Heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction: 3 years after its creation, what do we know?

Quem são os pacientes com fração de ejeção intermédia? Porque criou a Sociedade Europeia de Cardiologia esta categoria? Terá este grupo diferenças na sua epidemiologia e na sua resposta à terapia farmacológica? Nesta revisão narrativa, procuramos caracterizar os pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca com fração de ejeção intermédia, as suas comorbilidades e a maneira como respondem ao tratamento farmacológico. Embora estes pacientes apresentem um fenótipo intermédio em termos de sexo e idade, confirmando o seu estatuto de "irmão do meio" entre as duas categorias clássicas de fração de ejeção, esta classe mostra também algumas características únicas, como a sua incidência particularmente alta de doença arterial isquémica. Embora o seu prognóstico os aproxime dos pacientes com fração de ejeção preservada, a sua resposta à terapia farmacológica parece ser muito superior à destes. Os pacientes com fração de ejeção intermédia parecem apresentar resultados significativamente melhores quando tratados com betabloqueadores e antagonistas dos recetores dos mineralocorticóides, no entanto, a maior parte dos estudos disponíveis no momento recorrem a populações relativamente pequenas e a análises de teor retrospetivo. Irão as próximas diretrizes mudar a abordagem terapêutica desse novo ramo da insuficiência cardíaca? Maiores e melhores pesquisas precisam ser conduzidas e, acima de tudo, a comunidade médica precisa de mais tempo para entender os pacientes com fração de ejeção intermédia e com insuficiência cardíaca em geral. No final desta revisão, permanece uma pergunta: estaremos a categorizar os nossos pacientes da forma certa?Who are the patients with mid-range ejection fraction? Why did the European Society of Cardiology create this category? Does this new group have differences in its epidemiology and in its response to pharmacological therapy? In this descriptive review we seek to characterize heart failure patients with mid-range ejection fraction, their comorbidities and the way they respond to pharmacological treatment. Although these patients show an intermediate phenotype in terms of sex and age, confirming their status as the "middle brother" between the two classic ejection fraction groups, this class also shows some unique features, such as its particularly high incidence of ischemic coronary disease. While their prognosis brings them closer to patients with preserved ejection fraction, their response to pharmacological therapy appears to be vastly superior to the preserved ejection fraction one. Mid-range ejection fraction patients seem to display significant better outcomes when treated with beta blockers and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, however only small and mostly retrospective analysis are available at the moment. Will the next guidelines change the therapeutic approach to this new branch of heart failure? Bigger and better research needs to be conducted and, above all, the medical community needs more time to understand patients with mid-range ejection fraction and heart failure in general. At the end of this review, a question remains: are we labelling our patients the right way

A avaliação no Ensino Superior: um estudo com docentes universitários

Neste trabalho pretendemos analisar as conceções e práticas de avaliação dos docentes do Ensino Superior após a implementação do Processo de Bolonha; contribuir para a melhoria da qualidade das práticas de avaliação das aprendizagens; e compreender as suas implicações ao nível do ensino e da aprendizagem. Iremos apresentar os resultados preliminares da primeira fase de investigação que incluiu um inquérito por questionário com docentes universitários.CIEC - Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, IE, UMinho (UI 317 da FCT), PortugalFundos Nacionais através da FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) e cofinanciado pelo Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) através do COMPETE 2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) com a referência POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007562info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Radiopharmaceuticals for myocardial perfusion imaging: SPECT & PET

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is used on a daily basis to access coronary blood flow in patients that are suspected or have known Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). A Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) or and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan are used to access regional blood flow quantification either at rest or stress, the imaging acquisition is connected to an Electrocardiogram (ECG) and it is able to determine and quantify other myocardial parameters like myocardial wall thickness and wall motion. PET is not used so broadly due to its high procedure cost, the proximity with cyclotron, where are produced the majority of radiopharmaceuticals used in PET, due to their shor thalf-life. This work is intended to carry out a review of the tests relating to radiopharmaceuticals that are used in clinical practice in SPECT or PET for assessment of myocardial perfusion, also focusing very promising radiopharmaceuticals that are under investigation or in clinical trials with great potential for conventional nuclear medicine or PET, proceeding to a comparative analysis of both techniques and respective radiopharmaceuticals used

