Accessing occupational exposure to fungi in a cork industry

In this study we aimed to access fungal exposure in workers from one cork industry through the mycological analysis of their nasal exudate and the environmental fungal contamination of their surroundings as well. Nasal mucous samples from 127 workers were taken with sterilized cotton swabs.The fungal species identified in the collected nose swabs were shown to be correlated with the results obtained in the environment. Eighty workers (63.0%) presented contamination of their nose nostril with Chrysonilia sitophila, which number of colonies was countless. Within the Aspergillus genus, the complexes Fumigati, Circumdati, Versicolores and Candidi were isolated. No azole-resistant Aspergillus isolates grew in the selective media used (screened itraconazole and voriconazole resistance).This approach allowed us to estimate the risk associated with these tasks performance. Moreover, the cork industry is related to high dust contamination and this can promote exposure to fungi since dust particles can act as carriers of fungi to the worker’s nose. Assessment by molecular tools will ensure the specific targeting of DNA from P. glabrum complex in workers nose

Elemental composition, total fatty acids, soluble sugar content and essential oils of flowers and leaves of Moringa oleifera cultivated in Southern Portugal

LA/P/0094/2020. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The AuthorsThe evaluation of the elemental content of moringa leaves and flowers by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry revealed that the leaves are a good source of some macro (Ca and K) and micronutrients (Mn) beyond the presence of important polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), essential in human nutrition. Total soluble sugars prevail in the flowers which may be linked to insect attraction and the pollination process. M. oleifera leaves, flowers and seeds essential oils (EOs) were isolated by hydrodistillation. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) showed EOs dominated by alkanes and fatty acids in diverse ratios in the analyzed plant parts. The nutritional characterization of M. oleifera cultivated in Portugal showed some important nutrients to human physiology. Further studies will allow determining if its consumption may overcome the nutritional imbalances of daily modern households, preventing the emergence of hypertension and diabetes.publishersversionpublishe

Detection of cryptic species of Aspergillus with reduced susceptibility to antifungal agents in hospitals

Invasive aspergillosis is a fungal infection caused by Aspergillus spp. affecting mainly the immunocompromised. The mortality rate may reach 85%. Aspergillus identification should be based on molecular methods as there are species morphologically similar but distinct at the molecular level (cryptic species), with variable antifungal susceptibility profiles.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Diferentes Integrações de Laboratórios Remotos em Cursos de Engenharia

Este artigo aborda diferentes integrações do VISIR. O VISIR é um laboratório aberto remoto dedicado a experimentos com circuitos elétricos e eletrónicos. Este laboratório permite que professores e alunos tenham oportunidade de contatar com experimentos remotamente e em tempo real, com equipamentos de teste e medição (fonte de alimentação tripla DC, gerador de funções, multímetro e um osciloscópio) ligado a componentes elétricos e eletrónicos. As abordagens didáticas são resumidas e as análises feitas fornecem explicações para alguns dos problemas encontrados, além de algumas diretrizes para futuras implementações. Uma série de pontos fortes e fracos é destacada, levando a sugestões sobre como aprimorar algumas abordagens estratégicas para motivar professores e motivar alunos para o potencial da utilização do VISIR no ensino e na aprendizagem. São apresentadas referências apropriadas para trabalhos publicados anteriormente que ajudam a entender o contexto de pesquisa e as lições derivadas de um uso mais intensivo do VISIR.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bone grafts and substitutes in small animal orthopaedic reconstrutive surgery: a breaf review

We present here an overview of the scientific literature concerning the clinical application of autografts and allografts of the skeletal tissues and of the natural and synthetic bone graft substitutes available in small animal orthopedic surgery for resolution of congenital, traumatic and tumoral etiology situations or for reconstructive artroplastic surgeries. This article focuses the terminology, definitions and characteristics of the bone grafts and bone graft substitutes based in their functions and composition, the process of incorporation of the bone grafts and bone graft substitutes, the collection of autogenous cancellous or corticocancellous bone for grafting, the available commercial forms of bone graft or bone graft substitutes and the biologic/synthetic composite grafts, other accessible options in small animal orthopedic surgery with osteogenic and/ or osteoindutive characteristics (ex. collection and use of the autogenous bone marrow or platelet rich plasma), the principal clinical indications and surgical techniques in which are recommended the use of bone graft and/or bone graft substitutes and how to select the best option for each specific clinical case. At last, the future perspectives in reconstructive orthopedic surgery are also pointed, namely the tissue engineering of bone and cartilage tissues and the medical three dimensional biomodulation.Neste artigo pretendeu realizar-se uma revisão da literatura científica da informação disponível sobre os vários tipos de auto- e aloenxertos do sistema musculo-esquelético e substitutos ósseos naturais e sintéticos do tecido ósseo para utilização em cirurgia ortopédica dos animais de companhia com vista à resolução cirúrgica de situações clínicas do foro da traumatologia e ortopedia de etiologia congénita, traumática, tumoral ou em implantações artroplásticas. Abordam-se assim os conceitos gerais sobre a terminologia, definições e classificação dos enxertos e substitutos ósseos com base nas suas funções e composição, o processo de incorporação dos enxertos e substitutos ósseos, os principais locais de obtenção e a correta técnica de transplante de enxertos ósseos autógenos, os principais tipos de enxertos e substitutos ósseos comercializados e os enxertos compostos, outras abordagens autógenas acessíveis em animais de companhia com potencial osteogénico e/ou osteoindutor (ex. obtenção e utilização de medula óssea autógena ou plasma enriquecido em plaquetas), as principais situações clínicas e técnicas cirúrgicas em que se recomenda a utilização de enxertos e/ou substitutos ósseos e como selecionar em cada caso clínico a melhor opção disponível. Por fim, são também abordadas as perspetivas futuras em cirurgia ortopédica reconstrutiva, nomeadamente a engenharia do tecido ósseo e cartilagem e a biomodelação tridimencional médica

Evaluation of bone turnover markers and serum minerals variations for predicting fracture healing versus non-union processes in adult sheep as a model for orthopedic research

Bone turnover markers (BTMs) have been considered as an auxiliary method of following the fracture healing process and for early prediction of impaired bone healing. A better understanding of the potential of BTMs in this application could allow for earlier interventions and improved patient care. The aim of this study with a large animal experimental model was to assess the variation of bone formation markers SOH namely the total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and its bone-specific isoform (BALP), serum concentration of intact osteocalcin (OC), N-terminal propeptide type III procollagen (PIIINP) and of bone resorption markers â  namely tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and deoxypyridinoline crosslink (DPD) during the first stages of a normal fracture healing process and of a segmental critical size defect (CSD), which progresses to a non-union process. Thirty healthy female sheep (Portuguese Churra-da-Terra- Quente breed), approximately 4-years-old, were enrolled in this study. Jugular venous blood samples were collected pre-operatively and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 post-operative weeks. The animals of the CSD group showed significant lower serum levels of BALP, OC and significant higher serum PIIINP levels at early stages of the fracture healing process, compared with animals that progressed in a normal fracture healing process. Serum BALP, OC and PIIINP levels could be useful as non-invasive auxiliary tools with other complementary methods for predicting the outcome of traumatic bone fractures.Cristina P. Sousa acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for her PhD scholarship (Grant No SFRH/BD/45018/2008).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

VISIR: experiences and challenges

It is of crucial importance the integration of practical sessions in engineering curricula owing to their significant role in understanding engineering concepts and scientific phenomena. However, the lack of practical sessions due to the high costs of the equipment and the unavailability of instructors has caused a significant declination in experimentation in engineering education. Remote laboratories have tackled this issues providing online reusable and shared workbenches unconstrained by neither geographical nor time considerations. Thereby, they have extremely proliferated among universities and integrated into engineering curricula over the last decade. This contribution compiles diverse experiences based on the deployment of the remote laboratory, Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality (VISIR), on the practices of undergraduate engineering grades at various universities within the VISIR community. It aims to show the impact of its usage on engineering education concerning the assessments of students and teachers as well. In addition, the paper address the next challenges and future works carried out at several universities within the VISIR community

Psicologia da Educação no Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto: Projecto Caminhos de Bolonha

Este artigo apresenta a síntese da intervenção em Psicologia da Educação no Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, no âmbito do Projecto Caminhos de Bolonha. O objectivo que norteia as actividades deste Projecto tem sido, desde o seu início, o apoio do Conselho Científico do ISEP na operacionalização do projecto de modernização e inovação do processo ensino aprendizagem no ISEP, induzido pela adesão ao processo de Bolonha.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Serum total and bone alkaline phosphatase levels and their correlation with serum minerals over the lifespan of sheep

This study aimed to assess serum total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and its bone isoform (BALP) levels during the ageing and in different physiologic states of sheep, in order to expand the knowledge about the variation of these biomarkers over the sheep lifespan. Ninety female sheep were divided into nine groups of various ages and physiological states (dry, lactation and pregnancy). Serum ALP, BALP and mineral levels were determined by commercial immunoassay, molecular absorbance spectrophotometry and chemical luminescence for BALP determination. Serum ALP and BALP decreased as sheep aged, and no statistically significant differences were obtained between ewes in different physiologic states. The continuous decline of serum BALP concentration along the sheep lifespan, namely in mature and old sheep, is a sign of decreasing bone turnover associated with ageing. Serum calcium concentrations increased slightly until 2 years of age and then showed a tenuous but statistically significant decrease in mature sheep, while serum phosphorus maintained an uninterrupted decrease as sheep matured. The knowledge of serum values of bone biomarkers throughout the sheep lifespan may be useful in preclinical orthopaedic research studies and for animal science studies using sheep.Cristina P. Sousa acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology for her PhD scholarship SFRH/BD/45018/2008