Biodistribuição do 18FDG em ratos nude balb-c nu/nu normaiS

Resumo do poster apresentado ao XII Congresso Nacional de Medicina Nuclear, 12-14 Novembro 2009, Mealhad

The COVID-19 pandemic: yet another catalyst for governmental mass surveillance?

This commentary addresses the use of surveillance technologies in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, using examples from the current geopolitical frame, and questioning the possible consequences of data collection for the individual and for society. In this regard, some questions emerge: in the fight against the pandemic, what measures and tools of surveillance are being adopted by the different states? Will the extraordinary measures, that are now being implemented, become permanent? And if so, what will the consequences be for privacy and democracy?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Catálogo provisional de hongos hipogeos de Asturias y posibles fitobiontes asociados

Censo provisional de hongos con ciclo vital hipogeo hallados en la Comunidad Autónoma del Principado de Asturias y relación de posibles fitobiontes a ellos asociados. Se describen recolecciones de algunos infrecuentes táxones hallados en la zona: Arcangeliella stephensii, Elaphomyces aculeatus, E. cyanosporus. E. decipiens, E. leucosporus, E. mutabilis, E. papillatus, E. persoo nii y E. septatus, Genabea fragi lis, Genea vagans, G/01l1US flavisporum. Gymnomyces xanthosporus, Hysterangium calcareum, H. pompholyx, Stephensia bombycina , S. crocea, Tuber excavatum f. ntonticellianum, T foetidum, T fulgens , T mesentericum y T regianum. Un total de 85 táxones han sido censados para el área de estudio.This is a provisional ccnsus of hypogeous fungi from the Autonomous Community of the "Principado de Asturias", and it reports their possible hosts. Collections of sorne infrequent taxa found in the area are included, i.e, Arcange/iella ste phensii, Elaphomy ces aculeatus, E. cyanosporus, E. decipiens, E. leucosporus , E. muta bilis, E. papillatus. E. persoonii and E. septatus, Genabea fragilis, Genea vagans, G/O/llUS flavisporum, Gymnomyces xanthosporus , Hysterangium calcareum, H. pompholyx, Stephensia bombycina, S. crocea, Tuber excavatum f. monticellianum, T foetidum, T fulgens, mesentericum and T regianum. . A total of 85 taxa are recorded

Immunology and mammary cancer development: addressing the role of mast cells

Background: Mammary cancer is one of the most frequent cancers worldwide. Mast cells are among the cells of tumor microenvironment and have been associated with increased angiogenesis and poor prognosis. Despite this, the role of mast cells on mammary cancer is not fully elucidated. In this way, this work studied the role of mast cells in a rat model of mammary cancer chemically-induced. Materials and Methods: All experiments were performed in accordance with the Portuguese and European legislation on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. The experiments were approved by the Portuguese (no.008961) and University (CE_12-2013) Ethics Committees. Thirty- four female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five experimental groups. At seven weeks of age, mammary tumors’ development was induced in animals from groups I, II, III (n = 10+10+10) by a single intraperitoneal injection of the carcinogen N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). Groups II and IV (n = 2) were treated with ketotifen in drinking water (1 mg/kg/day, 7 days/week) immediately after the MNU ad- ministration for 18 weeks, while the group III received the ketotifen after the development of the first mammary tumor. Groups I and V (n = 2) received only water. Animals were sacrificed at 25 weeks of age by an overdose of ketamine and xylazine, followed by an exsanguination by cardiac puncture. Mammary tumors were collected and immersed in formalin for posterior analysis. Tumors’ vascularization, proliferation and apoptosis were also assessed by immunohistochemistry (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)-A, Ki-67, and caspase-3 and caspase-9). Results: Animals from groups IV and V did not develop any mammary tumor. Twenty-one animals (six animals from group I, eight animals from group II and seven animals from group III) developed a total of 58 mammary tumors, mainly classified as papillary non-invasive carcinomas. Tumors’ vascularization was similar among groups (P > 0.05). Mammary tumors from group II exhibited the lowest prolif- eration (P < 0.05) and apoptotic indexes. Conclusions: The mainly positive effect of the ketotifen administration seems to be the reduction of tumor prolifera- tion when the drug was administered before mammary tumor development

Insights into the accessory genome of two pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates using comparative genomics

Recently, we have set a collaboration with Hospital de Braga, located in the North of Portugal, that handles over 600 P. aeruginosa isolates per year, aiming to rouse a holistic research approach to provide relevant information and tools to the clinicians to circumvent the multi-resistance phenomena in P. aeruginosa. Since then, we have set procedures aiming a systematic phenotypic characterization of the clinical isolates and developed strategies for the identification of pathogenicity islands and SNPs among the clinical isolates via comparative genomics. In this context, we have determined the full genome sequence of two clinical isolates using the high-throughput system Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx. These two clinical isolates, named 138244 and 152504, are representatives of allelic sequence types ST175 (widely disseminated and associated with multidrug-resistance) and ST560 (rare allele), respectively. Importantly, under standardized experimental procedures, isolate 138244 did not produce pigments and evidenced an antibiotic pan-resistant phenotype whereas 152504 produced a high amount of pyocyanin pigment and was susceptible to all antibiotics tested. A comparative genomic analysis using the genome sequences of both isolates and of all P. aeruginosa strains deposited in Genbank so far, allowed the identification of the accessory genome content of both isolates. Apparently, isolate 152504 harbors in its genome 254 unique genes, often clustered together in the same locus. Based on the genome annotation information, the pool of unique genes mainly encode several virulence factors, chemical stress resistance systems as well as 183 hypothetical proteins, 45 of which predicted members of the secretome of P. aeruginosa 152504. The accessory genome of 138244 mainly includes genes associated with mobile elements (phages, transposases, integrons) and genes encoding for 160 hypothetical proteins. Currently, research approaches are focused on the functional elucidation of sets of genes encoding hypothetical proteins of both isolates and in the description and characterization of their secretomes.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Comparative genomics of two pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates to elucidate the composition of their mobilomes

Recently, we have set a collaboration with Hospital de Braga, located in the North of Portugal, that handles over 600 P. aeruginosa isolates per year, aiming to rouse a holistic research approach to provide relevant information and tools to the clinicians to circumvent the multi-resistance phenomena in P. aeruginosa. Since then, we have set procedures aiming a systematic phenotypic characterization of the clinical isolates and developed strategies for the identification of pathogenicity islands and SNPs among the clinical isolates via comparative genomics. In this context, we have determined the full genome sequence of two clinical isolates using the high-throughput system Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx. These two clinical isolates, named 138244 and 152504, are representatives of allelic sequence types ST175 (widely disseminated and associated with multidrug-resistance) and ST560 (rare allele), respectively. Importantly, under standardized experimental procedures, isolate 138244 did not produce pigments and evidenced an antibiotic pan-resistant phenotype whereas 152504 produced a high amount of pyocyanin pigment and was susceptible to all antibiotics tested. A comparative genomic analysis using the genome sequences of both isolates and of all P. aeruginosa strains deposited in Genbank so far, allowed the identification of the accessory genome content of both isolates. Apparently, isolate 152504 harbors in its genome 243 unique genes, often clustered together in the same locus. Based on the genome annotation information, the pool of unique genes mainly encode several virulence factors, chemical stress resistance systems as well as 106 hypothetical proteins, some of which predicted members of the secretome of P. aeruginosa 152504. The accessory genome of 138244 mainly includes genes associated with mobile elements (phages, transposases, integrons) and genes encoding for 190 hypothetical proteins. Currently, research approaches are focused on the functional elucidation of sets of genes encoding hypothetical proteins of both isolates and in the description and characterization of their secretomes.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Catálogo provisional de hongos hipogeos de Asturias y posibles fitobiontes asociados

Censo provisional de hongos con ciclo vital hipogeo hallados en la Comunidad Autónoma del principado de Asturias y relación de posibles fitobiontes a ellos asociados. Se describen recolecciones de algunos infrecuentes táxones hallados en la zona: Arcangeliella stephensii, Elaphomyces aculeatus, E. cyanosporus. E. decipiens, E. leucosporus, E. mutabilis, E. papillatus, E. persoo nii y E. septatus, Genabea fragilis, Genea vagans, Glomus flavisporum. Gymnomyces xanthosporus, Hysterangium calcareum, H. pompholyx, Stephensia bombycina, S. crocea, Tuber excavatum f. ntonticellianum, T foetidum, T fulgens, T mesentericum y T regianum. Un total de 85 táxones han sido censados para el área de estudio.This is a provisional census of hypogeous fungi from the Autonomous Community of the "Principado de Asturias", and it reports their possible hosts. Collections of sorne infrequent taxa found in the area are included, i.e, Arcangeliella stephensii, Elaphomyces aculeatus, E. anosporus, E. decipiens, E. leucosporus, E. muta bilis, E. papillatus. E. persoonii and E. septatus, Genabea fragilis, Genea vagans, Glomus flavisporum, Gymnomyces xanthosporus, Hysterangium calcareum, H. pompholyx, Stephensia bombycina, S. crocea, Tuber excavatum f. monticellianum, T foetidum, T fulgens, mesentericum and T regianum. A total of 85 taxa are recorded

Path analysis from COVID‐19 perceptions to psychological health: The roles of critical distance and mastery

Objective: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was previously associated with psychopathological symptoms. However, the psychological mechanisms underlying these associations are largely unexplored. Previous studies suggested associations between metacognitive abilities (e.g., mastery) and symptomatology, which may have impacts on COVID-19 perceptions. This study aims to explore, using path analysis, the mediational role of Critical Distance (differentiation and decentration abilities) and Mastery on the relationships between COVID-19 perceptions and psychological well-being and distress. Methods: In a cross-sectional design, 227 participants (M = 34.21, SD = 10.9) filled self-report questionnaires. Results: Metacognitive abilities were negatively correlated with psychopathological symptoms. Both Critical Distance and Mastery mediated the path from COVID-19 perceived severity and anxiety to psychological distress and well-being. Critical Distance seems to augment Mastery which tends to increase psychological well-being and limited psychological distress. Conclusions: Metacognition seems to play a mediational role on the relationship between COVID-19 perceptions and mental health. Clinical psychologists and psychotherapists may enhance psychological interventions regarding COVID-19 psychopathological symptomatology by working on metacognitive Critical Distance and Mastery abilities.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Neospora caninum: high susceptibility to the parasite in C57BL/10ScCr mice

Neospora caninum: high susceptibility to the parasite in C57BL/10ScCr miceC57BL/10ScCr mice, lack Toll-like receptor 4 and a functional Interleukin-12 receptor. Taking this into account, susceptibility of these mice to Neospora caninum infection was assessed comparatively to that of immunocompetent C57BL/10ScSn mice. C57BL/10ScCr mice inoculated intraperitoneally with 5 x 10(5) N. caninum tachyzoites showed a high Susceptibility to this parasite. All infected C57BL/10ScCr mice were dead by day 8 post-infection whereas all control C57BL/10ScSn mice survived this parasitic challenge. Immunohistochemical analysis of infected C57BL/10ScCr mice showed N. caninum tachyzoites spread in the pancreas, liver, lung, intestine, heart and brain whereas no parasites were detected in similarly infected C57BL/10ScSn controls. The higher susceptibility of C57BL/10ScCr mice to neosporosis correlates with reduced interferon-gamma mRNA expression and increased IL-4 mRNA expression, comparatively to C57BL/10ScSn controls, detected in the spleen after the parasitic challenge. C57BL/10ScCr mice could thus be used as a new experimental model where to study immunobiological mechanisms associated with host Susceptibility to neosporosis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio