A model of quality service management for information systems

Tese de mestrado. Mestrado em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores (Área de especialização Tecnologias da Informação para Gestão Empresarial). Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 200

Adapting the Scar-in-a-Jar to Skin Fibrosis and Screening Traditional and Contemporary Anti-Fibrotic Therapies

Skin fibrosis still constitutes an unmet clinical need. Although pharmacological strategies are at the forefront of scientific and technological research and innovation, their clinical translation is hindered by the poor predictive capacity of the currently available in vitro fibrosis models. Indeed, customarily utilised in vitro scarring models are conducted in a low extracellular matrix milieu, which constitutes an oxymoron for the in-hand pathophysiology. Herein, we coupled macromolecular crowding (enhances and accelerates extracellular matrix deposition) with transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1; induces trans-differentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts) in human dermal fibroblast cultures to develop a skin fibrosis in vitro model and to screen a range of anti-fibrotic families (corticosteroids, inhibitors of histone deacetylases, inhibitors of collagen crosslinking, inhibitors of TGF beta 1 and pleiotropic inhibitors of fibrotic activation). Data obtained demonstrated that macromolecular crowding combined with TGF beta 1 significantly enhanced collagen deposition and myofibroblast transformation. Among the anti-fibrotic compounds assessed, trichostatin A (inhibitors of histone deacetylases); serelaxin and pirfenidone (pleiotropic inhibitors of fibrotic activation); and soluble TGF beta receptor trap (inhibitor of TGF beta signalling) resulted in the highest decrease of collagen type I deposition (even higher than triamcinolone acetonide, the gold standard in clinical practice). This study further advocates the potential of macromolecular crowding in the development of in vitro pathophysiology models.Peer reviewe

Vaginal microbiota of nulliparous and multiparous cows and their resistance to antimicrobials

Infertility and prenatal mortality are the most important causes of production losses in domestic animals. The presence of pathogenic agents in the female reproductive system of cattle can negatively influence the reproductive performance of the herd. The objective of this study was to isolate, quantify, and characterize the components of the vaginal microbiota of multiparous and nulliparous mongrel cows, focusing on proper health and reproductive management. Samples were collected from 20 healthy animals: 10 nulliparous and 10 multiparous cows. The inoculation was performed simultaneously on four different culture media: BBL CHROM agar Candida, BBL Bile Esculin Agar Slants, Baird-Parker Agar, and MacConkey Agar bile salts. The isolated microorganisms were identified according to morphological and biochemical features. Microorganisms were detected in 80% of the nulliparous and 10% of the multiparous cows, with the following frequency: 88.78% of bacteria had morphophysiological characteristics of Staphylococcus spp., 11.22% of Escherichia coli, and 120 isolated yeast colonies which were identified as Candida tropicalis (69%), C. albicans (24%), and C. krusei. Seventeen isolates of Staphylococcus spp. (53.12%) presented sensitivity to all antimicrobials tested: 65.6% to amoxillin, 46.9% to erythromycin, 71.8% to rifampicin, and 46.9% to tetracycline. The rate of resistance to antimicrobials (MDR) was 0.125. The presence of typical microorganisms was detected. The MDR indicated that the isolates did not show multiresistance, with only two (6.25%) resistant to more than one antimicrobial simultaneously. The bacterial isolates studied were sensitive to the antimicrobial drugs tested, demonstrating the potential for use of these active ingredients

Prospecção química e atividade antagônica in vitro do endófito Phomopsis sp. contra fungos fitopatogênicos

Há muito tempo, os micro-organismos vêm sendo uma promissora fonte de recursos biotecnológicos com aplicações na agropecuária, como para o controle de fitopatógenos. Desta forma, vários estudos têm sido conduzidos com o intuito de se descobrir micro-organismos, como fungos, com potenciais aplicações na agricultura. Diante disto, objetivou-se por meio deste estudo a prospecção química e atividade antagônica in vitro do fungo endófito Phomopsis sp. contra fungos fitopatogênicos. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos. No primeiro experimento, foram conduzidos ensaios de prospecção química do micélio do fungo supracitado, onde foi avaliada a biomassa micelial, seu crescimento em cinco meios de cultura: Batata Dextrose Agar (BDA), Batata Sacarose Agar (BSA), Cenoura Agar (CA), Czapek (CZA) e Triptona Soja Agar (TSA), e incidência de luz e Ressonância Magnética Nuclear (RMN) dos cristais de carbono obtidos nos extratos miceliais. O segundo experimento compreendeu ao teste de pareamento e formação de halo de inibição contra três fungos fitopatógenos (Rhizoctonia sp., Pestalotiopsis sp. e Colletotrichum sp.), onde foram inoculados em placas contendo meio BDA e avaliados após cinco dias de incubação, onde se verificou a presença de halo de inibição. Por meio da prospecção química foi verificado que o fungo endófito Phomopsis sp. possui melhor crescimento em meio BDA sob luz contínua e presença de ergosterol em suas membranas. O isolado também foi capaz de produzir halo de inibição contra os fitopatógenos testados

Aves aquáticas como sentinelas de poluição por microplásticos e aditivos de plásticso em sistemas costeiros no Sul de Portugal

Dissertação de Mestrado em Ecologia apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e TecnologiaOs plásticos são uma parte indispensável do nosso quotidiano. Dos sacos de plástico aos teclados, os plásticos estão presentes em quase todos os objetos do nosso dia a dia. Quando presentes no ambiente, os plásticos podem, ao longo do tempo, começar a degradar-se em inúmeros pedaços levando a uma redução gradual do seu tamanho e eventualmente originando microplásticos. Estas partículas de plástico medem entre 1 e 5mm e podem atualmente ser encontradas em quase todos os ambientes e meios. A maioria dos microplásticos carrega aditivos não quimicamente ligados. Estas substâncias químicas são utilizadas para conferir certas características aos plásticos. Os éteres difenílicos polibromados (PBDE) são uma classe de aditivos usados como retardantes de chamas, atualmente regulamentados na União Europeia, e que, quando presentes a certas concentrações têm implicações deletérias na saúde dos indivíduos expostos. Devido à sua prevalência e persistência no ambiente, ambos os contaminantes podem potencialmente ser ingeridos por diferentes organismos. Sabe-se que as aves aquáticas (aves costeiras, limícolas e oceânicas) estão expostas a este tipo de poluição de uma forma direta e/ou indiretamente. A zona sul de Portugal não é exceção à problemática da poluição por plásticos e aditivos, no entanto, as atuais lacunas de conhecimento não nos permitem responder à maioria dos desafios de monitorização impostos por este tipo de poluição. Assim, para colmatar algumas destas lacunas foi realizada pela primeira vez uma análise descritiva dos (micro)plásticos encontrados em fezes e regurgitos, de 6 espécies de aves aquáticas amostradas na Ria Formosa (Algarve) (Gaivota-de-patas-amarelas (Larus michahellis); Pernilongo (Himantopus himantopus); Alfaiate (Recurviostra avossetta); Borrelho-de-coleira-interrompida (Charadrius hiaticula); Chilreta (Sternula abifrons); Gaivota de Audouin (Ichthyaetus audouinii)). Adicionalmente, foi ainda descrito as concentrações de aditivos (PBDE 28,47, 99, 153, 154, 183) encontrados nos seus ovos. O objetivo geral passou por obter uma visão geral da contaminação por (micro)plásticos e aditivos destas espécies, em ambientes costeiros e estuarinos, de modo a auxiliar no futuro o estabelecimento de uma(s) destas 6 espécies como monitor de poluição na Ria Formosa. No total, 647 plásticos foram encontrados (307 em amostras de fezes e 336 em regurgitos). A maioria eram fibras e fragmentos, e tinham o tamanho de microplásticos. Uma grande porção eram de cor azul, transparente, vermelho e castanho. Devido a limitações de tempo, não foi possível realizar análises dos polímeros usando µ-FTIR. Nenhuma correlação foi encontrada entre o número de plásticos nas amostras de fezes e os aditivos assimilados nos ovos. Porém, todos os PBDE que foram alvo do estudo foram encontrados em concentrações e proporções similares nos ovos das espécies alvo, indicando a sua presença e persistência em ambientes estuarinos e costeiros, tal como, em diferentes predadores de topo. Um gradiente decrescente de contaminação por (micro)plásticos nas fezes das espécies ao longo de um gradiente estuário-mar não pôde ser totalmente confirmado. No entanto, o facto de as frequências de ocorrência e quantidades gerais de plásticos ao longo do gradiente serem decrescentes, faz com que este gradiente não possa ser totalmente descartado. Ao comparar as fezes de espécies que foragiam zonas mais interiores dos estuários com espécies que exploram zonas mais costeiras, é notável uma tendência decrescente. Similarmente, ao comparar-se os regurgitos de uma espécie costeira com uma com hábitos tendencialmente pelágicos, demonstrou-se os mesmos resultados. As (inesperadas) elevadas quantidades de plásticos encontradas em algumas das espécies revelam, que tal como os aditivos, estes encontram-se já disseminados em vários ambientes. A avaliação do consumo de plástico de cada espécie e as suas características intrínsecas, permitiu-nos dar um primeiro passo para identificar possíveis espécies que podem, no futuro, ser consideradas espécies sentinelas para a avaliar algumas das ainda desconhecidas tendências espácio-temporais da poluição por (micro)plásticos e os seus aditivos em ambientes costeiros e estuarinos.Plastics are an indispensable part of our everyday lives. From plastic bags to keyboards, plastics can be found in almost all everyday items. When discarded plastics reach the environment, they progressively degrade into smaller pieces over time, eventually originating microplastics. These particles measure between 1mm and 5mm and can now be found in almost every environment. Most microplastics carry their non-chemically bound additive, a chemical substance used to enhance certain characteristics of the plastic. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are a class of additives used as fire retardants, currently regulated by the European Union. PBDEs at certain thresholds have been reported to have deleterious health implications in the exposed individuals. Due to their prevalence in the environment, microplastics and their additives are ingested by a multitude of organisms. Waterbirds (shore/coastal birds and seabirds) are known to be exposed to this type of pollution either directly or indirectly. The southern part of Portugal is no exception to plastic and additive pollution. However, current knowledge gaps do not allow us to answer most of the monitoring and pollution assessment challenges posed by both types of contamination. Thus, to bridge some of these knowledge gaps a first descriptive analysis of plastics found in the faeces and regurgitates, and the additive concentrations (PBDE 28,47, 99, 153, 154, 183) found in the eggs of 6 waterbird species sampled in Ria Formosa (Algarve), was performed: Yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis); Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus); Pied avocet (Recurviostra avossetta); Kentish plover (Charadrius hiaticula); Little tern (Sternula abifrons); Audouin's gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii). The overall goal was to establish a gradient of microplastic and additive contamination across these species, in order to obtain an overall view of contamination in these coastal systems and to further help decide which of the 6 species can better suit the role of a sentinel in the future. Overall, 647 (micro)plastics were found (307 in the faeces and 336 in regurgitates). The majority were microplastics, mainly fibres and fragments. A large proportion were blue, transparent, red and brown. Analysis of the polymers resorting to µ-FTIR was not a possibility due to time constraints. No correlation was found between the amount of (micro)plastics found in the faecal samples and the additives assimilated in the eggs. However, all target PBDEs were prevalent in the eggs and in similar concentrations and proportions across species, indicating that their presence is now ubiquitous in estuarine and coastal environments and widespread in different species of top predators. Furthermore, a decreasing gradient of (micro)plastic contamination along an estuarine-sea gradient could not be confirmed. Yet, the declining frequencies of occurrence and quantity of overall plastics found suggests that, with current data, we cannot exclude the existence of such gradient. Comparing species that foraged more inland and those that foraged in transition zones, or nearer to the shore, has shown that there is indeed a downwards trend. Likewise, comparing the regurgitates of a coastal species with those that tend to have pelagic habits has revealed similar results. The (unexpected) high amount of plastics found in some of the species revealed that, similar to the additives, plastic pollution is now widespread, suggesting a growing pervasiveness. Evaluating plastic contamination and considering intrinsic characteristics of the different species allowed us to take a first step towards the identification of possible species that, in the future, can be used as efficient sentinel species to assess, some of the still unknown, spatial and temporal trends of (micro)plastic and additive pollution in coastal and estuarine environments

Wound healing and scar wars

Wound healing and scarring are highly conserved physiological responses to wounding in most tissues in higher organisms, consisting of a sequence of well-characterised stages (coagulation, inflammation, proliferation and remodelling [[1], [2], [3]]), with the aim to repair interrupted tissue structures and to restore tissue function [4]. However, this sequence can come to a halt before completion resulting in undesired outcomes, ranging from the formation of a large local scar to organ-encompassing fibrosis. Whilst the former causes cosmetic annoyance, the latter might lead to grave functional impairment or to chronic non-healing wounds.The authors would like to acknowledge for financial support the: Science Foundation Ireland, Career Development Award (Grant Agreement Number: 15/CDA/3629); Science Foundation Ireland / European Regional Development Fund (Grant Agreement Number: 13/RC/2073); H2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Innovative Training Networks 2015 Tendon Therapy Train project (Grant Agreement Number: 676338). The authors would also like to thank Mr Maciek Doczyk for designing Figure 1.2019-06-1

Wound healing and scar wars

Wound healing and scarring are highly conserved physiological responses to wounding in most tissues in higher organisms, consisting of a sequence of well-characterised stages (coagulation, inflammation, proliferation and remodelling [[1], [2], [3]]), with the aim to repair interrupted tissue structures and to restore tissue function [4]. However, this sequence can come to a halt before completion resulting in undesired outcomes, ranging from the formation of a large local scar to organ-encompassing fibrosis. Whilst the former causes cosmetic annoyance, the latter might lead to grave functional impairment or to chronic non-healing wounds.The authors would like to acknowledge for financial support the: Science Foundation Ireland, Career Development Award (Grant Agreement Number: 15/CDA/3629); Science Foundation Ireland / European Regional Development Fund (Grant Agreement Number: 13/RC/2073); H2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Innovative Training Networks 2015 Tendon Therapy Train project (Grant Agreement Number: 676338). The authors would also like to thank Mr Maciek Doczyk for designing Figure 1.peer-reviewed2019-06-1