Obstetric Outcome of Twin Pregnancies Conceived by in Vitro fertilization (IVF) and Ovulation Induction Compared with those Conceived Spontaneously

Introduction: Uncontrolled studies suggest that twins conceived by in vitro fertilization have increased rates of preterm birth and low birth weight and would warrant increased antenatal monitoring. The objective of this study was to compare the obstetric outcome of twin pregnancies conceived by in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) and ovulation induction with those conceived spontaneously. Methods: All twin deliveries achieved by IVF/ICSI (n=235) and ovulation induction (n=68) from September 1994 through December 2010 were evaluated. Both groups and an additional control group who conceived spontaneously (n=997) and was delivered during the same time period were compared with each other. Results: In univariate analysis, patients who conceived with the assistance of IVF/ICSI had a significantly higher risk of being older (p=0.01), nulliparous (p=0.01), having hypertensive disorders (p=0.012), gestational diabetes mellitus (p=0.031), cesarean section (p=0.008) and lower gestational age at birth, compared with the control group. Newborns had similar birthweights in all groups (2229±544g; 2102±619g; 2251±553g). Spontaneous pregnancies had a higher risk of being monochorionic 38.4% versus 16.2% and 10.2% (p=0.01). Multivariate analysis however showed that patients who conceived with the assistance of IVF/ICSI only had a higher risk of gestational diabetes (OR=1.91,95%CI 1.168-3.120; p=0.01). Conclusions: Our study shows that twin pregnancies conceived with the assistance of IVF/ICSI had a higher risk of gestacional diabetes and a lower gestacional age at birth. Birthweights were similar, as was the incidence of perinatal death, low birth weight infants, and congenital malformations

Simple High Performance General Purpose Single Channel Analyser

A simple single channel analyser using standard components is described. High temperature stability (0.002% / °C) and resolution (- 100 uV) is achieved. The two-level generator circuits described allow full DC coupling of the input pulses. The performance of these circuits is discussed in detail and experimental results presente

Microalgae biomass as an alternative source of biocompounds: New insights and future perspectives of extraction methodologies

Microalgae have characteristics that make them unique and full of potential. Their capacity to generate interesting bioactive molecules can add value to various industrial applications. However, most of these valuable compounds are intracellular, which makes their extraction a major bottleneck. Conventional extraction methodologies have some drawbacks, such as low eco-friendly character, high costs and energy demand, long treatment times, low selectivity and reduced extraction yields, as well as degradation of extracted compounds. The gaps found for these methods demonstrate that emergent approaches, such as ohmic heating, pulsed electric fields, ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, or high-pressure processing, show potential to overcome the current drawbacks in the release and extraction of added-value compounds from microalgae. These new processing techniques can potentially extract a variety of compounds, making the process more profitable and applicable to large scales. This review provides an overview of the most important and promising factors to consider in the extraction methodologies applied to microalgae. Additionally, it delivers broad knowledge of the present impact of these methods on biomass and its compounds, raising the possibility of applying them in an integrated manner within a biorefinery concept.Vitor Sousa acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for their fellowship UI/BD/151238/2021. This study was supported by the FCT under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 and UIDP/04469/2020 unit, by LABBELS – Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems (LA/P/0029/2020). This research work was supported by ALGAVALOR - Lisboa-01-0247-FEDER-035234, supported by Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization (COMPETE2020), Lisbon Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa 2020) and Algarve Regional Operational Programme (Algarve 2020) under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This work was funded by NORTE2020 Funds through the SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH - “STRUCTURED R & D & I PROJECTS” - HORIZON EUROPE under the project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000070. Ricardo Pereira and Oscar Dias acknowledge FCT for the Assistant Research contract obtained under CEEC Individual 2017 and 2018, respectively.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mercapturate Pathway in the Tubulocentric Perspective of Diabetic Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND: The recent growing evidence that the proximal tubule underlies the early pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is unveiling novel and promising perspectives. This pathophysiological concept links tubulointerstitial oxidative stress, inflammation, hypoxia, and fibrosis with the progression of DKD. In this new angle for DKD, the prevailing molecular mechanisms on proximal tubular cells emerge as an innovative opportunity for prevention and management of DKD as well as to improve diabetic dysmetabolism. SUMMARY: The mercapturate pathway (MAP) is a classical metabolic detoxification route for xenobiotics that is emerging as an integrative circuitry detrimental to resolve tubular inflammation caused by endogenous electrophilic species. Herein we review why and how it might underlie DKD. Key Messages: MAP is a hallmark of proximal tubular cell function, and cysteine-S-conjugates might represent targets for early intervention in DKD. Moreover, the biomonitoring of urinary mercapturates from metabolic inflammation products might be relevant for the implementation of preventive/management strategies in DKD.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Dietary sugars analysis: quantification of fructooligossacharides during fermentation by HPLC-RI method

In this work, a simple chromatographic method is proposed and in-house validated for the quantification of total and individual fructooligossacharides (e.g., 1-kestose, nystose, and 1F-fructofuranosylnystose). It was shown that a high-performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detector could be used to monitor the dynamic of fructooligossacharides production via sucrose fermentation using Aspergillus aculeatus. This analytical technique may be easily implemented at laboratorial or industrial scale for fructooligossacharides mass-production monitoring allowing also controlling the main substrate (sucrose) and the secondary by-products (glucose and fructose). The proposed chromatographic method had a satisfactory intra- and inter-day variability (in general, with a relative standard deviation lower than 5%), high sensitivity for each sugar (usually, with a relative error lower than 5%), and low detection (lower than 0.06 ± 0.04 g/L) and quantification (lower than 0.2 ± 0.1 g/L) limits. The correct quantification of fructooligossacharides in fermentative media may allow a more precise nutritional formulation of new functional foods, since it is reported that different fructooligossacharides exhibit different biological activities and effects.This work was partially co-financed by FCT and FEDER under Program COMPETE (Project PEst-C/EQB/LA0020/2013), by the Strategic Project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013 and by the project ref. RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (project number FCOMP 01-0124-FEDER-027462) funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

A chip-size antenna for wireless EEG

This paper presents the design and characterization of a patch antenna built on lossy substrates compatible with integrated circuits fabrication. Two different substrates were used for antenna implementation: high-resistivity silicon (HRS) and Corning Pyrex #7740 glass. The antenna prototypes were built to operate close to the 5 GHz ISM band where applications like HIPERLAN and IEEE802.11a are standardized. They operate at a center frequency of 5.705 GHz (HRS) and 5.995 GHz (Pyrex). The application is a wireless wearable electroencephalogram (EEG) braincap. Wireless EEG allows patients to wear the braincap and maintain their mobility while simultaneously having their electrical brain activity monitored.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - SFRH/BD/4717/2001, POCTI/ESE/38468/2001)

Prevalência de sisos inclusos na Clínica Universitária da UCP-CRB

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Avaliação nutricional de uma população de doentes renais crónicos a realizar diálise peritoneal

[Resumo][Abstract

Flexible three-dimensional microelectrode array for neural applications

A neural electrode array design is proposed with 3 mm long sharpened pillars made from an aluminumbased substrate. The array is composed by 25 electrically insulated pillars in a 5 x 5 matrix, in which each aluminum pillar was precisely machined via dicing saw technique. The result is an aluminum structure with high-aspect-ratio pillars (19:1), each with a tip radius of 10 mu m. A thin-film of platinum was deposited via sputtering technique to perform the ionic signal transduction. Each pillar was encapsulated with an epoxy resin insulating the entire pillar excluding the tip. This process resulted in mechanically robust electrodes each capable of withstanding loads up to 200 mN before bending. The array implantation tests were conducted on agar gel at speeds of 50 mm/min, 120 mm/min and 180 mm/min which resulted in average implantation forces of 119 mN, 145 mN and 150 mN, respectively. Insertion and withdrawal tests were also performed in porcine cadaver brain showing a necessary force of 66 mN forsuccessful explantation. A three point flexural test demonstrated a displacement of 0.8 mm before array's breakage. The electrode's impedance was characterized showing a near resistive impedance of 385 Omega in the frequency range from 2 kHz to 125 kHz. The resultant array, as well as the fabrication technique, is an innovative alternative to silicon-based electrode solutions, avoiding some fabrication methods and limitations related to silicon and increasing the mechanical flexibility of the array.A.C. Peixoto is supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under grant SFRH/BD/89509/2012. This work was supported by FCT with the reference project FCOMP 01 0124-FEDER-010909 (FCT/PTDC/SAU-BEB/100392/2008). The authors wish to thank Professor Senentxu Lanceros-Mendez for kindly granting access to the Shimadzu dynamometer and also to Pedro Libânio Martins for the valuable suggestions and technical assistance during the implantation tests.A. C. Peixoto is supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under grant SFRH/BD/89509/2012. This work was supported by FCT with the reference project FCOMP 01 0124- FEDER-010909 (FCT/PTDC/SAU-BEB/100392/2008). The authors wish to thank Professor Senentxu Lanceros-Mendez for kindly granting access to the Shimadzu dynamometer and also to Pedro Libânio Martins for the valuable suggestions and technical assistance during the implantation tests

Advances on the development of novel heterogeneous catalysts for transesterification of triglycerides in biodiesel

This paper describes experimental work done towards the search for more profitable and sustainable alternatives regarding biodiesel production, using heterogeneous catalysts instead of the conventional homogenous alkaline catalysts, such as NaOH, KOH or sodium methoxide, for the methanolysis reaction. This experimental work is a first stage on the development and optimization of new solid catalysts, able to produce biodiesel from vegetable oils. The heterogeneous catalytic process has many differences from the currently used in industry homogeneous process. The main advantage is that, it requires lower investment costs, since no need for separation steps of methanol/catalyst, biodiesel/catalyst and glycerine/catalyst. This work resulted in the selection of CaO and CaO modified with Li catalysts, which showed very good catalytic performances with high activity and stability. In fact FAME yields higher than 92% were observed in two consecutive reaction batches without expensive intermediate reactivation procedures. Therefore, those catalysts appear to be suitable for biodiesel production