também uma avaliação clínica da deglutição por outra fonoaudióloga e também realizou-se a videofluoroscopia da deglutição, ambas para as análises de confiabilidade inter examinadores e acurácia dos instrumento, respectivamente. Os resultados do estudo demonstram que houve predomínio na amostra do gênero feminino em todos os grupos. A média mais elevada de idade 77,0 (±7,7) foi do grupo DAL, e de escolaridade no GC (4,7±3,7). A presença da disfagia foi mais frequente nos idosos do grupo DAM (44%). Houve associação entre a presença de disfagia e a idade no GC (p=0,003). No grupo DAL houve associação com a idade (p=0,000), com o MEEM (p=0,031) e com a MAN (p=0,000); e no grupo DAM, a presença de disfagia se associou com a idade (p=0,000) e com a MAN (p=0,000). A etapa de validação do instrumento de avaliação clínica da deglutição demonstrou que a confiabilidade inter examinador foi considerada boa, sendo K=0,767 e p=0,000. A análise da validade de critério, obteve-se K=0,890, p=0,000, considerado concordância ótima. A sensibilidade do instrumento foi de 100% e a especificidade de 92,5%. O estudo demonstrou que a disfagia é mais frequente nos idosos com DDA em fase moderada, e que esta aumenta com a instalação da doença e progressão da mesma. A presença de disfagia se associou com alterações cognitivas e com a idade; a presença da disfagia causa impacto no estado nutricional dos idosos com DDA. Oinstrumento de avaliação demonstrou ter boa confiabilidade, ótima concordância com o instrumento considerado padrão ouro, e também altas medidas de sensibilidade e especificidade.In the present work, it we proposed to study swallowing in healthy elderly people and in elderly people with Alzheimer\'s Disease (AD), in mild and moderate stages. The objective was specifically to verify the frequency of dysphagia in this population; to verify if there is an association between the presence of dysphagia and the cognitives aspects, nutritional status and functional independence; to adapt a protocol of clinical evaluation of swallowing for this population; to assess the inter-examiner reliability; evaluate the validity of the protocol criterion; and to verify the measures of sensitivity and specificity of the evaluation instrument. Fifty-two healthy elderly people participated in the study; 50 with diagnosis of mild Alzheimer\'s Disease (mild-AD), 50 elderly with moderate Alzheimer\'s Disease (modAD). Cognitive evaluation of swallowing was performed using the following instruments: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the clock drawing (CD), Long Term Memory (LTM), Late Evocation of the Word List (LEWL), Boston Naming Test (BNT), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Functional Assessment of Communication Skills (ASHA-FACS); assessment of nutritional status using a Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scale; and functional independence assessment, use a Functional Independence Measure (FIM). For a validation stage, 27 elderly people from the Control Group (CG) and 25 from the mild-AD groups and 25 from the mod-AD group participated. An adaptation of the protocol for the clinical evaluation of swallowing, proposed by Pacheco (2017) was carried out for a population with dementia and the utilized in this study. An overview of swallowing by another speech-language-hearing scientist was also performed, and videofluoroscopy of swallowing was also performed, both for inter-examiner reliability analyzes and criterion validity, respectively. The results of the study showed that female gender was predominant in all groups The highest mean age was 77.0 (± 7.7) in the mild-AD group, and scholarly level in CG was (4.7 ± 3.7). The presence of dysphagia was more frequent in the elderly in the mod-AD group (44%). There was an association between the presence of dysphagia and age in the GC (p = 0.003). In the mild-ADD group there was association with age (p = 0.000), with MMSE (p = 0.031) and with MNA (p = 0.000); and in the mod-AD group, the presence of dysphagia was associated with age (p = 0.000) and with MNA (p = 0.000). The validation stage of the instrument for clinical evaluation of swallowing demonstrated that interexaminer reliability was considered good, with K = 0.767 and p = 0.000. The analysis of the criterion validity obtained K = 0.890, p = 0.000, considered an optimal agreement. The sensitivity of the instrument was 100% and the specificity was 92.5%. The study demonstrated that dysphagia is more frequent in the elderly with moderate-phase DD, and that this increases with the onset of the disease and its progression. The presence of dysphagia was associated with cognitive alterations and with age; the presence of dysphagia causes an impact on the nutritional status of the elderly with AD. The evaluation instrument showed good reliability, excellent agreement with the gold standard instrument, as well as high sensitivity and specificity measurements

Study of swallowing in older people with dementia due Alzheimer\'s and validation of an evaluation protocol

