A Escrita e a Leitura na Trissomia 21 : um estudo de caso

Este trabalho constitui-se como um projecto de investigação centrado em dois conceitos-chave: a Trissomia 21 e aprendizagem da leitura e da escrita. Trata-se de um estudo de caso que visa a criação de algumas actividades, promotoras do desenvolvimento das competências da leitura e da escrita da criança em estudo, numa perspectiva funcional

Phthalates and type 1 diabetes: is there any link?

Phthalates are a group of chemical compounds used as plasticizers in the manufacture of plastic materials. They can be present in many commonly used products. There seems to be a relationship between exposure to phthalates and the occurrence of metabolic dysfunctions, such as a decrease in glucose tolerance, oxidative stress, loss of beta cells, and a decrease in insulin synthesis. As beta cells play a key role in the onset of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), we sought to investigate the relationship between exposure to phthalates and the diagnosis of T1DM in prepubertal children. Design concentrations of phthalate metabolites were compared in the urine of a population of prepubertal children with new-onset diabetes, patients with T1DM diagnosed more than 6 months previously, and healthy control children. Although the concentrations of DBP and DiBP metabolites were statistically identical in the new-onset diabetes, diabetes, and control groups, there was a clear trend for higher levels of DiBP metabolites in the children with new-onset diabetes. In our sample, there was a trend for higher levels of DiBP metabolites in children with new-onset diabetes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Organochlorine pesticides, brominated flame retardants, synthetic musks and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in shrimps. An overview of occurrence and its implication on human exposure

Shrimps are widely distributed in coastal areas, estuaries and rivers. Although this shellfish is a good source of nutrients, it can also accumulate environmental contaminants, such as organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), synthetic musks (SMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Due to their bioaccumulative properties, these pollutants are endocrine disruptors. In this review, an overview of the world's shrimp market, pollutants legislation and values found in shrimp samples will be discussed. Shrimps analysed from all continents showed the presence of contaminants, Asia being the continent with the highest values reported. The concentration values reached a maximum of 26100 ng/g wet weight (ww) for OCPs, of 226.45 ng/g ww for BFRs, of 12.1 ng/g ww for SMs and of 50650 ng/g ww for PAHs. Exposure data and risk, taken from different studies, are very variable and indicate that shrimp's consumption may represent a risk especially in certain geographic areas.publishersversionpublishe

Obesity or diet? Levels and determinants of phthalate body burden – A case study on Portuguese children

In this study we analyzed one of the most comprehensive sets of 21 urinary phthalate metabolites representing exposure to 11 parent phthalates (DEP, DMP, DiBP, DnBP, BBzP, DEHP, DiNP, DiDP, DCHP, DnPeP, DnOP) in first morning urine samples of 112 Portuguese children (4-18 years) sampled in 2014/15. The study population consisted of two groups: group 1 with normal weight/underweight children (N = 43) following their regular diet and group 2 with obese/overweight children (N = 69) following a healthy diet (with nutritional counselling). Most of the metabolites were above the limits quantification (81-100%) except for MCHP, MnPEP and MnOP. Metabolite levels were generally comparable to other recent child and general populations sampled worldwide, confirming the steady decline in exposures to most phthalates. Compared to Portuguese children sampled in 2011/2012, median urinary metabolite levels decreased by approximately 50% for DEHP, DnBP, DiBP and BBzP. Risk assessments for individual phthalates and the sum of the anti-androgenic phthalates did not indicate to attributable health risks, also at the upper percentiles of exposure. In the healthy diet group the median concentration of the DEHP metabolites was significant lower, while all phthalate metabolites except MEP tended to be lower compared to the regular diet group. Multiple log-linear regression analyses revealed significantly lower daily intakes (DIs) for all phthalates in the healthy diet group compared to the regular diet group (geometric mean ratios (gMR) between 0.510-0.618; p ≤ 0.05), except for DEP (gMR: 0.811; p = 0.273). The same analyses with the continuous variable body mass index instead of the diet groups also showed effects on the DIs (gMRs between 0.926-0.951; p ≤ 0.05), however much smaller than the effects of the diet. The results indicate that obese children following a healthy diet composed of fresh and less packaged/processed food can considerably reduce their intake for most phthalates and can have lower phthalate intakes than regular weight/regular diet children.Luísa Correia-Sá is grateful to Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) by the grant (SFRH/BD/87019/2012), financed by POCH, subsidized by Fundo Social Europeu and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior. The authors are thankful to the project Qualidade e Segurança Alimentar – uma abordagem (nano)tecnológica, reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000011.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exposure of Portuguese children to the novel non-phthalate plasticizer di-(iso-nonyl)-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH)

Di-(iso-nonyl)-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH) is used as substitute for high molecular weight phthalate plasticizers such as di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-(iso-nonyl) phthalate (DINP). Due to a rapid substitution process we have to assume omnipresent and increasing DINCH exposures. The aim of this study was to evaluate DINCH exposure in 112 children (4-18years old) from Portugal, divided in two groups: 1) normal-/underweight following the usual diet; and 2) obese/overweight but under strict nutritional guidance. First morning urine samples were collected during the years 2014 and 2015. Oxidized DINCH metabolites (OH-MINCH, oxo-MINCH, cx-MINCH) were analyzed after enzymatic hydrolysis via on-line HPLC-MS/MS with isotope dilution quantification. We detected DINCH metabolites in all analyzed samples. Urinary median (95th percentile) concentrations were 2.14μg/L (15.91) for OH-MINCH, followed by 1.10μg/L (7.54) for oxo-MINCH and 1.08μg/L (7.33) for cx-MINCH. We observed no significant differences between the two child-groups; only after creatinine adjustment, we found higher metabolite concentrations in the younger compared to the older children. Median (95th percentile) daily DINCH intakes were in the range of 0.37 to 0.76 (2.52 to 5.61) μg/kg body weight/day depending on calculation model and subpopulation. Body weight related daily intakes were somewhat higher in Group 1 compared to Group 2, irrespective of the calculation model. However, in terms of absolute amounts (μg/day), DINCH intakes were higher in Group 2 compared to Group 1. In regard to age, we calculated higher intakes for the younger children compared to older children, but only with the creatinine-based model. This new data for southern European, Portuguese children adds information to the scarce knowledge on DINCH, confirming omnipresent exposure and suggesting higher exposures in children than adults. Significant sources and routes of exposure have yet to be unveiled. For now, all calculated daily intakes are far below established health benchmark levels (TDI, RfD). However, rapidly increasing exposures have to be expected over the next years.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exposure to the plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHTP) in Portuguese children – Urinary metabolite levels and estimated daily intakes

Classical ortho-phthalate plasticizers are, due to their endocrine disrupting potency and reproductive toxicity, increasingly replaced by alternative plasticizers. Di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHTP) is one of these substitutes. In this study, we investigated DEHTP exposure in 107 Portuguese children (4-17years old) by analyzing specific DEHTP metabolites in their urine using a newly developed LC-MS/MS method. We could detect the major, specific DEHTP metabolite mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) terephthalate (5cx-MEPTP) in 100% of the samples with levels above the limit of quantification in 96% of the samples (median concentration 4.19μg/L; 95th percentile 26.4μg/L; maximum 3400μg/L). Other minor DEHTP metabolites (5OH-MEHTP, 5oxo-MEHTP and 2cx-MMHTP) were detected at lower rates and levels. Daily DEHTP intakes calculated from urinary 5cx-MEPTP levels were generally far below the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 1000μg/kgbw/d (median 0.67μg/kgbw/d; 95th percentile 6.25μg/kgbw/d; maximum 690μg/kgbw/d). However, for one child the biomarker-derived health-based guidance value (HBM-I value) for 5cx-MEPTP of 1800μg/L was exceeded by about a factor of two. Levels of 5cx-MEPTP and calculated daily DEHTP intakes were higher in normal/under-weight children who nourished on their usual diet compared to overweight/obese children who received nutritional guidance with fresh and unprocessed food (p=0.043 and p<0.001 respectively). This indicates to processed and fatty foodstuff as a major source of DEHTP exposure. Additionally, we found children of lower age having higher DEHTP intakes (p=0.045). Again, foodstuff as a major DEHTP source, together with other child specific DEHTP sources such as mouthing of toys or ingestion of dust might be contributing factors. With the present study, we provide a first data set on the omnipresent DEHTP exposure in children. So far, general levels of DEHTP exposure seem no cause for concern. However, due to the increasing use of DEHTP as an ortho-phthalate substitute, possible increasing exposures in the future should be followed closely.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Removal of diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole from aqueous solutions and wastewaters using a three-dimensional electrochemical process

The three-dimensional (3D) electrochemical treatment process was studied for the removal of two pharmaceuticals, diclofenac (anti-inflammatory) and sulfamethoxazole (antibiotic), in mono and bi-component systems. Adsorption and conventional two-dimensional electrochemical processes were initially studied and then combined to develop the 3D process. The influence of different operating parameters on the removal efficiency was studied: the distance between the cathode and the anode, the pharmaceutical and electrolyte (NaCl) concentrations, the pH, and the (carbon-based) adsorbent used as particulate electrode (biochar and commercial activated carbon, granulometry, and amount). The energy consumption and the electric energy per order were evaluated. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the 3D process for the removal of diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole from aqueous solutions, both for mono- and bi-component systems, achieving their complete removal respectively in 10 and 30 min, using a Mixed Metal Oxide anode (titanium-coated with RuO2-IrO2-TiO2), a stainless steel cathode, a biochar particulate electrode (1–2 mm), an initial pharmaceutical concentration of 10 mg/L, an inter-electrode distance of 7.5 cm, a pH value of 7 and a current density of 7 mA/cm2. The optimised 3D process was also successfully applied to a wastewater treatment plant effluent, but lower removal efficiencies were observed (after 30 min) for bi-component fortified samples; 49% for DCF and 86% for SMX, with energy consumptions of 1224 and 613 Wh/g and an electric energy per order of 19.1 and 8.77 kWh/m3 respectively. On the other hand, the pharmaceuticals were completely removed from the effluent when real concentrations (i.e. without their addition) were usedThis research was funded by the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry-LAQV, which is funded by Portuguese national funds through projects UIDB/50006/2020, UIDP/50006/20POCI-01–0247-FEDER-039882), sponsored by the Program “Portugal 2020″, and co-funded by “Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER)” through POCI. M.M.M. (CEECIND/02702/2017) is grateful for the financial support through national funds (FCT). P. Remor acknowledges FCT for the Ph.D. grant (SFRH/BD/020, and LA/P/0008/2020, from the Fundaç ão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (MCTES). This research also was funded through project OXI-e3D (7543/2020)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exposure assessment to bisphenol A (BPA) in Portuguese children by human biomonitoring

Exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) is known to be widespread and available data suggests that BPA can act as an endocrine disruptor. Diet is generally regarded as the dominant BPA exposure source, namely through leaching to food from packaging materials. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure of 110 Portuguese children (4-18 years old), divided in two groups: the regular diet group (n = 43) comprised healthy normal weight/underweight children with no dietary control; the healthy diet group (n = 67) comprised children diagnosed for obesity/overweight (without other known associated diseases) that were set on a healthy diet for weight control. First morning urine samples were collected and total urinary BPA was analyzed after enzymatic hydrolysis via on-line HPLC-MS/MS with isotope dilution quantification. Virtually, all the children were exposed to BPA, with 91% of the samples above the LOQ (limit of quantification) of 0.1 μg/L. The median (95th percentile) urinary BPA levels for non-normalized and creatinine-corrected values were 1.89 μg/L (16.0) and 1.92 μg/g creatinine (14.4), respectively. BPA levels in the regular diet group were higher than in the healthy diet group, but differences were not significant. Calculated daily BPA intakes, however, were significantly higher in children of the regular diet group than in children of healthy diet group. Median (95th percentile) daily intakes amounted to 41.6 (467) ng/kg body weight/day in the regular diet group, and 23.2 (197) ng/kg body weight/day in the healthy diet group. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that children in the healthy diet group had 33% lower intakes than children in the regular diet group (OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.51-0.89). For both groups, however, urinary BPA levels and daily BPA intakes were within the range reported for other children's populations and were well below health guidance values such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) temporary tolerable daily intake (t-TDI) of 4 μg/kg body weight/day. In addition, lower daily BPA intakes were more likely linked with the inherent dietary approach rather than with high BMI or obesity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Inflammatory and Cardiometabolic Risk on Obesity: Role of Environmental Xenoestrogens

Some chemicals used in consumer products or manufacturing (eg, plastics, pesticides) have estrogenic activities; these xenoestrogens (XEs) may affect immune responses and have recently emerged as a new risk factors for obesity and cardiovascular disease. However, the extent and impact on health of chronic exposure of the general population to XEs are still unknown.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio