Cross-cultural Experiences during a Visiting Scholar Program: “…A Start[ing] not a Finishing Point”

Aim To describe the Visiting Scholar Program as a context for cross-cultural learning experiences and the development of intercultural competencies. Background In 2004, a Visiting Scholar Program (VSP) was developed between the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta (UA), Canada, and the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing (USP-EERP), Brazil, with the goal to promote capacity building among nurse researchers. During a cross-cultural exchange program, participants are immersed in a foreign culture and language over an extended period of time, which offers them a potential opportunity to develop intercultural competence. Methods A qualitative design was utilized and data were collected in June 2011 through semi-structured in-depth interviews with scholars, supervisors and staff members from both institutions. Following data collection, an inductive process was used to analyze the data, following Morse’s (1994) taxonomy. Results At USP-EERP participants included 12 former scholars, two staff members from the International Office, one graduate student, and one former Dean. At the UA, 12 supervisors and 5 staff, affiliated with the VSP participated in an interview and two provided feedback by email. The central theme in the findings was the ‘Cross-Cultural Learning Process’, with three main sub-themes: challenges; benefits; and lessons learned. Conclusion Cross-cultural learning was a circular process that involved dealing with challenges, experiencing stress in a strange environment and building intercultural competencies. The VSP program enhanced scholars and supervisors’ awareness and sensitivity to cultural diversity and their openness to new cross-cultural experiences. Résumé Objectif Présenter le programme de chercheur invité comme une occasion de vivre des expériences d’apprentissage et de développer des compétences interculturelles. Contexte En 2004, un programme de chercheur invité (PCI) a été élaboré entre la Faculté des sciences infirmières de l’Université de l’Alberta (UA), au Canada, et l’École de sciences infirmières de Ribeirão Preto de l’Université de São Paulo (EERP-USP), au Brésil, dans le but d’encourager le renforcement des capacités parmi les chercheurs en sciences infirmières. Au cours de ce programme d’échange interculturel, les participants sont en immersion dans une culture et une langue étrangères pendant une longue période, ce qui leur donne la possibilité de développer des compétences interculturelles. Méthodes Une approche qualitative de recherche a été adoptée et des données ont été recueillies en juin 2011 au moyen d’entretiens en profondeur semi-dirigés avec les chercheurs, les superviseurs et les membres du personnel des deux institutions. Un processus inductif a ensuite été utilisé pour analyser les données, d’après la taxonomie de Morse (1994). Résultats À l’EERP-USP, les participants comprenaient douze anciens chercheurs, deux membres du personnel du Bureau international, une étudiante diplômée et un ancien doyen. À l’UA, douze superviseurs et cinq membres du personnel liés au PCI ont participé à un entretien et deux ont envoyé des commentaires par courriel. Le thème central des constatations était « le processus d’apprentissage interculturel », qui se divisait en trois sous-thèmes principaux : les défis, les avantages et les leçons apprises. Conclusion L’apprentissage interculturel dans ce cas particulier était un processus circulaire qui exigeait de relever des défis, de subir du stress dans un environnement étranger et de développer des compétences interculturelles. Le PCI a amélioré la sensibilisation et la sensibilité des chercheurs et des superviseurs à la diversité culturelle ainsi que leur ouverture à vivre de nouvelles expériences interculturelles

Canine hair follicular tumours: a retrospective study

Hair follicular tumours in dog comprise a large and heterogeneous group of neoplasms that display morphological features resembling one or several portions of the normal hair follicle which constitute a huge effort for its diagnosis. Histopathological evaluation is required to better characterize the different types of canine hair follicular tumours, in order to better understand its biological behaviour and to collaborate with the daily clinical practice. Thus, a retrospective, cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with goal of analyse its frequency and characteristics, in order to contribute to a better understanding of this vast group of tumours. As main results the authors verified a higher incidence of follicular tumours in male dogs, being the most frequent types diagnosed trichoepithelioma, followed by, trichoblastoma, infundibular keratinizing acanthoma and pilomatricoma and the average age of dogs was 8.76 years. Also, malignant tumours represented 31.6% of all canine hair follicular tumours diagnosed (n= 114).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Metal and semimetal loadings in sediments and water from mangrove ecosystems: A preliminary assessment of anthropogenic enrichment in São Tomé island (central Africa)

Mangroves act as buffer areas for marine systems, providing a barrier to contamination from continental sources by retaining metal pollutants. This study evaluates metal and semimetal contamination in the water column and sediments of four mangroves located on the volcanic island of São Tomé. Several metals had a widespread distribution, with occasional high concentrations, linked to potential sources of contamination. However, the two smaller mangroves, located in the northern part of the island, tended to have high metal concentrations. Arsenic and chromium concentrations were notably concerning, particularly if we consider this is an isolated and non-industrialized island. This work highlights the need for further assessments and a better understanding of processes and implications of metal contamination in mangroves. This assumes a particular relevance in areas that have specific geochemical compositions (i.e., volcanic origin) and in developing countries, where people often rely directly and heavily on resources obtained from these ecosystems.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Modelling the habitat preferences of the NE-Atlantic Sea cucumber Holothuria forskali : demographics and abundance

This work was funded by the Operational Program Mar2020 MAR-02.01.01-FEAMP-0052 “Newcumber - Avanços para o cultivo sustentável de pepinos do mar”. This work was also supported by national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., within the scope of the projects (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/04292/2020, and https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/00006/2020) and the Associate Laboratory ARNET (https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0069/2020), A.C. Brito with the Scientific Stimulus Program – CEECIND/00095/2017, A.P. with the under the Scientific Employment Stimulus - Institutional Call - CEECINST/00051/2018 and Francisco Azevedo e Silva and João Trigo de Sousa through the individual grants (SFRH/BD/09563/2020 and SFRH/BDANA/02949/2023).Sea cucumbers' historical demand, together with the depletion of several traditional species in the market, has popularized new target species from new fishing grounds. Holothuria forskali is one of those emergent species in the trade market. However, it is a species for which there is no relevant information to allow sustainable stock management. Fundamental knowledge of the populations' structure and habitat preferences are key elements without which any measure is inconsequent. This work aims to fill that gap by modelling temporal and spatial patterns of abundance and demographic structure of this species in a NE-Atlantic area, as a function of environmental features. For a period of 15 months, nine regular sampling campaigns collected data on density, individual length, individual conditions of occurrence (e.g. sheltered, on sand, on algae cover) and environmental parameters (water column, sediment, substrate cover and type), using random transects throughout a costal rocky-reef, considering habitat heterogeneity and substrate types. To determine the species' habitat preferences Generalized Linear Models were used to model density and demographic structure of the species as a function of environmental conditions. The models revealed that the main drivers shaping the distribution of H. forskali are neither abiotic nor biotic parameters of the water column, but physical stressors, like current intensity and depth, and substrate type in a patchy distribution pattern. Estuarine conditions are generally avoided, although with a size-dependent opportunistic strategy. Larger individuals show temporal and spatial displacement patterns towards suitable reproductive conditions (pre-breeding aggregation) and favourable feeding grounds and smaller size-classes tend to aggregate in higher numbers in more stable environments. Sustainable sources for market supply, like aquaculture, are still a long way from commercial production. So, these results are fundamental to support effective conservation measures for stock management of H. forskaliPublisher PDFPeer reviewe

Allometric relationships to assess ontogenetic adaptative changes in three NE Atlantic commercial sea cucumbers (Echinodermata, Holothuroidea)

This study was financed by the Operational Program Mar2020 nº MAR-02.01.01-FEAMP-0052 “Newcumber—Avanços para o cultivo sustentável de pepinos-do-mar”. It received further financial support from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia with project UIDB/04292/2020; A.C. Brito and A. Pombo through the Scientific Employment Stimulus Programmes (CEECIND/00095/2017 and CEECINST/00051/2018); and Francisco Azevedo e Silva through the individual research Grant 2020.09563.BD; Also, T. A. Marques and C. Rocha thank partial support by CEAUL (funded by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal, through the project UIDB/00006/2020).Holothuria arguinensis, Holothuria mammata and Holothuria forskali are three common sea cucumber species found in the NE Atlantic, traded in international markets and susceptible to capture. Allometric relationships reveal if the scaling relationships between biometric characters are proportional with growth, being a useful tool to understand species growth strategies. Allometric relationships of the three species were estimated and compared between them and with populations from different regions. These allometric relationships revealed that the three species have negative allometric growth. However, they have different growth strategies between them and reveal different regional intra-specific growth strategies when compared to other populations, suggesting ontogenetic adaptation as a consequence of external factors. PostprintPeer reviewe

Grey and black anti-hail nets ameliorated apple (Malus × domestica borkh. cv. golden delicious) physiology under mediterranean climate

The use of anti-hail nets on orchards changes the microclimate underneath the net. This might be of great importance in apple growing regions characterized by high radiation levels and hot and dry climates during the summer season. But, depending on the net colour and on the local climatic conditions, the shade promoted triggers different responses by the trees. Grey and black anti-hail nets were applied in an apple orchard (cv. ‘Golden Delicious’) located in Northeast Portugal. Under the nets a lower concentration of glomalin related-soil proteins was observed, along with an improvement on trees water status, stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic rate, total chlorophylls, N, Mg, Fe and Cu concentrations, as well as an increase in mean fruit weight. The major difference between nets was on the photosynthetic efficiency, being higher on black net in sunny days, while grey net performed better under cloudy conditions. The use of netting systems proved to be effective in improving “Golden Delicious” apple trees performance under a Mediterranean climate, mainly when the radiation reaching the plants surpass the tree saturation point for photosynthesis. Therefore, these findings anticipate solutions for current and forecasted negative effects of climate change.This research was funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and CITAB (UIDB/04033/2020), as well by the project “Introdução de telas anti-granizo em macieira: Avaliação de efeitos colaterais e impacte económico” PA 54824, funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Portuguese state under the measure 4.1- Cooperation for the Innovation-Rural Development Program (PRODER).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

FGFR1 and PROKR2 rare variants found in patients with combined pituitary hormone deficiencies.

The genetic aetiology of congenital hypopituitarism (CH) is not entirely elucidated. FGFR1 and PROKR2 loss-of-function mutations are classically involved in hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (HH), however, due to the clinical and genetic overlap of HH and CH; these genes may also be involved in the pathogenesis of CH. Using a candidate gene approach, we screened 156 Brazilian patients with combined pituitary hormone deficiencies (CPHD) for loss-of-function mutations in FGFR1 and PROKR2. We identified three FGFR1 variants (p.Arg448Trp, p.Ser107Leu and p.Pro772Ser) in four unrelated patients (two males) and two PROKR2 variants (p.Arg85Cys and p.Arg248Glu) in two unrelated female patients. Five of the six patients harbouring the variants had a first-degree relative that was an unaffected carrier of it. Results of functional studies indicated that the new FGFR1 variant p.Arg448Trp is a loss-of-function variant, while p.Ser107Leu and p.Pro772Ser present signalling activity similar to the wild-type form. Regarding PROKR2 variants, results from previous functional studies indicated that p.Arg85Cys moderately compromises receptor signalling through both MAPK and Ca(2) (+) pathways while p.Arg248Glu decreases calcium mobilization but has normal MAPK activity. The presence of loss-of-function variants of FGFR1 and PROKR2 in our patients with CPHD is indicative of an adjuvant and/or modifier effect of these rare variants on the phenotype. The presence of the same variants in unaffected relatives implies that they cannot solely cause the phenotype. Other associated genetic and/or environmental modifiers may play a role in the aetiology of this condition

OBTENÇÃO E CARACTERIZAÇÃO DE NANOPARTÍCULAS DE PLGA PARA VEICULAÇÃO INTRAVENOSA DE PROTEÍNAS

O desenvolvimento de nanopartículas é considerado atualmente um sistema promissor para o carreamento de drogas em sítios específicos. O uso de polímeros na obtenção desse sistema pode ser de origem natural ou sintética desde que seja biocompatível ou biodegradável. Desenvolver sistemas de transportes para carrear proteínas requer cuidado com variáveis como tempo de homogeneização e concentração do surfactante, que interferem diretamente na obtenção destas. As nanopartículas foram obtidas pelo método de dupla emulsificação, onde foram elaborados 6 sistemas (A,B,C,D,E e F), utilizando diferentes concentrações de PVA (0,5; 1 e 1,5%) e tempo de homogeneização de 30 e 60 segundos. Os sistemas foram analisados pela técnica de espalhamento de luz dinâmico. Os resultados mostraram que o sistema D apresentou melhor IPD com 0,638, com tamanho de partícula de 678,3 nm, o que sugere homogeneidade maior em relação aos outros sistemas. Porém, há a necessidade de se otimizar o método para obtenção de partículas de tamanhos menores para a veiculação intravenosa

Prevalence, predictors, and prognostic implications of residual impairment of functional capacity after transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Background: Patients with degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) typically have advanced cardiac and vascular adverse remodeling and multiple comorbidities and, therefore, might not recover a normal functional capacity after valve replacement. We sought to investigate the prevalence, the predictors, and the prognostic impact of residual impairment of functional capacity after TAVI. Methods and results: Out of 790 patients undergoing TAVI with impaired functional capacity (NYHA II–IV

The Gaia-ESO Survey: radial metallicity gradients and age-metallicity relation of stars in the Milky Way disk

We study the relationship between age, metallicity, and alpha-enhancement of FGK stars in the Galactic disk. The results are based upon the analysis of high-resolution UVES spectra from the Gaia-ESO large stellar survey. We explore the limitations of the observed dataset, i.e. the accuracy of stellar parameters and the selection effects that are caused by the photometric target preselection. We find that the colour and magnitude cuts in the survey suppress old metal-rich stars and young metal-poor stars. This suppression may be as high as 97% in some regions of the age-metallicity relationship. The dataset consists of 144 stars with a wide range of ages from 0.5 Gyr to 13.5 Gyr, Galactocentric distances from 6 kpc to 9.5 kpc, and vertical distances from the plane 0 < |Z| < 1.5 kpc. On this basis, we find that i) the observed age-metallicity relation is nearly flat in the range of ages between 0 Gyr and 8 Gyr; ii) at ages older than 9 Gyr, we see a decrease in [Fe/H] and a clear absence of metal-rich stars; this cannot be explained by the survey selection functions; iii) there is a significant scatter of [Fe/H] at any age; and iv) [Mg/Fe] increases with age, but the dispersion of [Mg/Fe] at ages > 9 Gyr is not as small as advocated by some other studies. In agreement with earlier work, we find that radial abundance gradients change as a function of vertical distance from the plane. The [Mg/Fe] gradient steepens and becomes negative. In addition, we show that the inner disk is not only more alpha-rich compared to the outer disk, but also older, as traced independently by the ages and Mg abundances of stars.Comment: accepted for publication in A&