No presente estudo, propôs-se estudar a deglutição em idosos saudáveis e em idosos com Demência devido à Doença de Alzheimer (DDA), em estágios leve e moderado. Objetivou-se especificamente: verificar a frequência de disfagia nessa população; verificar se há associação entre a presença de disfagia e os aspectos cognitivos, de estado nutricional e de independência funcional; adaptar um protocolo de avaliação clínica da deglutição para esta população; analisar a confiabilidade inter examinadores; avaliar a validade de critério do protocolo; e verificar as medidas de sensibilidade e de especificidade do instrumento de avaliação. Participaram do estudo 52 idosos saudáveis; 50 com diagnóstico de DDA leve (DAL), 50 idosos com DDA moderada (DAM). Foram realizadas avaliações da deglutição, cognitivas utilizando os instrumentos: Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), Teste do Desenho do Relógio (TDR), a prova da Memória de Leitura de Palavras (MLP), a Evocação Tardia da Leitura de Palavras (ETLP), Teste de Nomeação de Boston - versão reduzida (TNB), a American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Functional Assessment of Communication Skills (ASHA FACS); avaliação do estado nutricional utilizando a escala a Mini Avaliação Nutricional (MAN); e avaliação da independência funcional, utilizando a Medida de Independência Funcional (MIF). Para a etapa de validação, participaram 27 idosos do Grupo Controle (GC) e 25 do grupo Demência de Alzheimer Leve (DAL) e 25 do grupo Demência de Alzheimer Moderada (DAM). Realizou-se a adaptação do protocolo de avaliação clínica da deglutição, proposto por Pacheco (2017), para a população com demência e utilização neste estudo. Foram realizadas também uma avaliação clínica da deglutição por outra fonoaudióloga e também realizou-se a videofluoroscopia da deglutição, ambas para as análises de confiabilidade inter examinadores e acurácia dos instrumento, respectivamente. Os resultados do estudo demonstram que houve predomínio na amostra do gênero feminino em todos os grupos. A média mais elevada de idade 77,0 (±7,7) foi do grupo DAL, e de escolaridade no GC (4,7±3,7). A presença da disfagia foi mais frequente nos idosos do grupo DAM (44%). Houve associação entre a presença de disfagia e a idade no GC (p=0,003). No grupo DAL houve associação com a idade (p=0,000), com o MEEM (p=0,031) e com a MAN (p=0,000); e no grupo DAM, a presença de disfagia se associou com a idade (p=0,000) e com a MAN (p=0,000). A etapa de validação do instrumento de avaliação clínica da deglutição demonstrou que a confiabilidade inter examinador foi considerada boa, sendo K=0,767 e p=0,000. A análise da validade de critério, obteve-se K=0,890, p=0,000, considerado concordância ótima. A sensibilidade do instrumento foi de 100% e a especificidade de 92,5%. O estudo demonstrou que a disfagia é mais frequente nos idosos com DDA em fase moderada, e que esta aumenta com a instalação da doença e progressão da mesma. A presença de disfagia se associou com alterações cognitivas e com a idade; a presença da disfagia causa impacto no estado nutricional dos idosos com DDA. Oinstrumento de avaliação demonstrou ter boa confiabilidade, ótima concordância com o instrumento considerado padrão ouro, e também altas medidas de sensibilidade e especificidade.In the present work, it we proposed to study swallowing in healthy elderly people and in elderly people with Alzheimer\'s Disease (AD), in mild and moderate stages. The objective was specifically to verify the frequency of dysphagia in this population; to verify if there is an association between the presence of dysphagia and the cognitives aspects, nutritional status and functional independence; to adapt a protocol of clinical evaluation of swallowing for this population; to assess the inter-examiner reliability; evaluate the validity of the protocol criterion; and to verify the measures of sensitivity and specificity of the evaluation instrument. Fifty-two healthy elderly people participated in the study; 50 with diagnosis of mild Alzheimer\'s Disease (mild-AD), 50 elderly with moderate Alzheimer\'s Disease (modAD). Cognitive evaluation of swallowing was performed using the following instruments: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the clock drawing (CD), Long Term Memory (LTM), Late Evocation of the Word List (LEWL), Boston Naming Test (BNT), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Functional Assessment of Communication Skills (ASHA-FACS); assessment of nutritional status using a Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scale; and functional independence assessment, use a Functional Independence Measure (FIM). For a validation stage, 27 elderly people from the Control Group (CG) and 25 from the mild-AD groups and 25 from the mod-AD group participated. An adaptation of the protocol for the clinical evaluation of swallowing, proposed by Pacheco (2017) was carried out for a population with dementia and the utilized in this study. An overview of swallowing by another speech-language-hearing scientist was also performed, and videofluoroscopy of swallowing was also performed, both for inter-examiner reliability analyzes and criterion validity, respectively. The results of the study showed that female gender was predominant in all groups The highest mean age was 77.0 (± 7.7) in the mild-AD group, and scholarly level in CG was (4.7 ± 3.7). The presence of dysphagia was more frequent in the elderly in the mod-AD group (44%). There was an association between the presence of dysphagia and age in the GC (p = 0.003). In the mild-ADD group there was association with age (p = 0.000), with MMSE (p = 0.031) and with MNA (p = 0.000); and in the mod-AD group, the presence of dysphagia was associated with age (p = 0.000) and with MNA (p = 0.000). The validation stage of the instrument for clinical evaluation of swallowing demonstrated that interexaminer reliability was considered good, with K = 0.767 and p = 0.000. The analysis of the criterion validity obtained K = 0.890, p = 0.000, considered an optimal agreement. The sensitivity of the instrument was 100% and the specificity was 92.5%. The study demonstrated that dysphagia is more frequent in the elderly with moderate-phase DD, and that this increases with the onset of the disease and its progression. The presence of dysphagia was associated with cognitive alterations and with age; the presence of dysphagia causes an impact on the nutritional status of the elderly with AD. The evaluation instrument showed good reliability, excellent agreement with the gold standard instrument, as well as high sensitivity and specificity measurements

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved