Implicação de diferentes proteínas contráteis na hipertensão na gravidez

A artéria umbilical humana é uma via importante na circulação feto-placentária e é essencial que se conheçam os seus mecanismos funcionais para uma melhor compreensão de patologias como a hipertensão gestacional. O mecanismo de contração do músculo liso é iniciado por ativação de um recetor ou de um canal iónico e envolve mecanismos que podem ser dependentes ou independentes de cálcio. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar se existem alterações a nível vascular entre cordões umbilicais provenientes de gestantes normotensas e cordões umbilicais provenientes de gestantes hipertensas. Neste sentido, analisou-se a expressão dos canais de cálcio Cav1.2, das subunidades α e β dos canais de potássio BKCa e também de algumas proteínas envolvidas nos mecanismos de contração/relaxamento, a PKG, a GC e o NPRA. Para analisar se existem ou não alterações na expressão dos diferentes genes, foram realizadas culturas celulares de células provenientes da artéria umbilical de cordões de gestantes normotensas e hipertensas e posteriormente foi realizada uma análise de expressão genética por Real-time PCR. Neste trabalho observou-se a existência de pequenas alterações na expressão dos genes analisados, notando-se uma maior diferença no caso da guanilato ciclase (P = 0,086), em que houve um aumento da expressão. No referente à expressão da subunidade α dos canais BKCa, e contrariamente ao expectável, parece não existir alteração da sua expressão, embora a subunidade β apresente uma diminuição não significativa da expressão

Giant retrosternal goitre causing lung atelectasis

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The effect of hydrodynamic conditions on the phenotype of Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms

This study investigated the phenotypic characteristics of monoculture P. fluorescens biofilms grown under turbulent and laminar flow, using flow cells reactors with stainless steel substrata. The cellular physiology and the overall biofilm activity, structure and composition were characterized, and compared, within hydrodynamically distinct conditions. The results indicate that turbulent flow-generated biofilm cells were significantly less extensive, with decreased metabolic activity and a lower protein and polysaccharides composition per cell than those from laminar flow-generated biofilms. The effect of flow regime did not cause significantly different outer membrane protein expression. From the analysis of biofilm activity, structure and composition, turbulent flow-generated biofilms were metabolically more active, had twice more mass per cm², and higher cellular density and protein content (mainly cellular) than laminar flow-generated biofilms. Conversely, laminar flow-generated biofilms presented higher total and matrix polysaccharide contents. Direct visualisation and scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that these different flows generate structurally different biofilms, corroborating the quantitative results. The combination of applied methods provided useful information regarding a broad spectrum of biofilm parameters, which can contribute to control and model biofilm processes.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester, UK

Rastreio da doença celíaca e doença auto-imune da tiróide num grupo de doentes diabéticos tipo 1

[resumo][abstract

Rastreio da doença celíaca e doença auto-imune da tiróide num grupo de doentes diabéticos tipo 1

[resumo][abstract

a case report

personBACKGROUND: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most aggressive solid tumors. ATC is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages with unresectable disease and palliative care is often indicated. Recently, several patient-tailored therapies for ATC are emerging due to advances in molecular profiling of these tumors. Entrectinib is a potent oral selective inhibitor of neutrotrophic tropomyosin receptor kinase (NTRK), ROS1, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase fusions. The experience regarding ATC and other thyroid carcinomas, particularly in the neoadjuvant setting, is minimal. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a 51-year-old female patient presenting with a bulky mass of the left thyroid lobe measuring 100 × 108 × 80 mm that was considered surgically unresectable. While waiting for next-generation sequence (NGS) profiling, lenvatinib was initiated. There was an initial clinical and imagiologic response; however, progression occurred after 12 weeks, and at this time NGS identified an ETV6-NTRK3 fusion and entrectinib was started. After 12 weeks, tumor diameters reduced to a minimum of 68×60×49 mm, and the patient underwent total thyroidectomy plus central lymphadenectomy. Histological diagnosis confirmed an ATC (pT4a R2 N1a). Adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) (60 Grays) with weekly paclitaxel (45 mg/m2) was then administered followed by maintenance entrectinib 600 mg daily. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography performed 3 months after completion of RT showed only non-specific uptake in the posterior wall of the hypopharynx and larynx, suggestive of inflammation. CONCLUSION: We report the first case of an ATC with a dramatic response to neoadjuvant therapy with entrectinib, which enabled surgical resection of an ab initio unresectable tumor.publishersversionpublishe

Gamification applied to autism spectrum disorder

Gamification is a recent technique in software development that allows the application of game principles to non-game contexts and environments. In an increasingly technological world, gamification has now higher popularity, and it is currently used in several technologies. One of the health conditions where gamification can bring great benefits is in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is a persistent neurodevelopmental disorder that can be characterized briefly by deficits in verbal and non-verbal communication, difficulties in interaction, and manifestation of stereotyped movements or interests. In the case of ASD, the programs, software, or the mobile applications should focus on the development of intrapersonal (such as motivation) and interpersonal (social skills) skills. Therefore, gamification can be useful in cases of ASD, but it is necessary to increase the analysis of the potentialities and needs for improvement of technologies and applications available on the market.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Obesidade no 1º ciclo : desenho e implementação de um programa de intervenção num estudo transversal

A obesidade é, nos dias de hoje, considerada uma doença epidémica sendo que nas crianças e jovens, é uma agravante, na medida em que, o seu crescimento e desenvolvimento será negativamente influenciado. Segundo WHO (2012) a obesidade mais do que duplicou desde 1980, sendo que em 2008, 1,4 biliões de pessoas acima de 20 anos têm excesso de peso, e destas, 200 milhões de homens e 300 milhões de mulheres são obesas. Em 2010 mais de 40 milhões de crianças menores que cinco anos têm excesso de peso. O objetivo do presente estudo é aplicar e verificar se um programa de intervenção de atividade física em crianças contribui para combater o sedentarismo e a obesidade. A amostra é constituída por crianças com idades compreendidas entre os 8 e 10 anos, que frequentam o 1º ciclo de duas escolas do concelho de Braga. Fazem parte desta amostra 200 crianças de ambos os sexos. O estudo baseia-se na aplicação de um programa de intervenção de atividade física estruturada e com o aconselhamento aos encarregados de educação sobre hábitos alimentares saudáveis. Este programa será aplicado ao grupo experimental, sendo que o segundo (grupo controlo) não será intervencionado. Pretende-se avaliar antes e depois da intervenção, a atividade física com aplicação de um questionário e a determinação da aptidão física com aplicação do FitnessGram. Pretendemos com este estudo, demonstrar a importância da atividade física estruturada na prevenção da obesidade, considerando o papel fulcral que a escola deve desempenhar e promover nesta epidemia. Neste contexto, professor de educação física, sendo um agente interveniente na formação dos alunos, deve ter um papel relevante nas estratégias e programas que incidam nesta problemática.CIEC - Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, UM (UI 317 da FCT

The Chlamydia trachomatis IncM Protein Interferes with Host Cell Cytokinesis, Centrosome Positioning, and Golgi Distribution and Contributes to the Stability of the Pathogen-Containing Vacuole

We thank Irina Franco for critical reading of the manuscript and Agathe Subtil, Guangming Zhong, Ian Clarke, and Joao Paulo Gomes for gifts of antibodies and chlamydial genomic DNA. This work was supported by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) in the scope of project UIDB/ 04378/2020 of the Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences, UCIBIO, and LA/P/0140/ 2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, i4HB. M.P.L. and I.S.P. were supported by PhD fellowships. J.N.B. was supported within the scope of the PhD program Molecular Biosciences (PD/00133/2012), also funded by FCT.Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes ocular and urogenital infections in humans. The ability of C. trachomatis to grow intracellularly in a pathogen-containing vacuole (known as an inclusion) depends on chlamydial effector proteins transported into the host cell by a type III secretion system. Among these effectors, several inclusion membrane proteins (Incs) insert in the vacuolar membrane. Here, we show that human cell lines infected by a C. trachomatis strain deficient for Inc CT288/CTL0540 (renamed IncM) displayed less multinucleation than when infected by IncM-producing strains (wild type or complemented). This indicated that IncM is involved in the ability of Chlamydia to inhibit host cell cytokinesis. The capacity of IncM to induce multinucleation in infected cells was shown to be conserved among its chlamydial homologues and appeared to require its two larger regions predicted to be exposed to the host cell cytosol. C. trachomatis-infected cells also displayed IncM-dependent defects in centrosome positioning, Golgi distribution around the inclusion, and morphology and stability of the inclusion. The altered morphology of inclusions containing IncM-deficient C. trachomatis was further affected by depolymerization of host cell microtubules. This was not observed after depolymerization of microfilaments, and inclusions containing wild-type C. trachomatis did not alter their morphology upon depolymerization of microtubules. Overall, these findings suggest that IncM may exert its effector function by acting directly or indirectly on host cell microtubules.authorsversionpublishe