Building Bio-Districts or Eco-Regions: Participative Processes Supported by Focal Groups

Over the years, rural areas have faced a number of problems and difficulties, such as an increase in the average age of the population, desertification, loss of employment and the abandon‐ ment of rural and agricultural activities, which have led to the emergence of new initiatives aimed at revitalizing these territories from a social, economic and environmental perspective, such as the successful Bio‐districts or Eco‐regions (e.g., Bio‐district of Cilento). Understanding and establishing a proper framework for each territory based on agroecology and participatory methodologies is still a challenge. In this sense, based on the analysis of two European examples—Cilento, Italy and São Pedro do Sul, Portugal—we described each of the building processes and defined a set of drivers that might constitute guiding principles to serve as a basis for the creation of Bio‐districts or Eco‐ regions. The drivers’ matrix identified was discussed in three focus groups carried out in Portugal in 2020. Such drivers included a technical and environmental component (the quality of the envi‐ ronment and landscape, the food system and the implementation of organic farming and agroeco‐ logical practices), a social and economic component (valorization of the farmers, products and ter‐ ritories and a set of different stakeholders—farmers, consumers, schools, tourism entities and res‐ taurants, local authorities) and a political component (the governance model). Most participants agreed that the recognition of a Bio‐district or Eco‐region should be informal, bottom‐up, with farm‐ ers as the main pillar, with a fair and representative participation, namely family farmers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Online group consultation on labor analgesia for pregnant women: is it feasible?

Introduction: Our department of anesthesiology has been conducting weekly, for several years, a group consultation to educate childbearing people about labor analgesia. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic forced an adaptation to a virtual consultation format. Since there are no studies about online group consultation on labor analgesia in order to understand its role, an anonymous questionnaire was created and applied. The objective was to evaluate this new consultation format, namely the ease of access, usefulness of the content provided, and its impact on the satisfaction and experience of childbirth. Materials and methods: An observational prospective study was conducted. A questionnaire was sent by email after childbirth to all childbearing people participating in the online consultation from January 20, 2021, to March 2, 2022. SPSS Statistics version 28.0 (IBM Corp. Released 2021. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 28.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp) was used for statistical analysis. Internal consistency was analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha. Results: A total of 563 participants were eligible, and 404 (71.8%) completed questionnaires were analyzed. A few technical problems were reported. The participants considered their privacy respected, and more than 90% were satisfied with the content of the online consultation, the opportunity to pose questions, and the help managing expectations. Considering face-to-face consultation, 89.6% of patients considered the online format an effective alternative, 63.2% believed it could replace the old model, and 96.3% would recommend it. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that online consultation on labor analgesia was a good strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic and has the potential to be used in this format in the future.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Record linkage of population-based cohort data from minors with national register data : A scoping review and comparative legal analysis of four European countries

Funding Information: We would like to acknowledge Evert-Ben van Veen from the MLC Foundation, Dagelijkse Groenmarkt 2, 2513 AL Den Haag, the Netherlands. The results on the country-specific text on the Netherlands was based on his contribution. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Doetsch JN et al.Background: The GDPR was implemented to build an overarching framework for personal data protection across the EU/EEA. Linkage of data directly collected from cohort participants, potentially serving as a prominent tool for health research, must respect data protection rules and privacy rights. Our objective was to investigate law possibilities of linking cohort data of minors with routinely collected education and health data comparing EU/EEA member states. Methods: A legal comparative analysis and scoping review was conducted of openly accessible published laws and regulations in EUR-Lex and national law databases on GDPR's implementation in Portugal, Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands and its connected national regulations purposing record linkage for health research that have been implemented up until April 30, 2021. Results: The GDPR does not ensure total uniformity in data protection legislation across member states offering flexibility for national legislation. Exceptions to process personal data, e.g., public interest and scientific research, must be laid down in EU/EEA or national law. Differences in national interpretation caused obstacles in cross-national research and record linkage: Portugal requires written consent and ethical approval; Finland allows linkage mostly without consent through the national Social and Health Data Permit Authority; Norway when based on regional ethics committee's approval and adequate information technology safeguarding confidentiality; the Netherlands mainly bases linkage on the opt-out system and Data Protection Impact Assessment. Conclusions: Though the GDPR is the most important legal framework, national legislation execution matters most when linking cohort data with routinely collected health and education data. As national interpretation varies, legal intervention balancing individual right to informational self-determination and public good is gravely needed for health research. More harmonization across EU/EEA could be helpful but should not be detrimental in those member states which already opened a leeway for registries and research for the public good without explicit consent.Peer reviewe

Steroid Hormone Signaling Is Essential to Regulate Innate Immune Cells and Fight Bacterial Infection in Drosophila

Coupling immunity and development is essential to ensure survival despite changing internal conditions in the organism. Drosophila metamorphosis represents a striking example of drastic and systemic physiological changes that need to be integrated with the innate immune system. However, nothing is known about the mechanisms that coordinate development and immune cell activity in the transition from larva to adult. Here, we reveal that regulation of macrophage-like cells (hemocytes) by the steroid hormone ecdysone is essential for an effective innate immune response over metamorphosis. Although it is generally accepted that steroid hormones impact immunity in mammals, their action on monocytes (e.g. macrophages and neutrophils) is still not well understood. Here in a simpler model system, we used an approach that allows in vivo, cell autonomous analysis of hormonal regulation of innate immune cells, by combining genetic manipulation with flow cytometry, high-resolution time-lapse imaging and tissue-specific transcriptomic analysis. We show that in response to ecdysone, hemocytes rapidly upregulate actin dynamics, motility and phagocytosis of apoptotic corpses, and acquire the ability to chemotax to damaged epithelia. Most importantly, individuals lacking ecdysone-activated hemocytes are defective in bacterial phagocytosis and are fatally susceptible to infection by bacteria ingested at larval stages, despite the normal systemic and local production of antimicrobial peptides. This decrease in survival is comparable to the one observed in pupae lacking immune cells altogether, indicating that ecdysone-regulation is essential for hemocyte immune functions and survival after infection. Microarray analysis of hemocytes revealed a large set of genes regulated at metamorphosis by EcR signaling, among which many are known to function in cell motility, cell shape or phagocytosis. This study demonstrates an important role for steroid hormone regulation of immunity in vivo in Drosophila, and paves the way for genetic dissection of the mechanisms at work behind steroid regulation of innate immune cells.FCT fellowships: (SFRH/BPD/44613/2008, SFRH/BD/51175/2010), EMBO: (ALTF 178-2009), Gulbenkian Institute PhD Program

Flow of red blood cells in microchannel networks: in vitro studies

Human blood is a multiphase biofluid primarily composed by the deformable red blood cells (RBCs) suspended in plasma. Because the complex structure of RBCs, blood exhibits unique flow characteristics on micro-scale level, due to their complex biochemical mechanisms and their response to both shear and extensional flow, which influence the rheological properties and flow behaviour of blood [1,2]. In the past years in vitro blood studies have been extensively performed and some important physiological phenomena, such as Fahraeus and Fahraeus-Lindqvist effect, were revealed [1,3]. This pioneer studies performed by Fahraeus and Fahraeus-Lindqvist in straight glass microchannels [4] revealed that for narrow tubes (diameter<300 μm), the apparent viscosity of blood declines with decreasing diameter. More recently, due to the developments in microscopy, computers and image analysis techniques, several researchers have used new measuring methods to obtain deeper quantitative understanding of the blood flow dynamics, in vitro [5-8] and in vivo experiments [9-10]. The increasing interest by the microfluidic and biomedical communities has also played a key role in several recent developments of lab-on-chip devices for blood sampling, analysis and cell culturing, aimed in a near future, the development of blood diagnostic devices, as an alternative tool to the traditional diagnostic strategies. However, the blood flow in microvascular networks phenomena remains incompletely understood. Thus, it is important to investigate in detail the behaviour of RBCs flow occurring in a microchannel network, such as, with divergent and convergent bifurcations, which mimics the irregular vessel segments linked by numerous diverging and converging bifurcations. Previously, we made in vitro studies in microchannels with a simple divergent and convergent bifurcation, that showed a pronounced cell-free layer (CFL) immediately downstream of the apex of the convergent bifurcation [1,4]. This interesting result led us to the present work, where the CFL in a microchannel network is investigated by using a high-speed video microscopy system in order to further understand the blood flow behaviour in microvessels networks

UTILIZAÇÃO DE METODOLOGIAS ATIVAS APOIADAS EM TECNOLOGIAS DIGITAIS PARA O ENSINO DE QUÍMICA: UM RELATO DE EXPERIÊNCIA

This study aims at presenting the results of an experience developed in the curricular component Chemistry applied to food services in the Higher Technology Gastronomy course at the Federal Institute of Brasília (IFB) - Riacho Fundo Campus, in which active methodologies supported by digital technologies were used. The experience report was chosen to present, discuss and analyze the experience of a teacher, also the author of this study, who based her lesson plan of online classes on an extension course. The data collected were organized into five experiences with active methodologies such as storytelling; storytelling and problem solving; hybrid teaching / inverted classroom; peer learning; and maker learning. The results of this experience indicate that there was a methodological appropriation by the teacher, which is exemplified by the planning of learning itineraries, as proposed from the experienced active methodologies.El objetivo de este artículo es presentar los resultados de una experiencia desarrollada en la asignatura Química aplicada a los servicios de alimentación del curso Superior de Tecnología en Gastronomía del Instituto Federal de Brasília - Campus Riacho Fundo, en el cual han sido utilizadas metodologías activas apoyadas en tecnologías digitales. Hemos elegido el relato de experiencia para presentar, discutir y analizar la vivencia de una profesora, coautora de este trabajo, que ha hecho su organización pedagógica para las clases remotas en un curso de extensión. Los datos han sido organizados en cinco experiencias con metodologías activas: storytelling; storytelling  y resolución de problemas; enseñanza híbrida/clase invertida; aprendizaje en parejas; aprendizaje maker. Los resultados de esa experiencia nos muestran que hubo una apropiación metodológica por parte de la profesora, lo que podemos comprobar a partir de la organización pedagógica de sus guiones de aprendizaje, que han sido construidos de acuerdo con lo propuesto utilizando las metodologías activas experimentadas.O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar os resultados de uma experiência desenvolvida no componente curricular Química aplicada a serviços de alimentação, do curso Superior de Tecnologia em Gastronomia do Instituto Federal de Brasília - campus Riacho Fundo, na qual foram utilizadas metodologias ativas apoiadas em tecnologias digitais. Escolhemos o relato de experiência para apresentar, discutir e analisar a vivência de uma professora, também autora deste trabalho, que pautou seu planejamento de aulas remotas em um curso de extensão. Os dados foram organizados em cinco experiências com metodologias ativas, a saber: storytelling; storytelling e resolução de problemas; ensino híbrido/sala de aula invertida; aprendizagem em pares; e aprendizagem maker. Os resultados dessa experiência apontam ter havido uma apropriação metodológica por parte da professora, o que é exemplificado pelo planejamento dos roteiros de aprendizagem, conforme proposto a partir das metodologias ativas experienciadas

Block Room: a chave para a eficiência

Introdução: A utilização crescente de anestesia locorregional (ALR) e de um block room (BR) pode ter impacto na eficiência do bloco operatório (BO). O objetivo deste estudo consiste na validação de inquéritos-piloto que avaliem o conhecimento de ortopedistas e de enfermeiros do BO sobre os benefícios da ALR e da utilização de um BR. Metodologia: Elaboraram-se 2 tipos de inquéritos-piloto e aplicaramse em 3 instituições hospitalares independentes. Realizou-se a análise descritiva das variáveis e da consistência interna, nomeadamente pelo cálculo do coeficiente α de Cronbach e análise fatorial, com restruturação consequente do inquérito. Resultados: Foram preenchidos 80 inquéritos: 42 pelos enfermeiros do BO e 38 pelos ortopedistas, com 20-24 anos e 10-14 anos de serviço, em média, respetivamente. Verifica-se que os enfermeiros recomendam frequentemente técnicas anestésicas aos seus doentes (em particular ALR: 76,2%). Já os ortopedistas recomendam ocasionalmente, sendo que quando recomendam 47,4% particulariza a ALR. Ambos os grupos consideram que, em comparação com a anestesia geral (AG), a ALR é mais segura (85,7%/76,3%), está associada a menor sedação (81,0%/73,7%), melhor controlo da dor pós-operatória (90,5%/84,2%) e menos efeitos laterais (76,2%/50%). Quanto à satisfação do doente, o grupo de enfermeiros concorda que é superior com a ALR (73,8%); já para os ortopedistas esta questão é indiferente (47,4%). Ambos os grupos escolheriam a ALR para si (97,6%/75,7%), assim como a recomendariam a um familiar (100%/83,3%). Relativamente à realização de ALR na sala de indução, 44.7% dos ortopedistas concordam que está associado a menor tempo de preparação anestésica, a uma maior produtividade (52,6%) e a maior eficácia (76,4%). Os inquéritos-piloto apresentam um α de Cronbach de 0,533 no grupo dos ortopedistas e 0,417 nos enfermeiros. A análise fatorial confirma a existência de 4 fatores, que explicam 74% da variância dos resultados. Na interpretação da tabela da matriz fatorial, todos os itens têm um valor>0.5, pelo que há uma associação clara a um fator. Discussão: Ambos os inquéritos-piloto apresentam consistência interna inadmissível. Múltiplos fatores podem estar envolvidos, tais como desconhecimento científico, interpretação incorreta ou disparidade de opinião. De modo a aumentar a consistência interna, foi retirada a questão relativamente à ansiedade dos doentes (AG vs. ALR) em ambos os grupos e à avaliação neurológica pós-operatória (AG vs. ALR) no grupo dos ortopedistas (consistência interna final 0,753). Pela análise fatorial, a questão relativamente à alta hospitalar precoce (AG vs. ALR) foi removida no grupo dos enfermeiros (consistência interna final 0,539). Apesar das suas limitações, os inquéritos-piloto encontram-se validados para a população portuguesa. Uma proporção considerável de ortopedistas considera que BR proporciona ganhos de eficiência no BO. O suporte genuíno de toda a equipa do BO poderá ter um papel crítico na mudançainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Low-level expression of HER2 and CK19 in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells: relevance for detection of circulating tumor cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Detection of circulating tumor cells (CTC) in the blood of cancer patients may have prognostic and predictive significance. However, background expression of 'tumor specific markers' in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) may confound these studies. The goal of this study was to identify the origin of Cytokeratin 19 (CK19) and HER-2 signal in PBMC and suggest an approach to enhance techniques involved in detection of CTC in breast cancer patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>PBMC from healthy donors were isolated and fractionated into monocytes, lymphocytes, natural killer cells/granulocytes and epithelial populations using immunomagnetic selection and fluorescent cell-sorting for each cell type. RNA isolated from each fraction was analyzed for CK19, HER2 and Beta 2 microglobulin (B2M) using real-time qRT-PCR. Positive selection for epithelial cells and negative selection for NK/granulocytes were used in an attempt to reduce background expression of CK19 and HER2 markers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In normal PBMC, CK19 was expressed in the lymphocyte population while HER-2 expression was highest in the NK/granulocyte population. Immunomagnetic selection for epithelial cells reduced background CK19 signal to a frequency of <5% in normal donors. Using negative selection, the majority (74–98%) of HER2 signal could be removed from PBMC. Positive selection methods are variably effective at reducing these background signals.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We present a novel method to improve the specificity of the traditional method of detecting CTC by identifying the source of the background signals and reducing them by negative immunoselection. Further studies are warranted to improve sensitivity and specificity of methods of detecting CTC will prove to be useful tools for clinicians in determining prognosis and monitoring treatment responses of breast cancer patients.</p