Can the integration of multiple biomarkers and sediment geochemistry aid solving the complexity of sediment risk assessment?: a case study with a benthic fish

Surveying toxicity of complex geochemical media as aquatic sediments often yields results that are either difficult to interpret or even contradictory to acknowledged theory. Multi-level biomarkers were investigated in a benthic fish exposed to estuarine sediments through laboratory and in situ bioassays, to evaluate their employment either in ecological risk assessment or in more mechanistic approaches to assess sediment-bound toxicity. Biomarkers reflecting lesions (such as genotoxicity or histopathology), regardless of their low or absent specificity to contaminants, are efficient in segregating exposure to contaminated from uncontaminated sediments even when classical biomarkers like CYP1A and metallothionein induction are inconclusive. Conversely, proteomics and gene transcription analyses provided information on the mechanics of toxicity and aided explaining response variation as a function of metabolic imbalance and impairment of defences against insult. In situ bioassays, although less expedite and more affected by confounding factors, produced data better correlated to overall sediment contamination.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sexism Free Night Label: making sexual harassment visible in order to create safer and more egalitarian nightlife environments in Oporto

Este artigo apresenta uma análise sobre o assédio sexual em ambientes de lazer noturno a partir das perceções de bystanders (observadores/as) e da avaliação do processo de implementação da certificação Sexism Free Night no Porto. Através de um questionário online (N=546) foi possível verificar que, de acordo com os/as bystanders, o assédio sexual é muito prevalecente em ambientes de lazer noturno. Esses dados influenciaram a implementação de um modelo de certificação assente no envolvimento da gerência de estabelecimentos de lazer noturno (n=7) e na formação ao staff dos estabelecimentos aderentes (n=46). Os resultados demonstram que os ambientes de lazer noturno são contextos estratégicos para a prevenção e intervenção em situações de assédio sexual.This paper presents a gender analysis of sexual harassment in nightlife environments based on bystanders’ perceptions and the evaluation of the implementation of the Sexism Free Night label in Oporto. By using a web survey (N=546) we found that, according to bystanders, sexual harassment is very prevalent in nightlife environments. These data informed the implementation of a label based on the involvement of managers (n=7) and the training of the staff of the nightlife establishments participating in the project (n=46). The results demonstrate that nightlife environments are key settings for the prevention of and intervention in situations of sexual harassment.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The use of classifications ln the practice ano teaching of nursing: the experience of UNICAMP

One of the major aspects of Nursing Process used in nursing graduation courses is Nursing Diagnosis according to North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA). We've experienced the implementation of systematic nursing care in a school hospital at Campinas, Brazil since nearly one decade. During this time we could evaluate the teaching process as well as searched for data concerning nursing care provided there. We notice that nursing students state the importance of nursing diagnosis and its practical application. Among nursing staft, the classification of nursing practice and diagnosis taxonomy are worth wile, although they find difficulties in stablishing an accurated diagnosis, and evaluation/assessment of nursing care provided. We consider that there is an increasing motivation in using diagnosis; nevertheless, several challenges are tobe overcome toward a betler clinical reasoning, diagnosis accuracy and refinement of the diagnosis already used in a common basis.O diagnóstico de enfermagem segundo a taxonomia da North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) é parte do processo de enfermagem utilizado no ensino de alunos de graduação da Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Vivenciamos a implantação da sistematização da assistência de enfermagem num hospital escola de Campinas desde cerca de dez anos. Após reavaliar o ensino e buscar dados sobre a assistência, verificamos que os alunos de uma forma marcante, relatam a importância do aprendizado desse conteúdo e a aplicação na prática. Entre os enfermeiros assistenciais a importância da classificação da prática de enfermagem e a nomenclatura diagnóstica são reconhecidas. As maiores dificuldades encontradas no processo de enfermagem referem-se à classificação diagnóstica e a evolução/avaliação da assistência. Consideramos que existe uma motivação crescente na utilização da classificação diagnóstica, no entanto ainda existem vários desafios em direção ao raciocínio clínico, à precisão diagnóstica e refinamento dos diagnósticos já utilizados.El uso dei diagnóstico de enfermería según el modelo taxonómico elaborado por la North American Nursing Association (NANDA) forma parte dei proceso de ensenanza utilizado en los cursos de graduación en enfermería. Presenciamos la implantación y sistematización de la asistencia en enfermería en un hospital escuela de Campinas desde hace aproximadamente 10 anos. Después de reevaluar el proceso de ensenanza y de reunir datos sobre la asistencia, verificamos que los alumnos describen de forma acentuada, tanto la importancia de lo aprendido como su aplicación práctica. Entre los enfermeros asistentes, la clasificación y la nomenclatura diagnóstica (en la práctica de enfermería) tienen amplia repercusión. Las mayores dificultades encontradas hasta ahora en el proceso de enfermería, están relacionadas a la clasificación diagnóstica y a la evolución/evaluación de la asistencia. Consideramos que existe una creciente motivación en el uso de la clasificación diagnóstica, sin embargo todavia existen varios desafios relacionados ai raciocínio clínico, a la presición diagnóstica y a la eficacia cualitativa de los diagnósticos utilizados.67067

Community-based full-spectrum harm reduction approaches when caring for psychoactive- and psychedelic-related problems in a transformational festival

Kosmicare Association is an NGO based in Portugal created in 2016 and born out of Boom Festival that works to transform nightlife culture through humanistic, comprehensive and evidence-based interventions and policies that capacitate nightlife governance and offer psychedelic harm reduction, outreach work, drug checking, information, training and good practice exchange. Helena Valente, Daniel Martins, Cristiana Vale Pires, Inês Macedo, Ana Luísa Costa, Raquel Lira and Maria Carmo Carvalho are founding members of the Kosmicare Association. They have been working for many years in harm reduction in several problematic and recreational drug use environments, as project coordinators and drug checking professionals. They have been involved in the coordination of the integrated harm reduction services at Boom Festival - Portugal. Maria Carmo Carvalho, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist. Cristiana Pires, PhD is a psychologist and anthropologist. Inês Macedo, MD is a psychiatrist. Helena Valente and Ana Luísa Costa are psychologists and PhD candidates at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Porto. Daniel Martins is a chemist and PhD candidate at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto. Raquel Lira is a psychologist with a Masters in Psychology of Justice and Deviance. Paula Frango is a psychologist and social worker with a MSc in Education working the Portuguese Government.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Synthesis and evaluation of tumor cell growth inhibition of Methyl 3-Amino-6-[(hetero)arylethynyl]thieno[3,2-b]pyridine-2-carboxylates: structure-activity relationships, effects on the cell cycle and apoptosis

The methyl 3-amino-6-bromothieno[3,2-b]pyridine-2-carboxylate, recently reported by some of us, was reacted in Sonogashira couplings with several (hetero)arylacetylenes. The growth inhibitory activity of the novel methyl 3-amino-6-[(hetero)arylethynyl]thieno[3,2-b]pyridine-2-carboxylates obtained was evaluated on three human tumor cell lines (MCF-7, NCI-H460, A375-C5). The para-methoxyphenyl and the ortho and para-aminophenyl derivatives were the most promising compounds, and their effects were further studied regarding alterations in the normal cell cycle distribution and induction of apoptosis in the NCI-H460 cell line. All three compounds altered cell cycle distribution and the ortho-aminophenyl derivative was further shown to induce apoptosis in the same cell line.Associate Laboratory of the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher EducationFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - (Bruker Avance III 400) REDE/1517/RMN/2005, PTDC/QUI-QUI/111060/2009, SFRH/BD/29274/2006, SFRH/BPD/29112/2006European Social Fund

O Burnout nos terapeutas ocupacionais em Portugal : comparação da sua prevalência em diferentes contextos de prática

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Produtividade do fósforo em Eucalyptus globulus

Congresso Florestal Nacional: a floresta e as gentes - Actas das ComunicaçõesO objectivo deste trabalho foi estudar a produtividade do fósforo (aumento de biomassa por unidade de fósforo na planta e por unidade de tempo, PP) em Eucalyptus globulus. A metodologia utilizada foi desenvolvida por Ingestad & Lund (1979), na qual as relações nutrição/crescimento são estudadas em condições de nutrição e crescimento em equilíbrio dinâmico, ou seja, com concentrações internas de nutrientes constantes e taxa de crescimento relativo constante. As aplicações deste método são inúmeras, desde uma melhor utilização de fertilizantes em viveiro até à compreensão do comportamento das plantas e do crescimento em condições naturais, em termos fisiológicos. O estudo incluiu três clones e um lote seminal, que foi utilizado como controlo, aos quais foram aplicados 3 níveis de nutrição, um óptimo (OP, com livre acesso de nutrientes) e dois sub-óptimos de nutrição de fósforo (PA e PB, com taxas de adição relativa de fósforo de 4 e 2%, respectivamente). Determinaram-se os valores da taxa máxima de crescimento relativo (RGmax), da concentração óptima de fósforo (conteúdo mínimo de fósforo na planta necessário para alcançar a taxa máxima de crescimento relativo, Popt) e da produtividade do fósforo (PP). Observaram-se diferenças significativas na PP entre o clone MP11 e o lote seminal. O clone MP11 foi o que apresentou a maior PP, mas com a mais baixa RGmax, embora não significativamente diferente dos outros clones ou lote seminal (4.58 - 7.08 % dia-1). Os valores obtidos para a PP (14.1 - 29.18 g (PS) g-1 (P) dia-1) estão em consonância com outros estudos

Evaluation of the potential of the common cockle (cerastoderma edule l.) for the ecological risk assessment of estuarine sediments: Bioaccumulation and biomarkers

Common cockles (Cerastoderma edule, L. 1758, Bivalvia: Cardiidae) were subjected to a laboratory assay with sediments collected from distinct sites of the Sado Estuary (Portugal). Cockles were obtained from a mariculture site of the Sado Estuary and exposed through 28-day, semi-static, assays to sediments collected from three sites of the estuary. Sediments from these sites revealed different physico-chemical properties and levels of metals and organic contaminants, ranging from unimpacted (the reference site) to moderately impacted, when compared to available sediment quality guidelines. Cockles were surveyed for bioaccumulation of trace elements (Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb) and organic contaminants (PAHs, PCBs and DDTs). Two sets of potential biomarkers were employed to assess toxicity: whole-body metallothionein (MT) induction and digestive gland histopathology. The bioaccumulation factor and the biota-to-soil accumulation factor were estimated as ecological indices of exposure to metals and organic compounds. From the results it is inferred that C. edule responds to sediment-bound contamination and might, therefore, be suitable for biomonitoring. The species was found capable to regulate and eliminate both types of contaminants. Still, the sediment contamination levels do not account for all the variation in bioaccumulation and MT levels, which may result from the moderate metal concentrations found in sediments, the species’ intrinsic resistance to pollution and from yet unexplained xenobiotic interaction effects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genotoxic damage in Solea senegalensis exposed to sediments from the Sado Estuary (Portugal): effects of metallic and organic contaminants

Juvenile Solea senegalensis (Senegalese sole) were exposed to freshly collected sediments from three sites of the Sado Estuary (West-Portuguese coast) in 28-day laboratory assays in order to assess the ecological risk from sediment contaminants, by measuring two genotoxicity biomarkers in peripheral blood: the percentage of Erythrocyte Nuclear Abnormalities (ENA) by use of an adaptation of the micronucleus test, and the percentage of DNA strand-breakage (DNA-SB) with the Comet assay. Sediments were surveyed for metallic (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb) and organic (PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and DDTs (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane)) contaminants. Sediments from site A (farthest from hotspots of contamination) were found to be the least contaminated and weaker inducers of genotoxic damage, whereas sediments from sites B (urban influence) and C (affected by industrial effluents and agricultural runoffs) were responsible for a very significant increase in both ENA and DNA-SB, site B being most contaminated with metals and site C mainly with organic pollutants, especially PAHs and PCBs . Analysis of genotoxic effects showed a strong correlation between the concentrations of PAHs and PCBs and both biomarkers at sampling times T14 and T28, while the amounts of Cu, As, Cd and Pb were less strongly correlated, and at T28 only, with ENA and DNA-SB. These results show that organic contaminants in sediment are stronger and faster acting genotoxic stressors. The results also suggest that metals may have an inhibitory effect on genotoxicity when interacting with organic contaminants, at least during early exposure. ENA and DNA-SB do not show a linear relationship, but a strong correlation exists between the overall increase in genotoxicity caused by exposure to sediment, confirming that they are different, and possibly non-linked effects that respond similarly to exposure. Although the Comet assay showed enhanced sensitivity, the two analyses are complementary and suitable for the biomonitoring of sediment contaminants in a benthic species like S. senegalensis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estuarine ecological risk based on hepatic histopathological indices from laboratory and in situ tested fish

Juvenile Senegalese soles were exposed through 28-day laboratory and field (in situ) bioassays to sediments from three sites of the Sado estuary (W Portugal): a reference and two contaminated by metallic and organic contaminants. Fish were surveyed for ten hepatic histopathological alterations divided by four distinct reaction patterns and integrated through the estimation of individual histopathological condition indices. Fish exposed to contaminated sediments sustained more damage, with especial respect to regressive changes like necrosis. However, differences were observed between laboratory- and fieldexposed animals, with the latest, for instance, exhibiting more pronounced fatty degeneration and hepatocellular eosinophilic alteration. Also, some lesions in fish exposed to the reference sediment indicate that in both assays unaccounted variables produced experimental background noise, such as hyaline degeneration in laboratory-exposed fish. Still, the field assays yielded results that were found to better reflect the overall levels of contaminants and physico-chemical characteristics of the tested sediments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio