A internet das coisas como uma ferramenta auxiliar no ensino superior

A Internet das Coisas (IdC) é essencialmente constituída por uma rede de objetos e dispositivos físicos que, como têm capacidade computacional e de comunicação via WEB, são capazes de recolher e transmitir dados de forma autónoma. Esta possibilidade tem sido utilizada, por exemplo, em sistemas remotos de telemedicina e monitoramento de pacientes. De forma a verificar se a IdC tem potencial para promover uma aprendizagem ativa de natureza interdisciplinar que promova o trabalho em equipa, o desenvolvimento de projetos e competências de comunicação científica no ensino superior, surgiu esta prova de conceito, de cariz misto, resultado do trabalho conjunto entre a Faculdade de Educação e Psicologia e a Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, ambas da Universidade Católica Portuguesa – Centro Regional do Porto. Para tal, um grupo de alunos do curso de Bioengenharia, através da integração dos conhecimentos e competências adquiridas, desenvolveu um dispositivo eletrónico, controlado por um microcontrolador do tipo arduino, para monitoramento de sinais vitais, frequência cardíaca e oxímetro, com a plataforma SOLL, Smart Objects Linked to Learnings, servindo como interface WEB. A partir dos dados recolhidos, provenientes de técnicas de observação e inquérito por questionário, verifica-se que a maioria dos alunos não conhecia a ferramenta e os que conheciam poucos já tinham utilizado. No entanto, os estudantes foram unânimes em considerar a ferramenta versátil, inovadora, intuitiva, com potencial para a aplicação prática e útil dos conteúdos ministrados em sala de aula.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Familial hypercholesterolaemia in children and adolescents from 48 countries: a cross-sectional study

Background: Approximately 450 000 children are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia worldwide every year, yet only 2·1% of adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia were diagnosed before age 18 years via current diagnostic approaches, which are derived from observations in adults. We aimed to characterise children and adolescents with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) and understand current approaches to the identification and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia to inform future public health strategies. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, we assessed children and adolescents younger than 18 years with a clinical or genetic diagnosis of HeFH at the time of entry into the Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC) registry between Oct 1, 2015, and Jan 31, 2021. Data in the registry were collected from 55 regional or national registries in 48 countries. Diagnoses relying on self-reported history of familial hypercholesterolaemia and suspected secondary hypercholesterolaemia were excluded from the registry; people with untreated LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) of at least 13·0 mmol/L were excluded from this study. Data were assessed overall and by WHO region, World Bank country income status, age, diagnostic criteria, and index-case status. The main outcome of this study was to assess current identification and management of children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia. Findings: Of 63 093 individuals in the FHSC registry, 11 848 (18·8%) were children or adolescents younger than 18 years with HeFH and were included in this study; 5756 (50·2%) of 11 476 included individuals were female and 5720 (49·8%) were male. Sex data were missing for 372 (3·1%) of 11 848 individuals. Median age at registry entry was 9·6 years (IQR 5·8-13·2). 10 099 (89·9%) of 11 235 included individuals had a final genetically confirmed diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia and 1136 (10·1%) had a clinical diagnosis. Genetically confirmed diagnosis data or clinical diagnosis data were missing for 613 (5·2%) of 11 848 individuals. Genetic diagnosis was more common in children and adolescents from high-income countries (9427 [92·4%] of 10 202) than in children and adolescents from non-high-income countries (199 [48·0%] of 415). 3414 (31·6%) of 10 804 children or adolescents were index cases. Familial-hypercholesterolaemia-related physical signs, cardiovascular risk factors, and cardiovascular disease were uncommon, but were more common in non-high-income countries. 7557 (72·4%) of 10 428 included children or adolescents were not taking lipid-lowering medication (LLM) and had a median LDL-C of 5·00 mmol/L (IQR 4·05-6·08). Compared with genetic diagnosis, the use of unadapted clinical criteria intended for use in adults and reliant on more extreme phenotypes could result in 50-75% of children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia not being identified. Interpretation: Clinical characteristics observed in adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia are uncommon in children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia, hence detection in this age group relies on measurement of LDL-C and genetic confirmation. Where genetic testing is unavailable, increased availability and use of LDL-C measurements in the first few years of life could help reduce the current gap between prevalence and detection, enabling increased use of combination LLM to reach recommended LDL-C targets early in life

Caquexia muscular associada ao desenvolvimento de cancro da bexiga em ratos machos Wistar

Dissertação de Mestrado em Biologia Clínica e LaboratorialA caquexia muscular associada ao cancro é uma condição paraneoplásica preocupante. Caquexia, etimologicamente significa “mau estado”, é uma síndrome complexa e multifatorial, que se caracteriza pela perda de tecido adiposo e posterior consumo do músculo-esquelético. Sendo o cancro, só por si, uma doença muito grave, quando associado à caquexia a situação complica-se porque a piorar o estado geral dos doentes. Apesar dos mecanismos subjacentes à caquexia ainda não estarem completamente esclarecidos, julga-se que esta síndrome paraneoplásica está associada a alterações metabólicas, imunológicas e inflamatórias. No presente trabalho, pretendemos avaliar as alterações de parâmetros bioquímicos no soro potencialmente sugestivos de caquexia e relacionar com alterações de massa corporal, massa muscular e caraterísticas histológicas do tumor, utilizando um modelo de cancerização urotelial pela administração oral da N-butil-N-(4-hidroxibutil) nitrosamina (BBN), a ratos machos da estirpe Wistar. Neste sentido, constituíram-se dois grupos experimentais: grupo BBN: (animais expostos à BBN durante 20 semanas) e grupo controlo. No final do protocolo animal, os animais foram anestesiados e procedeu-se à sua necropsia. Nas amostras de soro obtidas, a partir do sangue colhido no momento do sacrifício, foram determinados os seguintes parâmetros bioquímicos: alanina aminotransferase, aspartato aminotransferase, creatina cinase, fosfatase alcalina, albumina, proteína total, colesterol, triglicerídeos e glucose. Paralelamente, procedeu-se à avaliação das lesões uroteliais em seções de tumor coradas com hematoxilina-eosina. No grupo BBN, 50% dos animais apresentaram uma perda de massa corporal superior a 5%. Destes, 50% apresentaram perda de massa do músculo gastrocnemius superior a 5%. Relativamente à percentagem das lesões uroteliais, no grupo BBN identificaram-se 83,3% de hiperplasia simples, 50% de hiperplasia nodular, 8,3% de hiperplasia papilar, 50% de papiloma, 41,7% de tumor papilar de baixo potencial maligno, 91,7% de carcinoma papilar de baixo grau, 66,7% de carcinoma papilar de alto grau, 8,3% de carcinoma invasor e 50% de metaplasia epidermoide com queratinização. No grupo controlo não se identificou quaisquer alterações histológicas. O estado de caquexia dos animais expostos à BBN foi corroborado pela diminuição dos níveis séricos da albumina, da proteína total, da atividade da CK, da ALT, da ALP e da AST. Os resultados sugerem que os animais com tumores da bexiga são suscetíveis ao desenvolvimento de caquexia devida à perda de massa muscular o que, nos estádios iniciais se traduz bioquimicamente na alteração de parâmetros séricos.Cancer-related muscle wasting associated is a paraneoplastic condition that worsens disease prognosis and clinical outcomes. Cachexia, etymologically means "bad state", is a complex and multifactorial syndrome characterized by the loss of fat tissue and skeletal muscle. Although the mechanisms underlying cachexia still not completely understood, it is believed that this cancer cachexia is associated with metabolic, immunological and inflammatory alterations. In this work, we intend to evaluate the changes in serum biochemical parameters potentially suggestive of cachexia and correlate with changes in body weight, muscle mass and histological features of the tumor, using a model of urothelial cancerization by oral administration of N - butyl- N - (4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN) in male rats of the Wistar strain. In this study, two experimental groups were formed: BBN (animals exposed to BBN for 20 weeks) and control groups. At the end of the protocol, the animals were anesthetized and proceeded to their necropsy. Serum samples obtained from the blood collected at the time of sacrifice were uded for the assay of the following biochemical parameters: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, total protein, cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose. In parallel, we proceeded to the evaluation of urothelial lesions in tumor sections stained with hematoxylin-eosin. In the BBN group, 50% of the animals showed a loss of body mass over 5%. Of these, 50% presented more than 5% of gastrocnemius mass loss. Regarding the percentage of urothelial lesions in the BBN group we identified 83.3 % of simple hyperplasia, 50 % of nodular hyperplasia, 8.3% of papillary hyperplasia, papilloma 50 %, 41.7 % of papillary tumor of low potential malignant, 91.7 % of low-grade papillary carcinoma, 66.7 % of high-grade papillary carcinoma, carcinoma of 8.3% and 50 % of squamous metaplasia with keratinization . In the control group, no histological changes were identified. The decrease in serum albumin, total protein and in the activity of CK, ALT, ALP and AST observed in BBN animals seem to corroborate cachexia. The results suggest that animals with bladder tumors are susceptible to the development of cancer cachexia reflected in changes of biochemical serum parameters in disease initial stages.FCT e Fundo Comunitário Europeu (FEDER; FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-014707

Glutathione and the Antioxidant Potential of Binary Mixtures with Flavonoids: Synergisms and Antagonisms

Polyphenols are able to trap free radicals, which contributes to their known antioxidant capacity. In plant extracts, these secondary metabolites may act in concert, in a way that their combined activities will be superior to their individual effects (synergistic interaction). Several polyphenols have demonstrated clear antioxidant properties in vitro, and many of their biological actions have been attributed to their intrinsic reducing capabilities. As so, the intake of these compounds at certain concentrations in the diet and/or supplementation may potentiate the activity of reduced form glutathione (GSH), thus better fighting oxidative stress. The aim of this work was to predict a structure-antioxidant activity relationship using different classes of flavonoids and to assess, for the first time, possible synergisms and antagonisms with GSH. For these purposes a screening microassay involving the scavenging of DPPH• was applied. In general, among the tested compounds, those lacking the catechol group in B ring showed antagonistic behaviour with GSH. Myricetin displayed additive effect, while quercetin, fisetin, luteolin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, taxifolin and (+)-catechin demonstrated synergistic actions. Furthermore, adducts formed at C2′ and C5′ of the B ring seem to be more important for the antioxidant capacity than adducts formed at C6 and C8 of the A ring

Vasorelaxant Mechanism of Herbal Extracts from <i>Mentha suaveolens</i>, <i>Conyza canadensis</i>, <i>Teucrium polium</i> and <i>Salvia verbenaca</i> in the Aorta of Wistar Rats

Mentha suaveolens (MS), Conyza canadensis (CC), Teucrium polium (TP) and Salvia verbenaca (SV) are used in Morocco to treat hypertension. Our aim was to characterize the composition and vasoreactivity of extracts of MS, CC, TP and SV. The chemical compositions of aqueous extracts of MS, SV and TP, and of a hydromethanolic extract of CC, were identified by HPLC-DAD. The vasoreactive effect was tested in rings of the thoracic aorta of female Wistar rats (8–14 weeks-old) pre-contracted with 10 µM noradrenaline, in the absence or presence of L-NAME 100 µM, indomethacin 10 µM or atropine 6 µM, to inhibit nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase or muscarinic receptors, respectively. L-NAME and atropine decreased the vasorelaxant effect caused by low concentrations of MS. Atropine and indomethacin decreased the vasorelaxant effect of low concentrations of SV. High concentrations of MS or SV and the effect of SV and TP were not altered by any antagonist. The activation of muscarinic receptors and NO or the cyclooxygenase pathway underlie the vasorelaxant effect of MS and SV, respectively. Neither of those mechanisms underlines the vasorelaxant effect of CC and TP. These vasorelaxant effect might support the use of herbal teas from these plants as anti-hypertensives in folk medicine

Inhibition of Proinflammatory Enzymes and Attenuation of IL-6 in LPS-Challenged RAW 264.7 Macrophages Substantiates the Ethnomedicinal Use of the Herbal Drug Homalium bhamoense Cubitt &amp; W.W.Sm

Commonly used to treat skin injuries in Asia, several Homalium spp. have been found to promote skin regeneration and wound healing. While ethnobotanical surveys report the use of H. bhamoense trunk bark as a wound salve, there are no studies covering bioactive properties. As impaired cutaneous healing is characterized by excessive inflammation, a series of inflammatory mediators involved in wound healing were targeted with a methanol extract obtained from H. bhamoense trunk bark. Results showed concentration-dependent inhibition of hyaluronidase and 5-lipoxygenase upon exposure to the extract, with IC50 values of 396.9 &plusmn; 25.7 and 29.0 &plusmn; 2.3 &micro;g mL&minus;1, respectively. H. bhamoense trunk bark extract also exerted anti-inflammatory activity by significantly suppressing the overproduction of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages at concentrations ranging from 125 to 1000 &micro;g mL&minus;1, while leading to a biphasic effect on nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-&alpha;) levels. The phenolic profile was elucidated by HPLC-DAD, being characterized by the occurrence of ellagic acid as the main constituent, in addition to a series of methylated derivatives, which might underlie the observed anti-inflammatory effects. Our findings provide in vitro data on anti-inflammatory ability of H. bhamoense trunk bark, disclosing also potential cutaneous toxicity as assessed in HaCaT keratinocytes

Digestive Gland from Aplysia depilans Gmelin: Leads for Inflammation Treatment

The exploitation of marine organisms for human nutritional and pharmaceutical purposes has revealed important chemical prototypes for the discovery of new drugs, stimulating compounds isolation and syntheses of new related compounds with biomedical application. Nowadays, it is well known that inflammatory processes are involved in many diseases and the interest in the search for marine natural products with anti-inflammatory potential has been increasing. The genus Aplysia belongs to the class Gastropoda, having a wide geographical distribution and including several species, commonly known as sea hares. Aplysia depilans Gmelin is usually found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Atlantic Ocean, from West Africa to the French coast. In these marine organisms, most of the digestion and nutrient absorption occurs in the digestive gland. This work aimed to explore the chemical composition and bioactivity of the methanol extract from A. depilans digestive gland. Therefore, fatty acids and carotenoids were determined by GC-MS and HPLC-DAD, respectively. Twenty-two fatty acids and eight carotenoids were identified for the first time in this species. The A. depilans digestive gland revealed to be essentially composed by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and xanthophylls. Regarding the anti-inflammatory potential in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, it was observed that this matrix has capacity to reduce nitric oxide (NO) and L-citrulline levels, which suggests that its compounds may act by interference with inducible nitric oxide synthase. Taking into account the results obtained, A. depilans digestive gland may be a good source of nutraceuticals, due to their richness in health beneficial nutrients, such as carotenoids and long-chain PUFA