Sorption of lead (Pb2+) from aqueous solutions using chars obtained in the pyrolysis of forestry pine, rubber tires and plastics

Carbonaceous solid products resulting from thermochemical processes (pyrolysis, gasification), commonly known as chars, are emerging as low-cost sorbents of metallic contaminants, being their effectiveness already demonstrated in several studies (Inyang et al., 2012; Fuente-Cuesta et al., 2012; Ko³odyñska et al., 2012; Quek and Balasubramanian, 2009; Devecia and Kar, 2013). Given the fact that the commercial viability of pyrolysis and gasification plants for the treatment and valorisation of waste streams are increasingly being demonstrated, it is expected that large amounts of solid chars will be available in a near future, as by-products or as main products (pyrolysis-carbonization). Chars may possess several characteristics which turn them effective as heavy metals sorbents: aromatic carbon matrix with relatively porous structures, the presence of functional groups or inorganic inclusions in the surface providing active sites to interact with metallic species (Inyang et al., 2012; Fuente-Cuesta et al., 2012; Ko³odyñska et al., 2012; Quek and Balasubramanian, 2009; Devecia and Kar, 2013; Lu et al., 2012). Lead (Pb2+) is considered as a priority substance in the field of European water policy (EU, 2000; EU, 2008) which means that measures shall be taken by the Member States to eliminate or reduce the water pollution caused by this pollutant in order to fulfill the emission/discharge limits legislated for this compound

Atividade Física e Exercício Físico: Especificidades no Doente Cardíaco

A atividade física é atualmente um comportamento de grande importância para a promoção de um estilo de vida saudável, contudo vários estudos têm demonstrado elevada prevalência de inatividade e comportamentos sedentários nas pessoas com doença cardiovascular. Uma prática regular de atividade física e de exercício físico em níveis adequados assegura diversos benefícios para a pessoa com doença cardiovascular. Programas de reabilitação cardíaca e de prevenção secundária têm como um dos principais objetivos o incentivo à adoção de estilos de vida mais ativos. Neste artigo de revisão, os conceitos e recomendações sobre a atividade física e o exercício físico estruturado em pessoas com doença cardiovascular, vão ser abordados

Antimicrobial activity and lipid profile of seaweed extracts from the North Portuguese coast

Seaweeds or marine macroalgae are a potential renewable resource in the marine environment and can represent a source of new natural compounds for human nutrition. This experimental work focused on the selection of a suitable extraction method, using Gracilaria vermiculophylla as a model, followed by the characterization of the antimicrobial activity of different solvent extracts of Gracilaria vermiculophylla, Porphyra dioica and Chondrus crispus, both from wild and from an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture system (IMTA), collected in the north of Portugal. Additionally, the fatty acid profile of the seaweed extracts was also investigated. Extraction tests included the definition of the physical state of the seaweed, temperature and type of solvents to be used during the process. Results revealed that test organisms (Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria as well as one yeast species) were more sensitive to extracts obtained with dried algae, processed continuously at higher temperatures. Results from antimicrobial activity of wild and IMTA seaweed extracts showed stronger antimicrobial activity in extracts of ethyl acetate when compared with those from methanol and diethyl ether; furthermore, among the type of microorganisms tested, there was tendency for inhibition of the Gram positive ones. In general, there appears to be a higher antimicrobial activity for the microorganisms under study in extracts obtained from aquaculture species, when compared with the wild ones. The fatty acid profile of ethyl acetate extracts revealed a predominance of saturated fatty acids (SFA), especially palmitic acid (16:0), followed by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). A higher content of fatty acids in aquaculture extracts of Gracilaria vermiculophylla and Porphyra dioica was also observed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluating simulated annealing algorithms in the optimization of bacterial strains

In this work, a Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm is proposed for a Metabolic Engineering task: the optimization of the set of gene deletions to apply to a microbial strain to achieve a desired production goal. Each mutant strain is evaluated by simulating its phenotype using the Flux-Balance Analysis approach, under the premise that microorganisms have maximized their growth along natural evolution. A set based representation is used in the SA to encode variable sized solutions, enabling the automatic discovery of the ideal number of gene deletions. The approach was compared to the use of Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) to solve the same task. Two case studies are presented considering the production of succinic and lactic acid as the target, with the bacterium E. coli. The variable sized SA seems to be the best alternative, outperforming the EAs, showing a fast convergence and low variability among the several runs and also enabing the automatic discovery of the ideal number of knockouts.FEDER.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) - POSC/EIA/59899/2004

Evaluation of diabetic foot amputation rate

Acta Med Port. 2003 Nov-Dec;16(6):373-80. Epub 2003 Dec 1. [Evaluation of diabetic foot amputation rate]. [Article in Portuguese] Horta C, Vilaverde J, Mendes P, Gonçalves I, Serra L, Pinto PS, Almeida R, Carvalho R, Dores J, Serra MB. Serviços de Endocrinologia, Ortopedia e Cirurgia Vascular, Hospital Geral de Santo António, Porto. Abstract In 1987, it was created the first portuguese Diabetic Foot Clinic in Oporto, at the Hospital Geral de Santo António. The distinction between neuropathic and ischaemic foot was the key stone to reduce drastically the rate of major amputations in the first two years of activity. Since then and until 1995 the rate of major amputations had stabilised around 8%. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if there was any change in the last three years. A retrospective study was performed reviewing the clinical files of 843 new patients between 1998 and 2000. The 593 patients who presented with a foot ulcer with or without infection were selected: 60.4% with neuropathic foot and 39.6% with ischaemic one. Overall, 31 of the 593 patients with ulcer or infection were treated with major amputation (5.2%). There was a statistical difference between the major amputation outcome among the two types of foot (p < 0.001). Necrosis showed to carry a poor prognosis (30.7% in ischaemic foot vs 8,3% in neuropathic, p = 0.024). There was no further statistical significance for age, sex, type or duration of diabetes as risk factors for major amputation. This retrospective study has showed a slight reduction in the rate of major amputations since 1995. Poor prognosis was related to necrosis and ischaemic foot. Further improvement requires harder investment in patients' education, as well as in alerting the primary health care physicians, for the most unpredictable catastrophic complication of diabetes. PMID: 15631847 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

Mechanical Thrombectomy in Stroke in Nonagenarians: Useful or Futile?

Background: Mechanical thrombectomy is the standard treatment in acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion, but there is limited evidence about its efficacy in very old patients. We sought to analyse safety and effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy in nonagenarian versus octagenarian patients. Methods: We included consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion subjected to mechanical thrombectomy, during 29 months in a tertiary center. Patients were divided into two sub-groups, according to age: 80-89 and >90 years old. Recanalization, complications, functional outcome and mortality at discharge and at 3 months were compared. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of functional outcome at 3 months of follow-up, assessed by the modified Rankin Scale. Results: A total of 128 octogenarians (88.9%) and 16 nonagenarians (11.1%) met the inclusion criteria. Successful revascularization was achieved in 87.5% of octagenarians and in 81.3% of nonagenarians (p = 0.486). Symptomatic hemorrhage occurred in 3.1% and 6.3% of younger and older patients, respectively (p = 0.520). Cerebral edema occured in 35.2% of octagenarians versus 25.0% of nonagenarians (p = 0.419). Functional independence (mRS ≤ 2) at 3 months was achieved in 28 (22.6%) and 5 (31.3%) of octagenarians and nonagenarians, respectively (p = 0.445). Mortality at 3 months was not significantly higher in nonagenarians (37.5%) versus octagenarians (33.9%, p = 0.773). Conclusions: No significant diferences were found in functional outcome, mortality, recanalization and complication rates between octagenarians and nonagenarians submitted to mechanical thrombectomy, underlining that patients should not be excluded from mechanical thrombectomy based on age alone.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

CO2 Concentration in Day Care Centres is Related to Wheezing in Attending Children

Poor ventilation at day care centres (DCCs) was already reported, although its effects on attending children are not clear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between wheezing in children and indoor CO2 (a ventilation surrogate marker) in DCC and to identify behaviours and building characteristics potentially related to CO2. In phase I, 45 DCCs from Lisbon and Oporto (Portugal) were selected through a proportional stratified random sampling. In phase II, 3 months later, 19 DCCs were further reassessed after cluster analysis for the greatest difference comparison. In both phases, children’s respiratory health was assessed by ISAAC-derived questionnaires. Indoor CO2 concentrations and building characteristics of the DCC were evaluated in both phases, using complementary methods. Mixed effect models were used to analyze the data. In phase I, which included 3,186 children (mean age 3.1±1.5 years), indoor CO2 concentration in the DCC rooms was associated with reported wheezing in the past 12months (27.5 %) (adjusted odds ratio (OR) for each increase of 200 ppm 1.04, 95 % CI 1:01 to 1:07). In phase II, the association in the subsample of 1,196 children seen in 19 out of the initial 45 DCCs was not significant (adjusted OR 1.02, 95 % CI 0.96 to 1.08). Indoor CO2 concentration was inversely associated with the practices of opening Windows and internal doors and with higher wind velocity. A positive trend was observed between CO2 and prevalence of reported asthma (4.7 %). Conclusion: Improved ventilation is needed to achieve a healthier indoor environment in DCC

Trust Versus Distrust in Care Relation: Nurse-Client Trust, a Concept in Constrution in CHLN-HPV

A temática “confiança” é alvo de análise e reflexão nos vários sectores da sociedade actual, incluindo o sector da saúde. De facto, o binómio Confiança versus Desconfiança está sempre presente no seio de qualquer relação interpessoal, sendo definido como uma necessidade humana básica. Os cuidados de enfermagem devem ser orientados por modelos que se centrem na humanidade e singularidade da pessoa, transformando o cuidado numa relação gratificante para ambos os intervenientes. Objectivo: Divulgar o percurso desenvolvido no Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte – Hospital Pulido Valente, no âmbito do Projecto Institucional da Rede Internacional PRAQSI denominado “Cuidar do Debate”, explicitando os ganhos obtidos relativamente à relação de confiança enfermeiro-cliente, enquanto elemento intrínseco à relação de cuidar. Metodologia: Investigação/Acção baseada na análise, na partilha e na reconstrução das práticas de Enfermagem ao longo de três Workshops. Resultados: Foram observadas mudanças na prática clínica dos enfermeiros, das quais salientamos: aumento da mobilização do conceito de confiança no seio das equipas clínicas, melhoria da relação de ajuda/ confiança em enfermeiro–cliente–família e maior sensibilidade para a escuta. Conclusões: A construção da relação de confiança é um processo dinâmico no qual os enfermeiros e os clientes são actores aliados. O enfermeiro assume um papel preponderante, devendo desempenhá-lo com as competências inerentes à profissão. O enfermeiro é o instrumento terapêutico da relação de cuidar, pelo que se aconselha a replicação desta metodologia nos contextos clínicos em colaboração com as instituições de ensino superior

Prevalence of shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli in bovine cattle: a survey in the north region of portugal

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains are food-borne pathogens that can be transmitted to humans through many different routes, but mainly through consumption of contaminated foods. STEC strains are characterized by the production of Shiga toxins (Stx) that are encoded by two genes stx1 and/or stx2. Each toxin can be subdivided into subtypes and, currently, there are three known subtypes for stx1 (stx1a, stx1c, and stx1d) and seven for stx2 (stx2a, stx2b, stx2c, stx2d, stx2e, stx2f, and stx2g). Others virulence factors, such the production of intimin protein, encoded by eae gene, are associated with severe outcomes of STEC-associated diseases. The most common STEC serotype implicated worldwide is E. coli O157:H7, but many other STEC strains are associated with severe human diseases. Ruminants, especially cattle, are a major reservoir for O157 and non-O157 STEC. Information on STEC prevalence in Portuguese dairy cattle is limited, so we analysed for the presence of STEC 329 faecal specimens collected from the rectum of healthy dairy cattle. The samples were collected from adults lactating cows (n=194) and from heifers (n=135) with ages among 6 to 18 months, between March and June 2019, at milk farms (n=17) in the North region of Portugal. After enrichment, in modified TSB with novobiocin, samples were analysed by real time PCR to detect the presence of stx1, stx2 and eae in accordance to ISO/TS 13136:2012(E). In addition, conventional PCR for the detection of sxt1 and stx2 gene subtypes was performed according to the guidelines of the VTEC European Union Reference Laboratory. A total of 139 isolates were recovered from 108 positive animals (dairy cows and heifers). The STEC prevalence was significantly higher in heifers (68/135; 50.4%) than in adult cows (40/194; 20.6%) (p < 0.05, Fisher exact test statistic value is <0.00001). STEC harbouring only stx2 (67/139; 48.2%) were the most common strains, followed by both genes stx1 and stx2 (40/139, 28.8%) and stx1 (32/139, 23%). Of the 139 STEC isolates, 35.3% have also the eae gene. Subtyping of stx1 (72) showed that stx1a was the most prevalent (100%), followed by stx1c (88.9%) and stx1d (6.9%). Stx1a and stx1c subtypes occurred alone or combination with other subtypes. However, subtype stx1d was only found in combination with subtype stx1a and or stx1c. Concerning strains with stx2 (107), the stx2a subtype was the most common and was found in 84.1% of the isolates, followed by stx2d (76.6%), stx2c (74.8%), stx2g (23.4%), stx2b (4.7%), stx2e (3.7%) and stx2f (0.9%). No strains carried stx2b or stx2f alone. For isolates carrying stx1 and stx2 simultaneously, combinations of subtypes stx1a, stx1c, stx2a, stx2c and stx2d were the most common. Furthermore, in 42 isolates (30.2%) 4 or more stx subtypes were detected simultaneously. These results show that STEC prevalence in dairy cattle is high, and that most isolates present a diverse combination of Shiga-toxin genes. Future strategies are needed to mitigate the presence of STEC in cattle and then reduce the possible contamination of food and, thus, humans.Project PhageSTEC (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029628) funded by FEDER through COMPETE2020 (Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização) and by National Funds thought FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio