Oxidative and Non-Oxidative Metabolomics of Ethanol

Background: It is well known that ethanol can cause significant morbidity and mortality, and much of the related toxic effects can be explained by its metabolic profile. Objective: This work performs a complete review of the metabolism of ethanol focusing on both major and minor metabolites. Method: An exhaustive literature search was carried out using textual and structural queries for ethanol and related known metabolizing enzymes and metabolites. Results: The main pathway of metabolism is catalyzed by cytosolic alcohol dehydrogenase, which exhibits multiple isoenzymes and genetic polymorphisms with clinical and forensic implications. Another two oxidative routes, the highly inducible CYP2E1 system and peroxisomal catalase may acquire relevance under specific circumstances. In addition to oxidative metabolism, ethanol also originates minor metabolites such as ethyl glucuronide, ethyl sulfate, ethyl phosphate, ethyl nitrite, phosphatidylethanol and fatty acid ethyl esters. These metabolites represent alternative biomarkers since they can be detected several hours or days after ethanol exposure. Conclusion: It is expected that knowing the metabolomics of ethanol may provide additional insights to better understand the toxicological effects and the variability of dose response

UPPER JURASSIC OUTCROPS ALONG THE CALDAS DA RAINHA DIAPIR, WEST CENTRAL PORTUGAL: A REGIONAL GEOHERITAGE OVERVIEW

The Mesozoic Portuguese geological heritage is very rich and varied, a legacy of the position in the western margin of Iberia and its relationship with the evolution of the North Atlantic, with an interesting tectonic history since the Late Triassic. Regarding the Upper Jurassic several connections can be established between the tectonics and the stratigraphic record in the area surrounding the Caldas da Rainha structure: the basement and salt pillow control on deposition; the beginning of a diapiric and magmatic cycle associated to the on-set of sea-floor and the exhumation of both Jurassic deposits and the core of their controlling diapirs. The nature of the outcrops and richness in sedimentary environments, related with the different phases of rifting, is a remarkable case for extensional basin studies. Geological sites can be of regional, national or international importance due to scientific, educational, economical, social or historical reasons. The present proposal can be considered as a model for the establishment of tourist/educational routes with a strong component in communication on Earth Sciences, integrating social and historical aspects at a regional level. The recognition of those sites as geoheritage may contribute to a more sustainable management, in particular because it allows the achievement of a critical dimension for the investment in human resources and marketing. In Portugal, recent legal evolution might be considered promising. Nevertheless, since implementation of the concept of protected site depends on the approval of detailed management programs, there are frequent delays, misinterpretations and disrespect of legislation. The strategy to be adopted must integrate conservation, scientific studies and science communication in projects with economic and social interest

Avaliação dos factores promotores e inibidores da vacinação em crianças de 6 anos inscritas no Centro de Saúde de Ajuda : uma oportunidade pedagógica para sensibilizar as familias

Tese de mestrado em Saúde Escolar, apresentada à Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 200

High-glucose feeding of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) larvae: effects on molecular and metabolic pathways

Nutritional programming has begun to arouse interest as a novel tool to alter specific metabolic pathways or functions in farmed animals. The aim of the present study was to explore the potential of early glucose stimuli to induce changes in nutrient metabolism of gilthead seabream. Nutritional conditioning was performed by delivering glucose-rich feed at three distinct recurrent periods of larval feeding regime: during first-feeding with rotifers (3 days after hatching, DAH) and mid-feeding with Artemia metanauplii (20DAH) and the beginning of inert diet feeding (30DAH), called the Recurrent treatment (REC). As opposed, the control treatment (CTRL) did not experience any glucose stimuli. At post-larval stage (from 50 to 60DAH), both treatments were challenged with a high-carbohydrate diet (50%). The immediate response to the early stimuli was assessed through gene expression of metabolic markers and by nutrient metabolism using [C-14] tracers. Each dietary stimulus induced metabolic changes on REC larvae, shown by altered expression of some genes, including those involved in glycolysis, and by a different pattern of glucose utilization. However, none of the molecular adaptations (except G6PDH gene) were persistent in the viscera and muscle of challenged post-larvae from REC group. In contrast, the glucose metabolism of challenged REC post-larvae revealed a shift towards a higher catabolism and lower glucose retention in tissues, compared to the CTRL group, suggesting an improvement of glucose oxidation pathways. In addition, the REC group showed a higher bio-conversion of glucose into lipids, indicating enhanced hepatic lipogenesis. The early stimuli did not affect the relative retention or use of amino acids or the growth and survival of challenged fish, up to 60DAH. In summary, although not substantiated at a molecular level, our data reveal that a recurrent high-glucose stimulus during larval stages affects the short-term modulation of pathways for glucose utilization in gilthead seabream. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

III Congresso Internacional de Ciências Jurídico-Empresariais : actas

O III CICJE decorreu na Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão de Leiria no dia 24 de novembro de 2011 e foi subordinado ao tema Direito e Gestão Empresarial. As Atas que agora se publicam resultam das preleções dos oradores que copuseram os vários painéis

Permanent deformation characterization of bituminous mixtures: laboratorial tests

In the last years some laboratorial tests are used to predict the permanent deformation behaviour of bituminous mixtures. Among those tests the Wheel Tracking test, the Cyclic Compression Test (Uniaxial and Triaxial) and the Repetitive Shear at Constant Height (RSCH) test, are considered for Portuguese practice. Also come out recently new European standards for those tests, with exception of the RSCH which is essentially used in the USA. Nevertheless some of testing conditions are not very well defined. Therefore, it is important to study the reliability and accuracy of each test in the task of predicting permanent deformation behaviour. In this work these test were used in the evaluation of a commonly used mixture in Portugal. Results show that all tests are suitable for predicting permanent deformation behaviour. Thus simpler and cheaper tests are more interesting to use.(undefined

Ensaios para deformação permanente em misturas betuminosas: comparação entre os resultados de wheel tracking e fluência dinâmica

A deformação permanente em misturas betuminosas é uma degradação de pavimentos rodoviários frequente mas para a qual ainda não existe uma metodologia que possa de forma cabal prever a sua evolução, nomeadamente para as camadas betuminosas. Para avaliar a susceptibilidade destas à deformação permanente existem vários ensaios laboratoriais, como sejam, o ensaio de Wheel Tracking e o de Fluência Dinâmica. Neste trabalho faz-se a comparação dos resultados obtidos para uma mistura betuminosa comum em Portugal com os ensaios laboratoriais de Wheel Tracking e de Fluência Dinâmica realizados, respectivamente, de acordo com a prEN 12697-22 e a prEN 12697-25. Foram ensaiados provetes produzidos em laboratório e recolhidos em obra. Os resultados obtidos confirmam a aplicabilidade dos ensaios e ainda que o parâmetro velocidade de deformação pode ser utilizado na caracterização do comportamento de misturas betuminosas à deformação permanente

Analysis of laminated beams using the natural neighbour radial point interpolation method

Neste trabalho aplica‐se o método sem malha natural neighbour radial point interpolation method (NNRPIM) à análise unidimensional de vigas laminadas, considerando a teoria de Timoshenko. O NNRPIM combina o conceito matemático dos vizinhos naturais com a interpolação radial pontual. Os diagramas de Voronoï permitem impor a conectividade nodal e construir a malha de fundo para efeitos de integração, por intermédio das células de influência. É apresentada a construção das funções de interpolação NNRPIM, sendo, para estas, usada a função de base radial multiquadrática. As funções de interpolação geradas possuem continuidade infinita e a propriedade de delta Kronecker, o que facilita a imposição das condições de fronteira, uma vez que estas podem ser impostas com o método da imposição direta, tal como no método dos elementos finitos (FEM). De modo a obter o campo de deslocamentos e de deformações, a teoria de deformação de Timoshenko para vigas sujeitas a esforços transversos é considerada. Vários exemplos numéricos de vigas isotrópicas e vigas laminadas são apresentados de modo a demonstrar a convergência e a exatidão da aplicação proposta. Os resultados obtidos são comparados com soluções analíticas disponíveis na literatura.In this work, a meshless method, “natural neighbour radial point interpolation method” (NNRPIM), is applied to the one‐dimensional analysis of laminated beams, considering the theory of Timoshenko. The NNRPIM combines the mathematical concept of natural neighbours with the radial point interpolation. Voronoï diagrams allows to impose the nodal connectivity and the construction of a background mesh for integration purposes, via influence cells. The construction of the NNRPIM interpolation functions is shown, and, for this, it is used the multiquadratic radial basis function. The generated interpolation functions possess infinite continuity and the delta Kronecker property, which facilitates the enforcement of boundary conditions, since these can be directly imposed, as in the finite element method (FEM). In order to obtain the displacements and the deformation fields, it is considered the Timoshenko theory for beams under transverse efforts. Several numerical examples of isotropic beams and laminated beams are presented in order to demonstrate the convergence and accuracy of the proposed application. The results obtained are compared with analytical solutions available in the literature.Peer Reviewe

Response to the comment on “Promising blood-derived biomarkers for estimation of the postmortem interval’’

Accepted ManuscriptFollowing Meurs and Szykula's comment on our published article titled "Promising blood-derived biomarkers for estimation of the postmortem interval", we recognize the importance of the issues raised, but we would like to emphasize that these contain some misinterpretations and that most of the points were already discussed in depth in our manuscript particularly in the conclusion section. We also aim to highlight further data regarding the difficulties of postmortem interval estimation