The role of geology in a sustainable society: perceptions of university students

Geology has been at the service of an instrumental view of nature contributing to its exploitation, and helping providing the raw materials needed for economic development, frequently with high ecological impacts. However, Environmental Geology and Geoconservation are fields more concerned with environmental protection and its preservation. At the same time, Geology is responsible for a certain ambiguity of values, choosing the hammer as a symbol but focusing its action on the field, which helps to generate a sense of reverence for Earth. Based on these ideas, a questionnaire was applied to 36 master students who will teach Geology (20) or will exercise other professions related with it (16), in order to ascertain how respondents characterize the work of geologists related to nature, and see their opinion about the contribution of this science to a fairer and more sustainable society. The general results show that the students identify more with a less exploiting view of this science and prefer to highlight its role for a fairer and more sustainable society especially concerning a more sustainable exploitation of Earth resources and rising of awareness of geohazards. This can support the idea of paradigm changing in Geosciences, adding an element of caution to our actions instead of helping the mutilation of the planet.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Using the 7-point checklist as a diagnostic aid for pigmented skin lesions in general practice:a diagnostic validation study

BACKGROUND: GPs need to recognise significant pigmented skin lesions, given rising UK incidence rates for malignant melanoma. The 7-point checklist (7PCL) has been recommended by NICE (2005) for routine use in UK general practice to identify clinically significant lesions which require urgent referral. AIM: To validate the Original and Weighted versions of the 7PCL in the primary care setting. DESIGN AND SETTING: Diagnostic validation study, using data from a SIAscopic diagnostic aid randomised controlled trial in eastern England. METHOD: Adults presenting in general practice with a pigmented skin lesion that could not be immediately diagnosed as benign were recruited into the trial. Reference standard diagnoses were histology or dermatology expert opinion; 7PCL scores were calculated blinded to the reference diagnosis. A case was defined as a clinically significant lesion for primary care referral to secondary care (total 1436 lesions: 225 cases, 1211 controls); or melanoma (36). RESULTS: For diagnosing clinically significant lesions there was a difference between the performance of the Original and Weighted 7PCLs (respectively, area under curve: 0.66, 0.69, difference = 0.03, P<0.001). For the identification of melanoma, similar differences were found. Increasing the Weighted 7PCL’s cut-off score from recommended 3 to 4 improved detection of clinically significant lesions in primary care: sensitivity 73.3%, specificity 57.1%, positive predictive value 24.1%, negative predictive value 92.0%, while maintaining high sensitivity of 91.7% and moderate specificity of 53.4% for melanoma. CONCLUSION: The Original and Weighted 7PCLs both performed well in a primary care setting to identify clinically significant lesions as well as melanoma. The Weighted 7PCL, with a revised cut-off score of 4 from 3, performs slightly better and could be applied in general practice to support the recognition of clinically significant lesions and therefore the early identification of melanoma

Non-canonical Wnt signaling regulates junctional mechanocoupling during angiogenic collective cell migration

© 2019, Carvalho et al. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.Morphogenesis of hierarchical vascular networks depends on the integration of multiple biomechanical signals by endothelial cells, the cells lining the interior of blood vessels. Expansion of vascular networks arises through sprouting angiogenesis, a process involving extensive cell rearrangements and collective cell migration. Yet, the mechanisms controlling angiogenic collective behavior remain poorly understood. Here, we show this collective cell behavior is regulated by non-canonical Wnt signaling. We identify that Wnt5a specifically activates Cdc42 at cell junctions downstream of ROR2 to reinforce coupling between adherens junctions and the actin cytoskeleton. We show that Wnt5a signaling stabilizes vinculin binding to alpha-catenin, and abrogation of vinculin in vivo and in vitro leads to uncoordinated polarity and deficient sprouting angiogenesis in Mus musculus. Our findings highlight how non-canonical Wnt signaling coordinates collective cell behavior during vascular morphogenesis by fine-tuning junctional mechanocoupling between endothelial cells.Research was supported by European Research Council starting grant (679368), the H2020-Twinning grant (692322), the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia funding (grants: IF/00412/2012; EXPL-BEX-BCM-2258–2013; PRECISE-LISBOA-01–0145-FEDER-016394; UID/BIM/50005/2019, a project funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)/ Ministério da Ciência,Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (MCTES) through Fundos do Orçamento de Estado; and a grant from the Fondation Leducq (17CVD03); and personal fellowships: BD/52224/2013​​ to JRC, BD/105856/2014 to PB, and BD/128375/2017 to CF) and LISBOA-01–0145-FEDER-007391, project cofunded by FEDER, through POR Lisboa 2020 - Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa, PORTUGAL 2020, and Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Are people with negative diabetes screening tests falsely reassured? Parallel group cohort study embedded in the ADDITION (Cambridge) randomised controlled trial

Objective To assess whether receiving a negative test result at primary care based stepwise diabetes screening results in false reassurance

Impact of an informed choice invitation on uptake of screening for diabetes in primary care (DICISION): randomised trial

Objective To compare the effect of an invitation promoting informed choice for screening with a standard invitation on attendance and motivation to engage in preventive action

Assessment of Constructed Wetlands’ Potential for the Removal of Cyanobacteria and Microcystins (MC-LR)

Microcystis blooms and the subsequent release of hepatotoxic microcystins (MCs) pose a serious threat to the safety of water for human and livestock consumption, agriculture irrigation, and aquaculture worldwide. Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), the most toxic variant of MCs, has been widely detected in a variety of environments such as water, sediments, plants, and many aquatic organisms.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

New di(hetero)arylethers and di(hetero)arylamines in the thieno[3,2-b]pyridine series: Synthesis, growth inhibitory activity on human tumor cell lines and non-tumor cells, effects on cell cycle and on programmed cell death

New fluorinated and methoxylated di(hetero)arylethers and di(hetero)arylamines were prepared functionalizing the 7-position of the thieno[3,2-blpyridine, using copper (C-O) or palladium (C N) catalyzed couplings, respectively, of the 7-bromothieno[3,2-blpyridine, also prepared, with ortho, meta and para fluoro or methoxy phenols and anilines. The compounds obtained were evaluated for their growth inhibitory activity on the human tumor cell lines MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung cancer), HCI15 (colon carcinoma), HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) and HeLa (cervical carcinoma). The most active compounds, a di(hetero)arylether with a methoxy group in the meta position relative to the ether function and two di(hetero)arylamines with a methoxy group either in the ortho or in the meta position relative to the NH, were further tested at their GI(50) concentrations on NCI-H460 cells causing pronounced alterations in the cell cycle profile and a strong and significant increase in the programmed death of these cells. The fluorinated and the other methoxylated compounds did not show important activity, presenting high GI(50) values in all the cell lines tested. Furthermore, the hepatotoxicity of the compounds was assessed using porcine liver primary cells (PLP2), established by some of us. Results showed that one of the most active compounds was not toxic to the non-tumor cells at their GI(50) concentrations showing to be the most promising as antitumoral.The authors would like to thank to the Foundation for the Science and Technology (PCT Portugal) for financial support through the NMR Portuguese network (Bruker 400 Avance III-Univ Minho); to FCT and FEDER-COMPETE/QREN/EU for financial support through the research unities PEst-C/QUI/UI686/2011 and PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011, the research project PTDC/QUI-QUI/111060/2009 and the post-Doctoral grants attributed to R.C.C. (SFRH/BPD/68344/2010) and R.T.L. (SRH/BPD/68787/2010). IPATIMUP is an Associate Laboratory of the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education and is partially supported by FCT

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a very brief physical activity intervention delivered in NHS Health Checks (VBI Trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity interventions that are targeted at individuals can be effective in encouraging people to be more physically active. However, most such interventions are too long or complex and not scalable to the general population. This trial will test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a very brief physical activity intervention when delivered as part of preventative health checks in primary care (National Health Service (NHS) Health Check). METHODS/DESIGN: The Very Brief Intervention (VBI) Trial is a two parallel-group, randomised, controlled trial with 1:1 individual allocation and follow-up at 3 months. A total of 1,140 participants will be recruited from 23 primary care practices in the east of England. Participants eligible for an NHS Health Check and who are considered suitable to take part by their doctor and able to provide written informed consent are eligible for the trial. Participants are randomly assigned at the beginning of the NHS Health Check to either 1) the control arm, in which they receive only the NHS Health Check, or 2) the intervention arm, in which they receive the NHS Health Check plus 'Step It Up' (a very brief intervention that can be delivered in 5 minutes by nurses and/or healthcare assistants at the end of the Health Check). 'Step It Up' includes (1) a face-to-face discussion, including feedback on current activity level, recommendations for physical activity, and information on how to use a pedometer, set step goals, and monitor progress; (2) written material supporting the discussion and tips and links to further resources to help increase physical activity; and (3) a pedometer to wear and a step chart for monitoring progress. The primary outcome is accelerometer counts per minute at 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes include the time spent in the different levels of physical activity, self-reported physical activity and economic measures. Trial recruitment is underway. DISCUSSION: The VBI trial will provide evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Step It Up intervention delivered during NHS Health Checks and will inform policy decisions about introducing very brief interventions into routine primary care practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN72691150 . Registered on 17 July 2014

A Rapidly Incremented Tethered-Swimming Maximal Protocol for Cardiorespiratory Assessment of Swimmers

Incremental exercise testing is the standard means of assessing cardiorespiratory capacity of endurance athletes. While the maximal rate of oxygen consumption is typically used as the criterion measurement in this regard, two metabolic breakpoints that reflect changes in the dynamics of lactate production/consumption as the work rate is increased are perhaps more relevant for endurance athletes from a functional standpoint. Exercise economy, which represents the rate of oxygen consumption relative to performance of submaximal work, is also an important parameter to measure for endurance-athlete assessment. Ramp incremental tests comprising a gradual but rapid increase in work rate until the limit of exercise tolerance is reached are useful for determining these parameters. This type of test is typically performed on a cycle ergometer or treadmill because there is a need for precision with respect to work-rate incrementation. However, athletes should be tested while performing the mode of exercise required for their sport. Consequently, swimmers are typically assessed during free-swimming incremental tests where such precision is difficult to achieve. We have recently suggested that stationary swimming against a load that is progressively increased (incremental tethered swimming) can serve as a "swim ergometer" by allowing sufficient precision to accommodate a gradual but rapid loading pattern that reveals the aforementioned metabolic breakpoints and exercise economy. However, the degree to which the peak rate of oxygen consumption achieved during such a protocol approximates the maximal rate that is measured during free swimming remains to be determined. In the present article, we explain how this rapidly incremented tethered-swimming protocol can be employed to assess the cardiorespiratory capacity of a swimmer. Specifically, we explain how assessment of a short-distance competitive swimmer using this protocol revealed that his rate of oxygen uptake was 30.3 and 34.8 mL∙min 1∙kg-1BM at his gas-exchange threshold and respiratory compensation point, respectively.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Seaweed essential oils as a new source of bioactive compounds for cyanobacteria growth control: Innovative ecological biocontrol approach

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The application of natural compounds extracted from seaweeds is a promising eco-friendly alternative solution for harmful algae control in aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the anti-cyanobacterial activity of three Moroccan marine macroalgae essential oils (EOs) was tested and evaluated on unicellular Microcystis aeruginosa cyanobacterium. Additionally, the possible anti-cyanobacterial response mechanisms were investigated by analyzing the antioxidant enzyme activities of M. aeruginosa cells. The results of EOs GC-MS analyses revealed a complex chemical composition, allowing the identification of 91 constituents. Palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid were the most predominant compounds in Cystoseira tamariscifolia, Sargassum muticum, and Ulva lactuca EOs, respectively. The highest anti-cyanobacterial activity was recorded for Cystoseira tamariscifolia EO (ZI = 46.33 mm, MIC = 7.81 µg mL−1, and MBC = 15.62 µg mL−1). The growth, chlorophyll-a and protein content of the tested cyanobacteria were significantly reduced by C. tamariscifolia EO at both used concentrations (inhibition rate >67% during the 6 days test period in liquid media). Furthermore, oxidative stress caused by C. tamariscifolia EO on cyanobacterium cells showed an increase of the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration was significantly elevated after 2 days of exposure. Overall, these experimental findings can open a promising new natural pathway based on the use of seaweed essential oils to the fight against potent toxic harmful cyanobacterial blooms (HCBs).This project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 823860; Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to UIDB/04423/2020, UIDP/04423/2020 and UIDB/00690/2020 (CIMO), and also FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros contract.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio