O balanced scorecard nas empresas de construção civil e obras públicas com actividades no estrangeiro

Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão.N/

Trans-esophageal endobronchial ultrasound-guided needle aspiration (EUS-B-NA) : a road map for the chest physician

The endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) scope has been increasingly used in the gastrointestinal tract (EUS-B). Scientific data proves its efficacy and safety to provide a complete lung cancer staging, when combined with EBUS-TBNA, and in the diagnosis of para-esophageal lesions. There are multiple barriers to start performing EUS-B but probably the most important ones are related to knowledge and training, so new operators should follow a structured training curriculum. This review aims to reflect the best current knowledge regarding EUS-B and provide a road map to assist those who are incorporating the technique into their clinical practice

Sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation - A different kind of rhythm

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Estudo de validação da escala LIPT-60 para professores portugueses.

Os estudos sobre o mal-estar na profissão docente surgiram com algum destaque apenas a partir dos anos 80, sendo que até então os estudos sobre saúde ocupacional e stress diziam respeito a profissões de risco como controladores de tráfego aéreo, polícias, executivos ou enfermeiras que trabalhavam com casos críticos de doença e morte (Cooper & Kelly, 1993). Tal destaque deveu-se por um lado ao movimento de globalização e necessidade de reformas educativas (Lima & Lima-Filho, 2009) e por outro, à visibilidade desta problemática ao nível social, despoletando o interesse da investigação em compreender os seus contornos.Este estudo tem como finalidade a validação portuguesa da escala LIPT-60 para professores portugueses.FCT e três projetos ENABLIN+ (Leonardo Da Vinci), Cognition & Inclusion (ERASMUS+) e LLL-HUB (Lifelong Learning Programm) e da I Conferência Europeia em Life Long Learning (realizada na Universidade de Évora com os apoios do Departamento de Psicologia e da Escola de Ciências Sociais), e da Associação Portuguesa de Gestão de Pessoas (APG) e a Associação Nacional para a Qualificação e Ensino Profissiona

Semi-invasive aspergillosis in an immunocompetent patient with Swyer-James-MacLeod Syndrome: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Invasive and semi-invasive pulmonary aspergillosis usually occurs in immunocompromised patients. It has been described occasionally in patients with normal immunity and previous lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.</p> <p>Swyer-James-MacLeod Syndrome is a rare condition characterized by hyperlucency of one lung, lobe or part of a lobe due to decreased vascularity and air trapping.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a case of semi-invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in a 38-year-old Portuguese, Caucasian man who is immunocompetent, with a pre-existing Swyer-James-McLeod Syndrome, a structural lung disease.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case in the literature on the relationship between these two diseases. Although rare, aspergillosis can occur in immunocompetent adults with a pre-existing lung disease other than chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.</p

Carcinoembryonic antigen is a sialyl Lewis x/a carrier and an E‑selectin ligand in non‑small cell lung cancer

LPCC/Pfizer 2011. Tagus TANK award 2018 (grant no. 1/2018). SFRH/BD/100970/2014 SFRH/BPD/108686/2015The formation of distant metastasis resulting from vascular dissemination is one of the leading causes of mortality in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This metastatic dissemination initiates with the adhesion of circulating cancer cells to the endothelium. The minimal requirement for the binding of leukocytes to endothelial E-selectins and subsequent transmigration is the epitope of the fucosylated glycan, sialyl Lewis x (sLex), attached to specific cell surface glycoproteins. sLex and its isomer sialyl Lewis a (sLea) have been described in NSCLC, but their functional role in cancer cell adhesion to endothelium is still poorly understood. In this study, it was hypothesised that, similarly to leukocytes, sLe glycans play a role in NSCLC cell adhesion to E-selectins. To assess this, paired tumour and normal lung tissue samples from 18 NSCLC patients were analyzed. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry assays demonstrated that tumour tissues exhibited significantly stronger reactivity with anti‑sLex/sLea antibody and E-selectin chimera than normal tissues (2.2- and 1.8-fold higher, respectively), as well as a higher immunoreactive score. High sLex/sLea expression was associated with bone metastasis. The overall α1,3-fucosyltransferase (FUT) activity was increased in tumour tissues, along with the mRNA levels of FUT3, FUT6 and FUT7, whereas FUT4 mRNA expression was decreased. The expression of E-selectin ligands exhibited a weak but significant correlation with the FUT3/FUT4 and FUT7/FUT4 ratios. Additionally, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was identified in only 8 of the 18 tumour tissues; CEA-positive tissues exhibited significantly increased sLex/sLea expression. Tumour tissue areas expressing CEA also expressed sLex/sLea and showed reactivity to E-selectin. Blot rolling assays further demonstrated that CEA immunoprecipitates exhibited sustained adhesive interactions with E-selectin-expressing cells, suggesting CEA acts as a functional protein scaffold for E-selectin ligands in NSCLC. In conclusion, this work provides the first demonstration that sLex/sLea are increased in primary NSCLC due to increased α1,3-FUT activity. sLex/sLea is carried by CEA and confers the ability for NSCLC cells to bind E-selectins, and is potentially associated with bone metastasis. This study contributes to identifying potential future diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for lung cancer.preprintpublishe

Assessment of a Large-Scale Unbiased Malignant Pleural Effusion Proteomics Study of a Real-Life Cohort

Funding Information: R.M. is supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (CEEC position, 2019–2025 investigator). This article is a result of the projects (iNOVA4Health—UIDB/04462/2020), supported by Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This work is also funded by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Programme and National Funds through FCT—Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the projects number PTDC/BTM-TEC/30087/2017 and PTDC/BTM-TEC/30088/2017. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.Background: Pleural effusion (PE) is common in advanced-stage lung cancer patients and is related to poor prognosis. Identification of cancer cells is the standard method for the diagnosis of a malignant PE (MPE). However, it only has moderate sensitivity. Thus, more sensitive diagnostic tools are urgently needed. Methods: The present study aimed to discover potential protein targets to distinguish malignant pleural effusion (MPE) from other non-malignant pathologies. We have collected PE from 97 patients to explore PE proteomes by applying state-of-the-art liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to identify potential biomarkers that correlate with immunohistochemistry assessment of tumor biopsy or with survival data. Functional analyses were performed to elucidate functional differences in PE proteins in malignant and benign samples. Results were integrated into a clinical risk prediction model to identify likely malignant cases. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value were calculated. Results: In total, 1689 individual proteins were identified by MS-based proteomics analysis of the 97 PE samples, of which 35 were diagnosed as malignant. A comparison between MPE and benign PE (BPE) identified 58 differential regulated proteins after correction of the p-values for multiple testing. Furthermore, functional analysis revealed an up-regulation of matrix intermediate filaments and cellular movement-related proteins. Additionally, gene ontology analysis identified the involvement of metabolic pathways such as glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pyruvate metabolism and cysteine and methionine metabolism. Conclusion: This study demonstrated a partial least squares regression model with an area under the curve of 98 and an accuracy of 0.92 when evaluated on the holdout test data set. Furthermore, highly significant survival markers were identified (e.g., PSME1 with a log-rank of 1.68 × 10−6).publishersversionpublishe

The Importance of sleep fragmentation on the hemodynamic dipping in obstructive sleep apnea patients

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been associated with non-dipping blood pressure (BP). The precise mechanism is still under investigation, but repetitive oxygen desaturation and arousal induced sleep fragmentation are considered the main contributors.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Lack of detectable allergenicity of transgenic maize and soya samples

Background: The safety issues regarding foods derived from genetically modified (GM) plants are central to their acceptance into the food supply. The potential allergenicity of proteins newly introduced in GM foods is a major safety concern. Objective: We sought to monitor, in potentially sensitive human populations, the allergenicity effects of 5 GM materials obtained from sources with no allergenic potential and already under commercialization in the European Union. Methods: We have performed skin prick tests with protein extracts prepared from transgenic maize (MON810, Bt11, T25, Bt176) and soya (Roundup Ready) samples and from nontransgenic control samples in 2 sensitive groups: children with food and inhalant allergy and individuals with asthmarhinitis. We have also tested IgE immunoblot reactivity of sera from patients with food allergy to soya (Roundup Ready) and maize (MON810, Bt11, Bt176) samples, as well as to the pure transgenic proteins (CryIA[b] and CP4 5-enolpyruvylshikimate- 3-phosphate synthase). Results: None of the individuals undergoing tests reacted differentially to the transgenic and nontransgenic samples under study. None of the volunteers tested presented detectable IgE antibodies against pure transgenic proteins. Conclusion: The transgenic products under testing seem to be safe in terms of allergenic potential. We propose postmarket testing as an important screening strategy for putative allergic sensitization to proteins introduced in transgenic plants.Supported by Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, research project SDH.SP.I.01.11 and by Comissão de Fomento da Investigação em Cuidados de Saúde, research project no. 186/0

Control of allergic rhinitis and asthma test – a formal approach to the development of a measuring tool

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The concurrent management of allergic rhinitis and asthma (ARA) has been recommended by Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines. However, a tool capable of assessing simultaneously the control of upper and lower airways diseases is lacking.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>To describe the studies conducted to design the control of ARA test (CARAT) questionnaire.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a literature review to generate a list of potentially important items for the assessment of control of ARA. A formal consensus development process, that used an innovative web-based application, was designed – 111 experts in ARA and 60 patients participated. At the final consensus meeting, 25 primary and secondary care physicians formulated the questions and response options. A qualitative feasibility study (n = 31 patients) was conducted to evaluate the comprehensibility of the questionnaire while testing two different designs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-four potentially important items were identified. All the steps of the consensus process were completed in 2.5 months. The opinions of experts and patients lead to the formulation of 17 questions. At the feasibility study the instructions and wording problems were corrected and a semi-tabular format was chosen.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A tool to measure the control of allergic rhinitis and asthma was developed using a comprehensive set of methodological steps ensuring the design quality and the face and content validity. Additional validation studies to assess the psychometric properties of the questionnaire have started.</p