Outbreak of acute respiratory infection among infants in Lisbon, Portugal, caused by human adenovirus serotype 3 and a new 7/3 recombinant strain

Human adenoviruses (AdVs) typically cause mild illnesses in otherwise healthy hosts. We investigated a pediatric outbreak of acute respiratory infection with fatal outcomes that occurred in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2004.Biological specimens were collected from 83 children attending two nurseries, a kinesiotherapy clinic, and the household of a nanny. Adenovirus infection was confirmed in 48 children by PCR and virus isolation. Most(96%) isolates were classified as being of subspecies B1. Phylogenetic analysis of fiber and hexon gene sequences revealed that most infants were infected with AdV serotype 3 (AdV3) strains. Infants attending one nursery harbored a new recombinant strain containing an AdV serotype 7 hexon and serotype 3 fiber (AdV7/3). Both the AdV3 and the AdV7/3 strains caused fatal infections. Two different serotype 3 strains were circulating in Lisbon in 2004, and the new AdV7/3 recombinant type originated from only one of those strains. These results demonstrate that recombination leads to the emergence of new adenovirus strains with epidemic and lethal potentialThis research was funded by DGE of the European Commission (for the research project entitled Genomic inventory, forensic markers, and assessment of potential therapeutic and vaccine targets for viruses relevant in biological crime and terrorism, grant SSPE-CT-2005-022639 RIVIGENE

Portuguese study of familial dilated cardiomyopathy: the FATIMA study

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a myocardial disease, characterized by ventricular dilatation and impaired systolic function, that in more than 30% of cases has a familial or genetic origin. Given its age-dependent penetrance, DCM frequently manifests in adults by signs or symptoms of heart failure, arrhythmias or sudden death. The predominant mode of inheritance is autosomal dominant, and in these cases mutations are identified in genes coding for cytoskeletal, sarcomeric or nuclear envelope proteins. To date, most studies aimed at molecular diagnosis of DCM have been in selected families, or in larger groups of patients, but screening for mutations in a limited number of genes. Consequently, the epidemiology of mutations in familial DCM remains unknown. There is thus a need for multicenter studies, involving screening for a wide range of mutations in several families and in cases of idiopathic DCM. The present article describes the methodology of a multicenter study, aimed at clinical and molecular characterization of familial DCM patients in the Portuguese population.A miocardiopatia dilatada (MCD) é uma doença do músculo cardíaco caracterizada pela dilatação ventricular e compromisso da função sistólica, sendo possível identificar, numa percentagem superior a 30% dos casos, uma origem familiar ou genética. Dada a penetrância dependente da idade, manifesta-se muitas vezes em adultos por sinais ou sintomas de insuficiência cardíaca, arritmias ou morte súbita. O padrão autossómico dominante predomina, sendo possível identificar, nestes casos, mutações em genes de proteínas do citoesqueleto celular, sarcómero ou membrana nuclear. Até ao momento, a maioria dos trabalhos visando o diagnóstico molecular nos casos de MCD foi realizada em famílias seleccionadas, ou em grupos mais abrangentes de doentes, mas rastreando mutações num número restrito de genes. Consequentemente a epidemiologia das mutações nos casos familiares de MCD continua por esclarecer. É neste contexto que se coloca a necessidade de efectuar estudos multicêntricos, envolvendo uma pesquisa mutacional diversificada em várias familias e nos casos idiopáticos de MCD. O presente artigo descreve a metodologia de um estudo multicêntrico que tem como objectivo a caracterização clínica e molecular de casos familiares de MCD na população portuguesa

Parasitismo gastrintestinal e o seu controlo em asininos residentes nas Salinas do Samouco – Alcochete, Portugal

Apresentação em painelIntrodução As alterações sócioeconómicas ocorridas em Portugal nos últimos 100 anos, a crescente mecanização da agricultura e o desenvolvimento dos transportes, levaram à redução e ao abandono da Raça asinina Mirandesa. Atualmente são utilizados como animais companhia, em asinoterapia e em atividades ecoturísticas, estando assim associados a um extenso património social, cultural, económico e ecológico que importa preservar. Objetivos Com este trabalho pretendeu-se avaliar o tipo e grau de parasitismo e o controlo do Período de Reaparecimento de Ovos (PRO), com vista à implementação de um programa profilático no núcleo de oito asininos residentes (seis adultos e duas crias) na Fundação para a Proteção e Gestão Ambiental, nas Salinas do Samouco, sob responsabilidade da câmara municipal de Alcochete. Material e métodos O estudo decorreu entre abril e dezembro de 2011, com recolhas de fezes, quinzenalmente, a cada animal. Realizaram-se exames coprológicos qualitativos (técnica de Willis) e quantitativos (técnica de McMaster) e coproculturas. No total, realizaram-se 18 colheitas. Os animais foram desparasitados com ivermectina (Eqvalan®), e a sua eficiência foi avaliada pelo PRO. Resultados Nas amostras de fezes analisadas, identificaram-se ovos de estrongilídeos gastrintestinais (EGI), nos animais adultos e de Strongyloides sp. e ascarídeos, em apenas dois animais, nascidos durante o estudo. As médias de eliminação de ovos de estrongilídeos por grama de fezes (OPG) variaram entre 0 EGI/OPG e 557 EGI/OPG; no entanto, uma das fêmeas em período de periparto, apresentou eliminações severas com o valor máximo de 2700 EGI/OPG. Identificaram-se larvas de terceiro estadio dos géneros Strongylus, Triodontophorus, Cyathostomum e Trichostrongylus. O género Cyathostomum foi o mais frequente, tendo-se identificado em todos os animais. Conclusões O tipo e o grau de parasitismo registados foram idênticos aos referidos por outros autores para esta espécie animal. Apesar do PRO ter ocorrido aos 60 dias após a desparasitação, as médias de eliminação acima dos 200 EGI/OPG, só se registaram aos 120 dias. Os machos apresentarem sempre infeções ligeiras e as fêmeas, 150 dias após a desparasitação, evidenciaram infeções mais severas, com médias de eliminação superiores a 550 EGI/OPG, pelo que o efetivo foi novamente desparasitado. As médias de eliminação ao longo do presente estudo sugerem a implementação de um esquema de tratamento bianual. Abstract Introdution The socio-economic changes that occurred in Portugal over the past 100 years, the increasing of mechanization of agriculture and transport development, led to a reduction and breeding pause of asinine Mirandesa breed. Nowadays asinine are used but as pets, in hippotherapy, in eco-tourism, thus being related to a vast social, cultural, economic and ecological heritage that should be preserved. Aims This work intended to evaluate the type and degree of parasitism and to check out for the Egg Reappearance Period (ERP), aiming to implement a prophylactic program in the nucleus of donkeys residents of the Foundation for Environmental Protection and Management in the Salinas Samouco by responsibility to the municipal council of Alcochete. Material and methods This study took place between Abril and December 2011 with a fortnight faeces sampling for each animal. Coprological exams by qualitative (Willis technique) and quantitative (McMaster techniques) and coprocultures were performed. The donkeys were dewormed with ivermectin (Eqvalan ®), and its effectiveness was evaluated by ERP. Results In stool samples analyzed, gastrointestinal strongyle (GS) eggs were identified in adult animals and Strongyloides sp. and ascaridids in animal born in April. The average of strongyle egg output ranged from 0 GS / EPG to 557 GS / EPG, however, one of the females showed high egg output rates (ranging from 1000 GS / EPG to a maximum of 2700 GS / EPG). Coprocultures allowed the identification of four different infective larvae: Strongylus, Triodontophurus, Cyathostomum and Trichostongylus.The genera Cyathostomum was the most frequent, identified in all animals. Conclusions The type and degree of parasitism was similar to that reported by other authors for this species. In spite of the occurrence of ERP 60 days after deworming, the average of egg output above 200 GS/EPG, only occurred 120 days after deworming. The males always showed light infections, by opposite females 150 days after deworming revealed more severe infections with the egg output average above > 550 GS/EPG, which was decisive for the administration of another deworming of all the animals. Thus, the egg output average observed during this study suggested the implementation of a biannual deworming program

Parasitas de cães do Concelho de Alcochete

Apresentação em painel.Com vista à diminuição dos riscos de contaminação ambiental por parasitas de cães e da sua transmissão ao homem no Concelho de Alcochete, realizou-se um levantamento parasitário nos canídeos das freguesias urbanas e não urbanas, no período de campanha de vacinação antirrábica de 2011, a fim de identificar o tipo de parasitismo e de infeções presentes, bem como assinalar as áreas de maior risco de contaminação parasitária, para posterior implementação ou alargamento de medidas sanitárias, através dos serviços da Câmara Municipal. Assim, efetuou-se a colheita de fezes a 10% dos canídeos de cada uma das freguesias do Concelho, num total de 60 amostras distribuídas da seguinte forma: 40 na freguesia urbana de Alcochete e dez em cada uma das freguesias não urbanas – Samouco e S. Francisco. As amostras foram submetidas a análises coprológicas qualitativas, pelas técnicas de Willis e de sedimentação espontânea. Realizaram-se ainda colheitas de ixodídeos em cinco canídeos e a sua identificação baseou-se em Dias (1994) e Walker et al. (2000). Das 60 amostras analisadas, 17 (28,34%) apresentaram ovos de Ancylostomatidae, Ascarididae e Trichuridae, sendo as maiores prevalências registadas em Ancylostomatidae (58,82%) e Ascarididae (52,94%). A maioria das 17 amostras positivas apresentou infeções ligeiras, ou seja, 58,82% tiveram infeções simples e 64,60% exibiram eliminação de ovos inferior a 50. No estudo por freguesias registaram-se valores de prevalência superiores nas freguesias não urbanas (Samouco - 40,00%; S. Francisco - 30,00%) do que na urbana (Alcochete - 25,00%). Igualmente a maior gravidade das infeções foi observada numa freguesia não urbana, S. Francisco, com predomínio de co-infeções (66,67%) e com grau de eliminação de ovos mais elevado (66,67%). Foram colhidos 29 exemplares de ixodídeos, predominando as fêmeas (16 exemplares, 55,17%), relativamente aos machos (9 exemplares, 31,03%) e às ninfas (4 exemplares, 13,79%). A carga parasitária média por animal foi de 4,8. Identificaram-se duas espécies de ixodídeos: Rhipicephalus pusillus (20,69%) e R. sanguineus (58,62%). Estes resultados vão de encontro aos já obtidos noutros concelhos das regiões do Ribatejo e Oeste e do Vale do Tejo, salientando-se as zonas de maior risco de contaminação e infeção, as freguesias não urbanas (Crespo et al., 2006; Rosa et al., 2006). Globalmente, apesar da baixa diversidade parasitária encontrada e do predomínio de infeções ligeiras, este estudo deverá ser continuado estendendo-se a outros períodos do ano e a um maior número de animais. Aiming the reduction of the risk of environmental contamination by canine parasites and their transmission to man in Alcochete County, a parasitological survey in dogs was held in urban and nonurban parishes during the vaccination campaign against rabies, in 2011, in order to identify the parasitism and infections present, as well as point out the areas of greatest risk of parasitic contamination, to further implementation or extension of the sanitary measures by the village council. Thus, the collection of feaces from soil was performed in 10% of the registered canines in each parish, with a total of 60 samples distributed as follows: 40 in the urban parish of Alcochete, and 10 in each nonurban parishes – Samouco and S. Francisco. Qualitative coprological exams were performed by Willis technique and spontaneous sedimentation. Ticks were also collected from five dogs and their identification was based in Dias (1994) and Walker et al. (2000). Out of 60 samples, 17 (28,34%) shed Ancylostomatidae, Ascarididae, Trichuridae eggs, with the highest prevalence in Ancylostomatidae (58,82%) followed by Ascarididae (52,94%). The great majority of the 17 positive samples showed light infections, meaning that 58,82% had simple infections and 50,00% display less than 50 egg output. In the study by parish, there was higher prevalence rates in nonurban (Samouco - 40,00%; S. Francisco - 30,00%) than in urban one (Alcochete - 25,00%). The most severe infections occurred in nonurban parish, St. Francisco, with the predominance of co-infections (66,67%) and higher degree of egg output (66,67%). A total of 29 ixodids were collected, predominantly females (16 specimens, 55,17%) relative to males (9 specimens, 31,03%) and nymphs (4 specimens, 13,79%). The average tick burden per animal was 4,8. Two species were identified: Rhipicephalus pusillus (20,69%) and R. sanguineus (58,62%). These results agree with other already obtained in other counties of the region of Ribatejo e Oeste e Vale do Tejo, pointing out the nonurban parishes as those where the risk of parasitic contamination is greater (Crespo et al., 2006; Rosa et al., 2006). Overall, despite the low diversity found and the predominance of light infections in dogs from Alcochete County, this study should be continued, extending to other periods of the year and covering a larger number of animals

Competências profissionais do enfermeiro: o método developing a curriculum como possibilidade na elaboração de um projeto pedagógico

El objetivo del presente estudio fue validar las competencias técnicas de los enfermeros para proporcionar ayudas para la construcción del plan de estudios de enseñanza del curso de enfermería de la Escuela de Enfermería de la Universidad Federal de Minas Gerais. Con este fin, hemos utilizado el método Developing a Curriculum (DACUM), que se configura como una técnica de enfoque cualitativo, por medio de la realización de un grupo focal, y que permite el levantamiento de las funciones, habilidades, actitudes y conocimientos de un trabajo en particular. Este estudio se llevó a cabo en 2005, con la participación de 18 enfermeras de diferentes especialidades que reúnen los siguientes criterios de inclusión: Tener 5 a 10 años de experiencia profesional en enfermería, estar empleadas exclusivamente en una función y ser considerada eficaz por otros profesionales. Como resultados percibimos las áreas de enfermería con una mayor tendencia de crecimiento en el mercado laboral, la caracterización del perfil de los enfermeros que trabajan en los servicios de Belo Horizonte y la identificación de las habilidades necesarias para la enfermera en diversas áreas de especialización. Esta metodología permitió desarrollar un proyecto de enseñanza de forma colectiva con la participación de profesores, estudiantes y enfermeras de los servicios integrando el servicio, la escuela y la enseñanza.Neste estudo buscou-se validar as competências técnicas dos enfermeiros a fim de fornecer subsídios para construção do currículo do curso de enfermagem da Escola de Enfermagem da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Para tal, foi utilizado o método Developing a Currículum (DACUM), que se configura como uma técnica de abordagem qualitativa, baseada na realização de um grupo focal, e que permite o levantamento de funções, habilidades, atitudes e conhecimentos de um determinado cargo. Este estudo foi realizado no ano de 2005 e contou com a participação de 18 enfermeiros de diferentes especialidades que obedeceram aos seguintes critérios inclusão: ter de 5 a 10 anos de experiência profissional na enfermagem, estar empregado exclusivamente no cargo e ser considerado eficiente por seus pares. Como resultados pode-se perceber as áreas de enfermagem com maior tendência de crescimento no mercado de trabalho, caracterizamos o perfil dos enfermeiros que atuam nos serviços de Belo Horizonte e identificamos as competências necessárias para o enfermeiro em diversas áreas de atuação. Esta metodologia permitiu construir um Projeto Pedagógico de forma coletiva com a participação de professores, alunos e enfermeiros dos serviços integrando o ensino, o serviço e a escola

Agronomic management of AMF functional diversity to overcome biotic and abiotic stresses - The role of plant sequence and intact extraradical mycelium

Intentional use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in cropping systems has been marginal, owing to the high cost and limited biodiversity of commercial inocula, together with the timeliness of colonization to achieve benefits. Additionally, mycorrhiza are considered incompatible with high input cropping systems. Combining results from 4 different experiments resulted in a strategy for the earlier and faster colonization by AMF, through an extensive extraradical mycelium (ERM) acting as a preferential source of inoculum if kept intact by the adoption of appropriate tillage techniques. Selection of host plants on which the ERM develops, provides the tool to manage AMF functional diversity. This strategy resulted in protection of sensitive crop species against biotic and abiotic stresses and can be implemented in low- and high-input cropping systems. Under Mn toxicity arbuscular colonisation increased 2.6- and shoot dry weight 2.3-fold. In presence of Fusarium, arbuscular colonisation increased 2.1- and shoot dry weight 1.5-fold

Biogenic cloud nuclei in the central Amazon during the transition from wet to dry season

© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Whitehead, J. D., Darbyshire, E., Brito, J., Barbosa, H. M. J., Crawford, I., Stern, R., Gallagher, M. W., Kaye, P. H., Allan, J. D., Coe, H., Artaxo, P., and McFiggans, G.: Biogenic cloud nuclei in the central Amazon during the transition from wet to dry season, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 9727-9743, doi:10.5194/acp-16-9727-2016, 2016.The Amazon basin is a vast continental area in which atmospheric composition is relatively unaffected by anthropogenic aerosol particles. Understanding the proper- ties of the natural biogenic aerosol particles over the Ama- zon rainforest is key to understanding their influence on re- gional and global climate. While there have been a number of studies during the wet season, and of biomass burning par- ticles in the dry season, there has been relatively little work on the transition period – the start of the dry season in the absence of biomass burning. As part of the Brazil–UK Net- work for Investigation of Amazonian Atmospheric Composi- tion and Impacts on Climate (BUNIAACIC) project, aerosol measurements, focussing on unpolluted biogenic air masses, were conducted at a remote rainforest site in the central Ama- zon during the transition from wet to dry season in July 2013. This period marks the start of the dry season but before sig- nificant biomass burning occurs in the region. Median particle number concentrations were 266 cm−3, with size distributions dominated by an accumulation mode of 130–150 nm. During periods of low particle counts, a smaller Aitken mode could also be seen around 80 nm. While the concentrations were similar in magnitude to those seen during the wet season, the size distributions suggest an en- hancement in the accumulation mode compared to the wet season, but not yet to the extent seen later in the dry sea- son, when significant biomass burning takes place. Submi- cron nonrefractory aerosol composition, as measured by an aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM), was domi- nated by organic material (around 81 %). Aerosol hygro- scopicity was probed using measurements from a hygro- scopicity tandem differential mobility analyser (HTDMA), and a quasi-monodisperse cloud condensation nuclei counter (CCNc). The hygroscopicity parameter, κ , was found to be low, ranging from 0.12 for Aitken-mode particles to 0.18 for accumulation-mode particles. This was consistent with pre- vious studies in the region, but lower than similar measure- ments conducted in Borneo, where κ ranged 0.17–0.37. A wide issue bioaerosol sensor (WIBS-3M) was deployed at ground level to probe the coarse mode, detecting pri- mary biological aerosol by fluorescence (fluorescent biolog- ical aerosol particles, or FBAPs). The mean FBAP number concentration was 400 ± 242 L−1; however, this ranged from around 200 L−1 during the day to as much as 1200 L−1 at night. FBAPs dominated the coarse-mode particles, compris- ing between 55 and 75 % of particles during the day to more than 90 % at night. Non-FBAPs did not show a strong diur- nal pattern. Comparison with previous FBAP measurements above canopy at the same location suggests there is a strong vertical gradient in FBAP concentrations through the canopy. Cluster analysis of the data suggests that FBAPs were dom- inated (around 70 %) by fungal spores. Further, long-term measurements will be required in order to fully examine the seasonal variability and distribution of primary biological aerosol particles through the canopy. This is the first time that such a suite of measurements has been deployed at this site to investigate the chemical compo- sition and properties of the biogenic contributions to Ama- zonian aerosol during the transition period from the wet to the dry season, and thus provides a unique comparison to the aerosol properties observed during the wet season in previ- ous similar campaigns. This was also the first deployment of a WIBS in the Amazon rainforest to study coarse-mode parti- cles, particularly primary biological aerosol particles, which are likely to play an important role as ice nuclei in the region.Peer reviewe

Direct and inverse pumping in flows with homogeneous and non-homogeneous swirl

The conditions in which meridional recirculations appear in swirling flows above a fixed wall are analysed. In the classical Bodew\"adt problem, where the swirl tends towards an aysmptotic value away from the wall, the well-known "tea-cup effect" drives a flow away from the plate at the centre of the vortex. Simple dimensional arguments applied to a single vortex show that if the intensity of the swirl decreases away from the wall, the sense of the recirculation can be inverted, and that the associated flow rate scales with the swirl gradient. Only if the flow is quasi-2D, does the classical tea-cup effect take place. This basic theory is confirmed by numerical simulations of a square array of steady, electrically driven vortices. Experiments in the turbulent regimes of the same configuration reveal that these mechanisms are active in the average flow and in its fluctuating part. The mechanisms singled out in this letter provide an explanation for previously observed phenomena in electrolyte flows. They also put forward a possible mechanism for the generation of helicity in flows close to two-dimensionality, which plays a key role in the transition between 2D and 3D turbulence