Exopolysaccharide production by different marine bacteria species and Enterobacter A47

This thesis is focused on the production of bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) using a Schatz medium, supplemented with yeast extract and peptone, and glucose as carbon source. Production assays were carried out in shake flasks with different marine bacteria, of the genera Pseudoalteromonas and Psychrobacter, and with the bacterium Enterobacter A47. In order to optimize EPS production, the strains were chosen to proceed with bioreactor assays. The marine bacteria were able to produce 1.33-1.91 g.L-1 of EPS, corresponding to volumetric productivities of 0.67-0.96 gEPS.L-1.d-1. On the other hand, Enterobacter A47 was able to synthesize 1.81 g.L-1 of EPS, corresponding to a volumetric productivity of 0.91 gEPS.L-1.d-1. The exopolysaccharides produced by marine bacteria were mainly composed of glucose, while the one produced by Enterobacter A47 was similar to the fucose rich exopolysaccharide – FucoPol – typically produced by this culture. In order to optimize EPS production by Enterobacter A47 in salt conditions, the impact of NaCl (0-40 g.L-1), yeast extract (0-4 g.L-1) and peptone (0-2 g.L-1) concentrations on cellular growth and EPS production was studied. Statistical tools, such as response surface methodology and central composite rotatable design, were used. The results showed that Enterobacter A47 has the ability to grow and synthesize EPS under most of the experimental conditions tested. The optimal NaCl, yeast extract and peptone concentrations were determined to be 8.1 g.L-1, 0.8 g.L-1 and 0.4 g.L-1, respectively. Afterwards, the impact of pH on EPS production, as well as on the polymer´s composition, by Enterobacter A47 was also evaluated. It was found that the use of the modified Schatz medium and pH control at 7.0 led to an increase in EPS production (3.49 g.L-1), corresponding to a volumetric productivity of 1.75 gEPS.L-1.d-1. It was also observed that the decrease from pH 7.0 to pH 6.0 had little effect on EPS production (3.33 g.L-1), whereas at pH 8.0 a significant reduction in EPS synthesis (0.79 g.L-1) was observed. The exopolysaccharides produced were rich in fucose

Ler, ou não ler: eis a questão

A literacia em saúde é de extrema importância em contexto familiar. Neste sentido, todos os setores sociais se devem envolvem para melhorar o estado de saúde das famílias. A capacitação dos cidadãos permite-lhes uma procura constante de qualidade de vida. A literacia é um meio de compreensão da informação escrita, útil ao dia a dia de cada um, que permite consciencializar as pessoas para tomadas de decisões acertadas. Numa amostra de doze participantes do concelho de Tábua (seis crianças e seis adultos), com idades entre os 8 e os 40 anos, foram avaliados hábitos de leitura e qual a sua relação com a alimentação, o exercício físico, as emoções e a higiene. Através de um processo de investigação-ação, da participação ativa e do empowerment foram realizadas sessões lúdicas e temáticas com o público infantil, adulto e em família. Após esta intervenção foi visível o interesse e a motivação destas famílias na melhoria da sua qualidade de vida, partindo da literacia em saúde. Este facto demonstra a vontade dos intervenientes em participar em programas de promoção para a saúde, o que permite concluir que projetos desta natureza são importantes para a comunidade de Tábua, que apresenta baixos níveis de literaci

Lipid-based nanostructures as strategies to enhance curcumins bioavailability: effect of carrier oil physical state

This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the Project PTDC/AGR-TEC/5215/2014, the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2019 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sociodemographic, sexual, reproductive and relationship characteristics of adolescents having an abortion in Portugal: a homogeneous or a heterogeneous group?

Objectives: The aims of the study were to describe the sociodemographic, sexual, reproductive and relational characteristics of adolescents having an abortion in Portugal and to explore the differences between three adolescent age groups. Methods: We recruited a nationally representative sample of 224 adolescents (<16 years, n = 18; 16-17 years, n = 103; 18-19 years, n = 103) who had an abortion. Data were collected from 16 health care services that provide abortion. Results: The adolescents were predominantly single, were from non-nuclear families, had low-socioeconomic status and were students. Mean age at first sexual intercourse was 15 years and mean gynaecological age was 5 years. Most had had multiple sexual partners, and for most it was their first pregnancy. At conception, the majority were involved in a long-term romantic relationship, were using contraception but did not identify the contraceptive failure that led to the pregnancy. Significant age group differences were found. Compared with the younger age groups, the 18-19 years age group was more frequently married or living with a partner, had finished school, had attained a higher educational level (as had their partner), intended to go to university, and had a greater number of sexual partners. Compared with the other groups, those under 16 years of age reported earlier age at menarche and at first sexual intercourse, and had a lower gynaecological age. Conclusions: Our study characterises the life contexts of Portuguese adolescents who had an abortion. It highlights the need to recognise the heterogeneity of this group according to age. The findings have important implications for the development of age-appropriate guidelines to prevent unplanned pregnancy

Nanoemulsions for enhancement of curcumin bioavailability and their safety evaluation: effect of emulsifier type

This work aimed at evaluating the effects of different emulsifiers on curcumin-loaded nanoemulsions behavior during digestion, its safety and absorption, to develop nanoemulsions that provide safety and improved curcumin functionality. Nanoemulsions (NEs) were produced using two bio-based (lecithin (LEC) and rhamnolipids (RHAM)) and one synthetic (Tween®80 (TWE)) emulsifier at similar concentrations. Different NEs were subjected to in vitro digestion. The cytotoxicity and permeability tests were performed in Caco-2 cells. NE_TWE were stable during all phases of in vitro digestion, whereas NE_LEC and NE_RHAM were found to be unstable from the gastric phase. NE_TWE showed 100% of free fatty acids released, followed by NE_RHAM and NE_LEC. Curcumins bioaccessibility and stability increased in the following order: NE_LEC > NE_RHAM > NE_TWE. NE_LEC and NE_TWE did not show cytotoxic effects in any of the concentrations tested, while NE_RHAM presented high cytotoxicity in all concentrations tested. The apparent permeability coefficients were determined for NE_LEC and NE_TWE; however, the results were not statistically different. These results showed that the emulsifier used has a high impact on nanoemulsions behavior under the digestion process and on their cytotoxicity. This work contributed to the state-of-the-arts progress on the development of safer curcumin delivery systems with improved functionality, particularly regarding the proper selection of ingredients to produce said systems.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and under the scope of project PTDC/AGR-TEC/5215/2014.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nanoemulsion delivery systems: impact of emulsifier type on curcumins bioaccessibility during in vitro digestion

This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the Project PTDC/AGR-TEC/5215/2014, the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2019 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Contributo de fatores individuais, sociais e ambientais para a decisão de prosseguir uma gravidez não planeada na adolescência: Um estudo caracterizador da realidade portuguesa

Foi nosso objetivo explorar o contributo simultâneo de fatores individuais, sociais e ambientais e das possíveis interações entre eles para a decisão de prosseguir uma gravidez adolescente à luz do atual quadro legislativo que despenaliza a interrupção da gravidez por opção da mulher, em Portugal. A amostra foi constituída por 276 adolescentes que engravidaram de forma não planeada e contactaram com os serviços de saúde dentro do prazo legal que lhes permitiria optar pela interrupção: 133 adolescentes que prosseguiram a gravidez e 143 que a interromperam. Os dados foram recolhidos entre 2008 e 2013 em 53 serviços de saúde de todas as regiões. Não ter ponderado as duas alternativas possíveis (prosseguimento/interrupção), pertencer a famílias de baixo nível socioeconómico e com história de maternidade adolescente, ter abandonado a escola e residir em áreas com maior densidade populacional e onde a população feminina é menos escolarizada foram fatores explicativos do prosseguimento da gravidez. A menor idade da adolescente associou-se com o prosseguimento apenas quando não foram ponderadas ambas as alternativas. O efeito da religiosidade local variou de acordo com o envolvimento religioso da adolescente. Estes resultados têm importantes implicações para a prática clínica e investigação na área da decisão reprodutiva na adolescência. The aim of the current study was to explore the simultaneous contribution of individual, social, and environmental factors, as well as the possible interactions between them to the decision to continue an adolescent pregnancy after the abortion on women´s demand has been legalized in Portugal. The sample consisted of 276 adolescents who became unintentionally pregnant and contacted with healthcare services within the legal period for induced abortion: 133 adolescents who chose to continue the pregnancy and 143 who chose to terminate the pregnancy. Data were collected between 2008 and 2013, in 53 healthcare centers of all country areas. Not having thought about both available options (i.e., continuing vs. terminating the pregnancy), belonging to families of low socioeconomic status and with adolescent pregnancy history, having dropped out of school and having lived in areas with higher population density and less educated females predicted the decision to continue the pregnancy. The lower the adolescents’ age, the more frequent was the decision to continue the pregnancy, but only when adolescents’ had not thought about both options. The effect of local religiosity differed according to the adolescents’ religious involvement. These findings have important implications for clinical practice and research on adolescents’ reproductive decisions

Bio-based nanocarriers incorporating curcumin bioaccessibility and cell viability evaluation

Book of Abstracts of CEB Annual Meeting 2017[Excerpt] For decades, curcumin (Cur), a natural polyphenol product derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa) has been considered one of the most promising bioactive compounds due to its health benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties. However, Cur application as functional compound in food products has been limited due to light, heat, and oxidation sensitive and mainly, to poor aqueous solubility which limit its bioavailability [1]. To increase Cur bioaccessibility and consequently, increase bioavailability, several carriers have been investigated, particularly nanocarriers. Among the various nanocarriers described in the literature, lipid-based nanocarriers may offer a promising tool to increase the stability, efficacy and safety of lipophilic compounds, namely Cur [2]. Moreover, the understanding of Cur-loaded nanocarriers’ behaviour under gastrointestinal (GI) conditions is fundamental to produce safe and customized nanocarriers with optimized bioactivity for oral consumption. The aim of this study was to comparatively analyze the impact of two different lipid nanocarriers incorporating Cur - solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and nanoemulsions (NE) – on bioaccessibility and Caco-2 cells viability. [...]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Trajetórias Relacionais e Reprodutivas Conducentes à Gravidez na Adolescência: a Realidade Nacional e Regional Portuguesa

Introdução: Este estudo pretendeu caracterizar as trajetórias relacionais e reprodutivas conducentes à gravidez na adolescência em Portugal, explorando a existência de especificidades regionais. Material e Métodos: O estudo decorreu entre 2008 e 2013 em 42 serviços de saúde públicos. A amostra, nacionalmente representativa, incluiu 459 grávidas com idades entre os 12 e os 19 anos. Os dados foram obtidos por autorrelato, através de uma ficha de caracterização construída para o efeito. Resultados: Independentemente de terem tido um (59,91%) ou múltiplos parceiros sexuais (40,09%), as adolescentes engravidaram de forma mais frequente numa relação de namoro, utilizando contraceção à data da conceção e tendo identificado a falha contracetiva que esteve na origem da gravidez (39,22%). A nível regional, outras trajetórias surgiram com elevada prevalência, refletindo opções como a decisão de engravidar (Alentejo/Açores), a não utilização de contraceção (Centro/Madeira) ou a sua utilização ineficaz sem que a falha contracetiva fosse identificada (Madeira). As relações de namoro revelaram-se maioritariamente duradouras (> 19 meses), com homens mais velhos (> 4 anos) e fora do sistema de ensino (75,16%); estes resultados foram particularmente expressivos quando a gravidez foi planeada. Discussão: O conhecimento gerado por este estudo reflete a necessidade de investir em abordagens preventivas que atendam às necessidades específicas das jovens de cada região e integrem a população masculina de maior risco. Conclusão: Os nossos resultados podem contribuir para o delineamento de políticas de saúde mais eficazes e para uma atuação multidisciplinar mais informada ao nível da educação sexual e do planeamento familiar nas diferentes regiões do país.Introduction: The current study aimed to describe the relational and reproductive trajectories leading to adolescent pregnancy in Portugal, and to explore whether there were differences in this process according to adolescents’ place of residence. Material and Methods: Data were collected between 2008 and 2013 in 42 public health services using a self-report questionnaire developed by the researchers. The sample consisted of a nationally representative group of pregnant adolescents (n = 459). Results: Regardless of having had one (59.91%) or multiple sexual partners (40.09%), the majority of adolescents became pregnant in a romantic relationship, using contraception at the time of the conception and knowing the contraceptive failure which led to pregnancy (39.22%). In some regions other trajectories were highly prevalent, reflecting options such as planning the pregnancy (Alentejo Region/ Azores Islands), not using contraception (Centro Region/Madeira Islands) or using it incorrectly, without identifying the contraceptive failure (Madeira Islands). On average, romantic relationships were longer than 19 months and adolescents’ partners were older than themselves (> 4 years) and no longer in school (75.16%); these results were particularly significant when the pregnancy was planned. Discussion: The knowledge gained in this study shows that prevention efforts must be targeted according to the adolescents’ needs in each region and should include high-risk male groups. Conclusion: Our results may enable more efficient health policies to prevent adolescent pregnancy in different country regions and support educators and health care providers on sexual education and family planning efforts

Trajetórias reprodutivas na origem da gravidez na adolescência: Um estudo representativo da realidade nacional e regional portuguesa

O presente estudo pretendeu caracterizar a história de saúde sexual e reprodutiva de uma amostra de grávidas adolescentes, analisar as trajetórias reprodutivas que conduziram à gravidez e explorar a existência de especificidades regionais neste processo. A amostra foi constituída por um grupo nacional e regionalmente representativo (NUTSII, 2002) de grávidas adolescentes (N = 475) e foi recolhida entre Maio de 2008 e Março de 2013 em 42 serviços de saúde. Os resultados revelaram diferentes sequências de acontecimentos e decisões na origem da gravidez, que se traduziram numa diversidade de trajetórias; estas são detalhadamente descritas. Verificaram-se ainda diferenças regionais ao nível de algumas das variáveis em estudo. Estes resultados são reveladores da diversidade de trajetórias que podem conduzir à gravidez adolescente e da heterogeneidade regional que as caracteriza, podendo contribuir para a especialização da educação sexual e do planeamento familiar no âmbito da sua prevenção