Structural and functional measures of invertebrate and fungal communities as predictors of eutrophication

To assess how eutrophication affects leaf-litter decomposition and the associated biota in streams, we examined i) the structure of invertebrate and fungal communities and ii) leaf mass loss of different plant species. Leaves of alder, chestnut, eucalyptus, plane tree and oak were placed in coarse-mesh bags and immersed in 6 low-order streams along an eutrophication gradient during 38 days. Additional benthic invertebrate samples were collected with a hand-net. The values of the IBMWP biotic index applied to benthic invertebrates increased from low to intermediate levels of eutrophication and then dropped sharply at high and very high levels of eutrophication. Cluster analysis applied to leaf-associated invertebrate and fungal communities separated the streams according to the eutrophication level. The % of shredders on leaves decreased, whereas the % of oligochaetes increased along the eutrophication gradient. Invertebrate biomass and density, as well as fungal biomass and reproduction increased along the eutrophication gradient, but decreased in the most eutrophic stream. Alder leaves decomposed faster than other leaf species. A hump-shaped relationship was established between leaf mass loss and the eutrophication gradient for all leaf species, suggesting that leaf decomposition is a valuable tool to assess changes in stream water quality. Results suggested that both structural and functional measures of invertebrate and fungal communities are good predictors of stream eutrophication when assessing the ecological integrity of streams.FEDER-POFC-COMPETE and FCT supported this study (PEst-C/BIA/UI4050/2011 and PTDC/AAC-AMB/117068/2010) and IF (SFRH/BD/42215/2007)Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - PEst-C/BIA/UI4050/2011, PTDC/AAC-AMB/117068/2010, SFRH/BD/42215/200

Eutrophication alters non-additive effects of plant-litter diversity in streams

The Portuguese Foundation for the Science and Technology supported I. Fernandes (SFRH/BD/42215/2007

Effects of nutrient enrichment and riparian vegetation on litter decomposition in streams

The Portuguese Foundation for the Science and Technology supported I Fernandes (SFRH/BD/42215/2007

Eutrophication alters the effects of riparian plant diversity on litter decomposition by macroinvertebrates

Dissertação de mestrado em EcologyIn low-order forested streams, plant-litter decomposition is a key ecosystem process. Invertebrate shredders are responsible for the breakdown of plant litter and are very sensitive to stream water quality degradation. Increased eutrophication and loss or alteration of riparian vegetation can have negative effects on stream organisms and alter ecosystem processes. However, the interactive effects of riparian vegetation loss and increased nutrient concentrations in the stream water are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated if plant-litter decomposition and invertebrate assemblages were affected by leaf litter diversity and if eutrophication modulated the observed effects. Leaves from five riparian tree species (Alnus glutinosa, Castanea sativa, Eucalyptus globulus, Platanus sp. and Quercus robur) were used either alone or in mixtures of equally partitioned mass of 2, 3 and 5 species, in a total of 12 combinations. Leaves were placed in coarsemesh bags and immersed in seven streams of Northwest Portugal along a gradient of eutrophication, for 38 days. Leaf litter diversity had positive effects on litter decomposition but negatively affected invertebrate assemblages. Eutrophication modulated leaf litter diversity effects by suppressing positive diversity effects on litter decomposition and by negatively affecting invertebrate assemblages. A possible homogenization of litter nutrient content in leaf mixtures might explain the negative litter diversity effects on invertebrate communities, by promoting invertebrate unselective feeding or increasing species competition. Moreover, harmful effects of toxicant compounds, such as ammonia, might have contributed to the negative diversity effects on invertebrate assemblages in eutrophic streams. These findings illustrate that human activities alter litter decomposition dynamics in streams and the associated biotic communities.Em rios de floresta, a decomposição da folhada é um processo chave para o funcionamento do ecossistema. Os invertebrados detritívoros têm um papel relevante neste processo do ecossistema e são muito sensíveis à poluição. O aumento da eutrofização e perdas ou alterações da vegetação ribeirinha podem ter consequências negativas para os organismos aquáticos e para o funcionamento dos ecossistemas de rio. No entanto, os efeitos da interacção entre a perda de vegetação ribeirinha e do aumento da concentração de nutrientes na água são pouco conhecidos. Neste estudo investigámos se a diversidade da folhada afectaria a sua decomposição e os invertebrados associados e se a eutrofização modificaria os efeitos observados. Utilizámos folhas de cinco espécies de árvores ripícolas (Alnus glutinosa, Castanea sativa, Eucalyptus globulus, Platanus sp. e Quercus robur) sozinhas ou em misturas de igual proporção de 2, 3 e 5 espécies, num total de 12 combinações. As folhas foram colocadas em sacos de malha grossa e imersos em sete rios do norte de Portugal ao longo de um gradiente de eutrofização, durante 38 dias. A diversidade da folhada afectou positivamente a sua decomposição e negativamente os invertebrados associados. O aumento da eutrofização suprimiu os efeitos positivos da diversidade na decomposição da folhada e níveis moderados a elevados de eutrofização promoveram efeitos negativos nas comunidades de invertebrados. Uma possível homogeneização do conteúdo em nutrientes nas misturas de folhas poderá ter levado a uma alimentação não selectiva dos invertebrados ou a um aumento da competição entre as espécies, o que poderá justificar os efeitos negativos da diversidade da folhada na comunidade de invertebrados. Além disso, a presença de compostos tóxicos, como a amónia, nos rios mais eutrofizados poderá ter afectado negativamente as comunidades de invertebrados. Estes resultados mostram que as actividades antropogénicas alteram a dinâmica de decomposição da matéria orgânica nos rios e as comunidades bióticas associadas a este processo.Projeto FRESHBIOFUN: Biodiversity and the functioning of detritus foodwebs in freshwaters (PTDC/AAC-AMB/117068/2010

Teacher education during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Insights from a formative intervention approach involving online feedback

This paper examines preservice teachers’ perspectives on assessment feedback developed in a teacher education course during the first lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As initially negotiated with students, feedback was learner-centred and involved a formative intervention approach applied iteratively by the teacher educator over the course of one semester. Although such feedback was initially face-to-face, it had to be given exclusively online following the unexpected closure of the university. Analysis of student teachers’ perspectives, which were collected through an online questionnaire completed after their final assessment, reveals both positive and critical aspects regarding the feedback provided by the teacher educator. While reaffirming the significance of feedback as a crucial element for learning in online teacher education contexts, the findings also show that the clarity, affective bonding and multimodal meaning-making involved in face-to-face interaction are particularly challenging when the communication of feedback is digitally mediated. The implications and limitations of such findings are discussed.This work is supported through national funds of FCT/MCTES-PT by CIEd—Research Centre on Education, Institute of Education, University of Minho, projects UIDB/01661/2020 and UIDP/01661/2020, and by CIEC—Research Centre on Child Studies, Institute of Education, University of Minho, projects UIDB/00317/2020 and UIDP/00317/2020

Conditions for teacher leadership and professional development in challenging circumstances

This chapter reports on findings from a 3-year funded research project aimed at examining conditions for teacher leadership in challenging circumstances. A mixed-method research design was devised including three phases of data collection: a national survey (phase 1), focus groups with teachers and students and semi-structured interviews with principals (phase 2); and the development and evaluation of a professional development course in 5 schools (phase 3). This chapter reports on findings from the first phase of data collection through an online questionnaire administered nationwide between February and May 2012 (N= 2702). In general, ambiguity and ambivalence in teachers’ views and perceptions of leadership emerged from the data namely in regard to the encouragement they get to make decisions and to be involved in projects at school as well as to exercise leadership at the department level. Implications of the findings are discussed.CIEC – Research Centre on Child Studies, IE, UMinho (FCT R&D unit 317), PortugalNational Funds through the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) and co-financed by European Regional Development Funds (FEDER) through the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program (POCI) with the reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007562info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Characterization of new 5-aminoimidazole derivatives

Comunicação apresentada no "III Encontro de Técnicas de Caracterização e Análises Químicas", Braga, Portugal (Junho 2014).Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia [PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2013 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-037302)], PTNMR and a PhD grant awarded to Nádia Senhorães (SFRH/BD/73721/2010)