The role of endosomal cholesterol trafficking protein, StAR-related lipid transfer domain 3 (StarD3/MLN64) in BRIN-BD11 insulinoma cells

No abstract available

Avaliação da dislexia em Portugal: a prática clínica

Nas sociedades modernas a leitura e a escrita adquiriram um papel de extrema relevância. Por não ser algo natural e inerente ao desenvolvimento do ser humano, alguns indivíduos apresentam dificuldades na aquisição das competências de leitura. A perturbação conhecida como dislexia carateriza-se por dificuldades na identificação exata e/ou fluente de palavras escritas (Lyon, Shaywitz, & Shaywitz, 2003) com repercussões na compreensão. A par destas dificuldades, podem surgir dificuldades ortográficas bem como dificuldades ao nível da consciência fonológica (Ramus et al., 2003), da velocidade de processamento (Pennington & Bishop, 2009), da nomeação rápida de palavras (Araújo, Pacheco, Faísca, Petersson, & Reis, 2010), das funções executivas (Cutting, Materek, Cole, Levine, & Mahone, 2009) e da memória de trabalho (Moura, Simões & Pereira, 2015), afetando, muitas vezes, o rendimento escolar dos indivíduos (Associação Psiquiátrica Americana, 2013). Apesar de manuais como o DSM-5 fornecerem critérios de diagnóstico para a dislexia eles não são descriminam todos os domínios cognitivos que devem ser contemplados na sua avaliação. Para além disso, parece existir, em Portugal, uma lacuna de provas para a avaliação das diferentes capacidades implicadas na competência de leitura (Sim-Sim & Viana, 2007). O presente estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar as práticas adotadas pelos profissionais nas suas avaliações da dislexia, fazendo um levantamento dos domínios cognitivos e das medidas de aquisição de literacia que habitualmente privilegiam, bem como dos instrumentos a que recorrem para o efeito. Numa amostra de quinze profissionais, verificou-se que, no geral, se realiza uma avaliação abrangente e diversificada dos diferentes domínios cognitivos implicados na dislexia e das medidas relacionadas com a aquisição de competências de literacia. Apesar de afirmarem avaliar algumas das variáveis de modo informal, a maioria utiliza provas aferidas para a população portuguesa

Papel da argonauta-2 no secretoma microglial

Stroke is the leading cause of death in Portugal, continuing to be associated with high rates of morbidity and potential years of life lost among cardiovascular diseases. Worldwide, it is estimated that every second a person suffers from this pathology. Stroke is caused by a blockage of the cerebral blood supply (ischaemic stroke) or rupture of a blood vessel (haemorrhagic stroke) resulting in death or dysfunction of brain cells due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. After this lesion, local inflammation occurs with activation of cell brains, microglial cells, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, and leukocyte recruitment. All these cells produce a variety of mediators that can, on the one hand, exacerbate tissue deterioration and, on the other, stimulate tissue repair. The neuroinflammation observed in ischaemia is modulated by microRNA, small RNA responsible for post-transcriptional gene regulation, through the cleavage of a target messenger RNA or the repression of its translation. In this process Argonaute-2, a vital component of the RNA-induced silencing complex with catalytic activity, binds with microRNA and identifies the target messenger RNA, resulting in gene silencing. Based on the above, the goal of this project was to determine the role of Argonaute-2 in the microglial secretome by measuring its expression in microglia cells and evaluating its impact on the inflammatory response in an experimental model of ischaemia. We used primary microglial cultures from mice, in which we measured the expression levels of Argonaute-2 in cells exposed to a period of oxygen and glucose deprivation and lipopolysaccharide. An increase in protein levels and its effective silencing was observed after oxygen and glucose deprivation and inflammatory stimulus, compared to the control. We then quantified the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, and nitric oxide) in cells with silencing of the protein in an inflammatory context and we detected that all molecules decreased, although not all of them in a significant way. Thus, the results suggest an essential role of Argonaute-2 in the underlying processes responsible for the modulation of inflammatory and ischaemic response. However, more research is needed in this area, as Argonaute-2 may be a new target for potential therapeutic approaches.O acidente cerebral vascular (AVC) é a principal causa de morte em Portugal, continuando a estar associado a elevadas taxas de morbilidade e potenciais anos de vida perdidos dentro das doenças cardiovasculares. No Mundo, estima-se que a cada segundo uma pessoa sofra desta patologia. O AVC ocorre devido a um bloqueio no suprimento sanguíneo cerebral (AVC isquémico) ou rompimento de um vaso sanguíneo (AVC hemorrágico) que resulta na morte ou disfunção das células cerebrais pela ausência de oxigénio e nutrientes. Esta lesão culmina em inflamação local com ativação de células cerebrais, a microglia, astrócitos e oligodendrócitos e recrutamento de leucócitos periféricos. Estas células produzem uma variedade de mediadores que podem, por um lado, exacerbar a degradação tecidular e, por outro, estimular a reparação. A neuroinflamação observada na isquémia é modulada por microRNA, pequenos RNA responsáveis pela regulação génica pós-transcricional através da clivagem de um RNA mensageiro-alvo ou da repressão da sua tradução. Neste processo, a Argonauta-2, uma proteína componente-chave do complexo de silenciamento induzido por RNA com atividade catalítica, liga-se ao microRNA e identifica o RNA mensageiro-alvo resultando no silenciamento de genes. Neste sentido, o objetivo deste projeto foi determinar o papel da Argonauta-2 no secretoma microglial através da aferição da sua expressão em células de microglia e avaliação do seu impacto na resposta inflamatória num modelo experimental de isquemia. Utilizámos culturas primárias de microglia de murganhos, onde medimos os níveis de expressão da Argonauta-2 em células expostas a um período de privação de oxigénio e glucose e a lipopolissacarídeo, tido como o controlo positivo. Nesta fase, verificou-se um aumento da proteína e um eficaz silenciamento da mesma após privação de oxigénio e glucose e estímulo inflamatório, em comparação com o controlo. Em seguida, quantificámos a expressão de mediadores pro-inflamatórios (fator de necrose tumoral alfa, interleucina-6 e oxido nítrico) em células com silenciamento da proteína num contexto inflamatório, tendo-se observado uma diminuição de todas estas moléculas, embora nem todas de uma forma significativa. Os resultados obtidos sugerem um papel importante da Argonauta-2 nos processos subjacentes responsáveis pela modulação da resposta inflamatória e isquémica. No entanto, será necessária mais investigação nesta área pois, a Argonauta-2 pode tornarse num novo alvo de estudo para potenciais abordagens terapêuticas

Streaming Engagement: How sense of community generates customer engagement?

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Marketing IntelligenceIn our generation, the feeling of belonging is a feeling we encounter every day because we always achieve to be part of something that everyone does. More and more, this feeling is rising in our generation, and the main reason is the rapid spread of information through social media and the power that social influence has gained. Social media plays an important role in connecting everyone around the world. However, this influence is affecting customers' behaviors, in a way never expected from brands, so their focus has to change because people learn more about things from other people. Nowadays, the target is the communities that will lead and expose others their way, changing the behavior, and recommending things. To reach this scope, this study aims to investigate how the sense of community generates customer engagement. More specifically, how the feeling of belonging in society or in a group can increase and create customer engagement on streaming platforms, and what is the cause of this influence on people

Effect of different conditions of growth and storage on the cell counts of two lactic acid bacteria after spray drying in orange juice

Consumers increasingly require innovative food products with health benefits. Thus, a dried orange juice incorporating probiotics could be a novel challenge. In this context, we investigated whether different sugars added to the culture media used for growth of two lactic acid bacteria contributed to their protection during spray drying in orange juice and subsequent storage under different conditions of temperature, light exposure and water activity. Cell viability during passage through simulated gastro-intestinal conditions was also investigated. Cells grown in culture medium containing fructose resulted in the worst survival rates during storage. High survival was observed for cells grown in the presence of lactose, followed by glucose. The survival of dried bacteria was enhanced at 4 C, water activity of 0.03 and absence of daylight. For cells grown in standard culture medium and after 12 months of storage at 4 C in orange juice powder (about 109 cfu/mL), there was a reduction of approximately 2 log-units for both lactic acid bacteria after gastro-intestinal tract passage simulation. Using the conditions of growth and storage investigated, it is possible to improve the survival rate of lactic acid bacteria and produce an orange juice powder with probiotic characteristics with shelf life of at least 12 months.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Public prosecutors, political parties, and NGOs are paving the way for vital climate change litigation in Brazil

Though the Bolsonaro government’s approach to land-use and the environment has intensified damage to Brazil’s crucial biological communities, a growing fightback is also laying the foundations for climate change litigation that could be vital for Brazil and the wider world, write Joana Setzer (Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, LSE), Caio Borges (Institute for Climate and Society), and Guilherme Leal (Graça Couto Advogados)

Fostering virtual teams: what companies could and should be doing

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economic

Domiciliary High-Flow Nasal Therapy in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

We report the case of an adolescent with severe primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) phenotype associated with a rare genotype. His clinical condition deteriorated, with daily cough and breathlessness, hypoxemia, and lung function decline. Despite being started on home noninvasive ventilation (NIV), the symptoms progressed to dyspnea at rest and thoracic pain. High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) was started during the daytime as an adjuvant to NIV, and he was started on regular oral opioids for pain and dyspnea control. There was a clear improvement in comfort and dyspnea and breathing work relief. Additionally, better exercise tolerance was also noted. He is currently on the lung transplant waiting list. We aim to emphasize the benefits of HFNC as an add-on therapy for the management of chronic breathlessness since our patient experienced an improvement in breathing and exercise tolerance. However, there is a paucity of studies regarding domiciliary HFNC, particularly in pediatric age. Therefore, further studies are needed to achieve optimal and personalized care. Close monitoring and frequent reassessment in a specialized center are key to adequate management.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Youth well-being in Brazil : an index for cross-regional comparisons

This study constructs three indices to measure how well Brazil's young people are surviving their transition to adulthood. Youth development is difficult to quantify because of the multi-dimensionality of youth behavior. Most monitoring use individual indicators in specific sectors, making it difficult to track overall progress. The study adapts to the Brazilian case a methodology developed by Duke University to measure the well-being of U.S. children and youth. It uses readily available data to construct three indices for each Brazilian state based on 36 indicators encompassing the health, behavior, school performance, institutional connectedness, and socioeconomic conditions. The indices conclude that young people in the states of Santa Catarina and the Federal District are doing particularly well and those in Alagoas and Pernambuco are the worst off. While these rankings are expected to continue into the next generation, young people in other states have a brighter (Espiritu Santo) or more dismal (Rio Grande de Sul, Tocatins) future due to underinvestment in today's children. Still others (Rio de Janeiro) are underutilizing their resources so their young citizens are in a worse situation than they could be if the state were to invest more. The hope is that the methodology can be used in Brazil as it has been used in the United States to estimate the indices annually, thus allowing policymakers, young people, and society to track the well-being of youth in each state over time.Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Adolescent Health,Youth and Governance,Population Policies,Children and Youth