Avaliação do stresse hídrico em videiras submetidas a diferentes regimes hídricos

Nas regiões de clima mediterrânico onde as videiras são plantadas sem rega, verificam-se com frequência no Verão situações de elevado stresse hídrico para a planta. Estas surgem como consequência das baixas reservas hídricas do solo, devido às baixas precipitações estivais, elevada temperatura e elevado défice de pressão de vapor. A aplicação de diferentes regimes de rega pode alterar substancialmente a fisiologia da videira afectando desta forma a produção e a composição da uva, sendo, por isso, necessária a sua avaliação. Este estudo, enquadrado num projecto mais amplo de estudo das relações hídricas da vinha, teve como objectivo avaliar, em condições de stresse hídrico acentuado, duas metodologias indicadoras do estado hídrico de videiras submetidas a diferentes regimes hídricos: o potencial hídrico foliar e a temperatura da canópia. Os resultados mostram que potencial hídrico foliar mostrou ser o método mais fiável para avaliar o estado hídrico na videira em condições de stresse hídrico severo evidenciando uma melhor correlação com os parâmetros fisiológicos. A temperatura do copado tende a aumentar com o incremento do stresse hídrico em consequência do encerramento estomático mostrando uma correlação significativa com o potencial hídrico foliar mas correlações não significativas com os parâmetros fisiológicos.In regions with a Mediterranean type of climate, where grapevine is a traditionally non-irrigated crop, the periods of marked plant water stress are very common. Water deficits occurs as a consequence of low soil water content that usually develops gradually during summer, owing to low precipitation, and is normally associated with high temperature and high vapor pressure deficits. Different irrigation regimes can bring about substantial alteration in grapevine physiology, affecting yield and grape composition and thus need to be properly assessed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the leaf water potential and canopy temperature as grapevine water status indicators. The results shows that leaf water potential is the best reliable indicator of grapevine water status under severe water stress conditions, showing a good correlation with other physiological parameters. Canopy temperature have a tendency to increase due to stomata close showing a high correlation with leaf water potential but low correlations with physiological parameters

Data-driven prescription patterns in patients under maintenance treatment for respiratory diseases from the Portuguese prescription database

We aimed to identify prescription patterns in respiratory patients using an unsupervised (data-driven) method, in a random sample of patients aged >14 years (n=8799), retrieved from the Portuguese Electronic Medical Prescription database. Respiratory patients were defined if >2 packs of maintenance treatment for respiratory diseases were prescribed in 2016. We analysed all the prescriptions (n=39810) for respiratory diseases and exacerbations by medication type. Two-step clustering was based on the presence of ICS, LABA, LTRA, LAMA, LABA, SABA, SAMA and on the speciality of prescriber.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The upper respiratory tract microbiota of healthy adults is affected by Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage, smoking habits, and contact with children.

BACKGROUND The microbiota of the upper respiratory tract is increasingly recognized as a gatekeeper of respiratory health. Despite this, the microbiota of healthy adults remains understudied. To address this gap, we investigated the composition of the nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal microbiota of healthy adults, focusing on the effect of Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage, smoking habits, and contact with children. RESULTS Differential abundance analysis indicated that the microbiota of the oropharynx was significantly different from that of the nasopharynx (P < 0.001) and highly discriminated by a balance between the classes Negativicutes and Bacilli (AUC of 0.979). Moreover, the oropharynx was associated with a more homogeneous microbiota across individuals, with just two vs. five clusters identified in the nasopharynx. We observed a shift in the nasopharyngeal microbiota of carriers vs. noncarriers with an increased relative abundance of Streptococcus, which summed up to 30% vs. 10% in noncarriers and was not mirrored in the oropharynx. The oropharyngeal microbiota of smokers had a lower diversity than the microbiota of nonsmokers, while no differences were observed in the nasopharyngeal microbiota. In particular, the microbiota of smokers, compared with nonsmokers, was enriched (on average 16-fold) in potential pathogenic taxa involved in periodontal diseases of the genera Bacillus and Burkholderia previously identified in metagenomic studies of cigarettes. The microbiota of adults with contact with children resembled the microbiota of children. Specifically, the nasopharyngeal microbiota of these adults had, on average, an eightfold increase in relative abundance in Streptococcus sp., Moraxella catarrhalis, and Haemophilus influenzae, pathobionts known to colonize the children's upper respiratory tract, and a fourfold decrease in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus lugdunensis. CONCLUSIONS Our study showed that, in adults, the presence of S. pneumoniae in the nasopharynx is associated with a shift in the microbiota and dominance of the Streptococcus genus. Furthermore, we observed that smoking habits are associated with an increase in bacterial genera commonly linked to periodontal diseases. Interestingly, our research also revealed that adults who have regular contact with children have a microbiota enriched in pathobionts frequently carried by children. These findings collectively contribute to a deeper understanding of how various factors influence the upper respiratory tract microbiota in adults. Video Abstract

Controle glicêmico em pacientes adultos com diabetes do tipo 1 em uma cidade brasileira: comparação entre abordagem multidisciplinar e endocrinológica de rotina

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the metabolic control of a cohort of adult type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients assisted in a public Diabetes Center (DC) that follows the rules of a national diabetes society. METHODS: We compared for one year the metabolic control and the characteristics of 175 T1DM patients attended by a multidisciplinary team in a DC (test group) with 30 patients assisted only by endocrinologists at a public endocrinology outpatient center (control group). RESULTS: The test group presented a larger proportion of well-controlled patients (p= 0.002). The proportions (test x control group) were as follows: 51.4% x 16.7% in the subgroup with A1C 8%. Patients assisted in the DC presented a likelihood 4.38 times higher of reaching levels of A1C up to 7%. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the effectiveness of a DC and emphasizes the importance of education, adherence and multidisciplinarity as cornerstones for the treatment, showing that in developing countries it is possible to treat T1DM with satisfactory results.OBJETIVO: Avaliar o controle metabólico de uma coorte de pacientes adultos com diabetes do tipo 1 (DM1) atendidos em um Centro de Diabetes (CD) que segue as normas da Sociedade Brasileira de Diabetes. MÉTODOS: Foram comparados o controle glicêmico e as características de 175 pacientes com DM1 atendidos por uma equipe multidisciplinar em um CD (grupo teste) com 30 pacientes assistidos em um ambulatório de endocrinologia geral (grupo controle) durante um ano. RESULTADOS: O grupo teste apresentou uma maior proporção de pacientes bem controlados (p= 0,002). As proporções (grupo teste x grupo controle) foram: 51,4% x 16,7% no subgrupo com A1C 8%. Os pacientes atendidos no CD apresentaram probabilidade 4,38 vezes maior de atingir níveis de A1C até 7%. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo mostra a efetividade do CD e enfatiza a importância da educação, aderência e da multidisciplinaridade como pedras angulares do tratamento, mostrando ser possível tratar o DM1 nos países em desenvolvimento com resultados satisfatórios.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora Departamento de FisiologiaUNIFESPSciEL

Molecular and morphological data reveal three new cryptic species of \u3cem\u3eChiasmocleis\u3c/em\u3e (Mehely 1904) (Anura, Microhylidae) endemic to the Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Three new cryptic species of Chiasmocleis from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil are described. Two of these species occur in the northeastern states of Sergipe and Bahia, whereas the third species is found in the southeastern state of São Paulo. The new species can be distinguished from other congeneric species by the molecular data, as evidenced in the phylogeny, and by a combination of morphological characters including: size, foot webbing, dermal spines, and coloration patterns. Chiasmocleis species differ in osteological traits, therefore we also provide an osteological description of each new species and comparisons with data reported for other species in the genus

Acetonitrile adducts of tranexamic acid as sensitive ions for quantification at residue levels in human plasma by UHPLC-MS/MS

The quantitative analysis of pharmaceuticals in biomatrices by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) is often hampered by adduct formation. The use of the molecular ion resulting from solvent adducts for quantification is uncommon, even if formed in high abundance. In this work, we propose the use of a protonated acetonitrile adduct for the quantitative analysis of tranexamic acid (TXA) by LC-MS/MS. The high abundance of the protonated acetonitrile adduct [M + ACN + H]+ was found to be independent of source-dependent parameters and mobile phase composition. The results obtained for TXA analysis in clinical samples were comparable for both [M + ACN + H]+ and [M + H]+ , and no statistically significant differences were observed. The relative stability and structure of the [M + ACN + H]+ ions were also studied by analyzing probable structures from an energetic point of view and by quantum chemical calculations. These findings, and the studied fragmentation pathways, allowed the definition of an acetimidium structure as the best ion to describe the observed acetonitrile protonated adduct of TXA.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Um estudo de coorte dinâmico prospetivo

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Sociedade Portuguesa de Alergologia e Imunologia Clínica.Background: Since the last Portuguese National Asthma Survey (2010), important developments on the knowledge of asthma, its classification, and therapeutic options have occurred. Also, the evolution of information and communication technologies promotes the use of new data collection methodologies and the existence of digital tools simplifies longitudinal data collection, namely by the establishment of an online panel of participants. Objectives: The main objective of this project is the establishment of a national panel of patients with asthma for the surveillance of variations on disease control in the next 10 years (2020-2030). With that purpose, we aim to develop and implement an online platform for the collection of data related to asthma in Portugal and to carry out an initial study to estimate the variation, between 2010 and 2021, of the proportion of patients with uncontrolled asthma in Portugal. Methods: This is an ongoing observational study based on the establishment of an open cohort of patients with asthma, using an online platform that will include an initial questionnaire and, in a second step, complementary questions for further characterization. The study population consists of adolescents (>14 years old) and adults with current asthma (previous diagnosis of asthma, or two or more positive answers to validated screening questionnaire, or who are currently taking asthma medication), living in Portugal. Asthma control will be based on the Control of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Test (CARAT) and defined by a total score > 24 or the lower airways score ≥ 16. Expected results: With this project, an open cohort of patients with asthma will be obtained through an online questionnaire. Also, the implementation of an online platform for an ongoing collection of data on asthma will gather up-to-date and robust information based on ‘real world’ data, collected using an easy-to-use, high-reach methodology. The data obtained in the initial study will improve the knowledge of the determinants of disease management and its impact on the use of health resources. Conclusion: The estab-lishment of an online panel of patients with asthma that, together with an online tool to support observational studies have the poten-tial to generate knowledge on the evolution of asthma management at the national level. This project will therefore contribute to inform health policies and improve the clinical outcomes of patients with asthma in Portugal.publishersversionpublishe

Study of sol-gel derived di-ureasils doped with zinc triflate

Prova tipográfica (In Press)A publicar em "Solid States Sciences".Zinc triflate (Zn(CF3SO3)2)-doped sol-gel derived di-urea cross-linked POE/siloxane ormolytes (designated as di-ureasils) with ∞ > n ≥ 1 (where the salt content is expressed as n, the molar ratio of oxyethylene moieties to Zn2+ ions) were investigated. The hybrids with n ≥ 5 are entirely amorphous; those with n > 10 are thermally stable up to approximately 305 ºC. The siliceous network of representative samples (n = 200 and 10) is essentially composed of (SiO)3Si(CH2)- environments and is thus highly branched. The distance between the structural units in samples with 200 ≥ n ≥ 10 and n ≤ 7 is 4.2 and 4.3 Å, respectively. The estimated interdomain distance is 11 and 13 Å for xerogels with 200 ≥ n ≥ 20 and n ≤ 10, respectively. At n = 1 a crystalline POE/Zn(CF3SO3)2 complex of unknown stoichiometry is formed. The conductivity maxima are located at n = 60 (3x10-6 S cm-1) and n = 20 (7x10-5 S cm-1) at 30 and 100 ºC, respectively.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia - POCTI/P/CTM/46780/03; SFRH/BD/13559/03