A importância da atribuição do galardão de Reserva Mundial de Surf na Ericeira

A costa portuguesa é um recurso incomensurável graças à sua longa extensão, perfazendo um total de aproximadamente 1860 Km, distribuídos por Portugal Continental (943 Km), Arquipélago dos Açores (667 Km) e o Arquipélago da Madeira( 250Km). Esta singularidade dotou o país de uma oferta diversificada de produtos turísticos sendo o Sol e Mar, Cruzeiros e Turismo Náutico (desportos náuticos e atividades Marítimo-turísticas) um recurso turístico de aposta e uma nova área de negócio, aumentando a procura e/ou incentivando o investimento público/privado. Entre os vários desportos náuticos, destaca-se a importância que a modalidade de ondas (reconhecidas pela Internacional Surf Association – ISA como o Surf, o Bodyboard, o Longboard, o Kneebooard, o Tandem, o Skimboard, o Bodysurf, o Tow-in, o Tand up Paddle Surfe o Stand up Paddle Racing) tem ganho nos eixos Cascais-Estoril, Setúbal-Tróia e Ericeira-Nazaré-Peniche, reforçada com a atribuição do galardão de Reserva Mundial de Surf à Ericeira, no ano de 2011; a primeira da Europa e a Segunda do Mundo. Esta atribuição gerou uma nova dinâmica na economia local e regional, asseverando uma atratividade ao sector, ancorado numa estratégica comercial dirigida não só ao mercado internacional como também ao mercado interno, promovendo um conjunto de eventos relacionados quer com o desenvolvimento das potencialidades do território e ambiente (terra e mar), quer com a capacidade de inovação. Atrair investimento à região sob o mote da modalidade de ondas e estimular a procura (interna/externa) são cruciais para a economia local e a criação de emprego

Improvement of the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction method (ammonium persulfate digestion) for the determination of iodine in urine samples

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Monitoring glucose, calcium, and magnesium levels in saliva as a non-invasive analysis by sequential injection multiparametric determination

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of a sequential injection method for bromate determination in soil leachates

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Disposable microfluidic paper-based device for on-site quantification of urinary creatinine

In this work, a new microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD) was developed for on-hand creatinine quantification in urine samples. When compared to conventional methods, this innovative paper device is more accessible and portable, it provides low-cost analysis (cost of consumables of 40 cents), and it is applicable to non-invasive biological fluids. Furthermore, the paper-based approach is used within an environmentally friendly assembly with no need for wax printing and small amounts of reagents resulting in low waste production and easy disposal by incineration. Its assembly method includes cutting paper discs arranged into several reading units within a plastic pouch, enabling effective creatinine quantification with accuracy based on a vertical flow approach. The method is based on the colourimetric reaction between creatinine and alkaline picric acid, where the solution colour changes from yellow to orange/red. Under optimal conditions, the developed method allowed creatinine quantification in the dynamic range of 2.20–35.0 mg/dL, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.66 mg/dL and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 2.20 mg/dL. The colour intensity developed was processed in ImageJ software, based on digital image scanning, performed in 20 min (up to 4 h) after the sample insertion. The device is stable for up to one week when stored in a vacuum at 4 °C. The method was validated by comparing the results with a batch-wise procedure, where there were no statistically significant differences between both methods.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Neural correlates of face familiarity in institutionalised children and links to attachment disordered behaviour

BACKGROUND: One of the most well-documented sequelae of early maltreatment and institutionalisation is attachment problems, including behaviours under the labels of reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED). Despite growing evidence of the neurobiological effects of institutionalisation, the neural correlates of these behavioural patterns are largely unknown. METHODS: The current study examined effects of both institutionalisation in general and attachment disordered behaviour, in particular, on brain-based markers of face processing, in 100 Portuguese children (70 currently institutionalised, 30 continuously raised by their families). Children's neural processing of caregiver's and stranger's faces was assessed with Event-Related Potentials (ERPs). RESULTS: Compared to children from the community, institutionalised children showed smaller amplitudes in the N170, to both stranger and caregiver faces. Amongst the institutionalised group, living in a setting with a higher children-to-caregivers' ratio was associated with smaller P400 amplitudes. The display of DSED symptoms was associated with a smaller P1 to both faces, as well as a reduced differentiation between faces in P400 amplitudes and smaller P400 to the stranger's face. In contrast, RAD symptoms were not associated with any ERP measures. CONCLUSIONS: Results replicate previously reported hypoactivation in institutionalised children, in a less-globally deprived setting than past work, indicating that such a pattern is associated with lack of individualised care and increased symptoms of DSED

Detection of apoptotic events, using different methods, in renal tissues after acute haemorrhage.

Apoptosis plays an important role in cellular damage caused by acute renal hypoperfusion. The aim of this study was to detect apoptotic events in an animal model of acute haemorrhage, followed by volume replacement with different intravenous solution

Role of human umbilical cord mesenchymal progenitors conditioned media in neuronal/glial cell densities, viability, and proliferation

It has been recently reported that mesenchymal progenitor/stem cells isolated from the Wharton’s Jelly (WJ) of umbilical cords (UC) ameliorate the condition of animals suffering from central nervous system (CNS)-related conditions. However, little is known on the mechanisms that regulate these actions. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to determine how the conditioned media (CM) of a population of mesenchymal progenitors present in the UC WJ, known as human umbilical cord perivascular cells (HUCPVCs), regulate processes such as cell viability, survival, and proliferation of postnatal hippocampal neurons and glial cells. For this purpose primary hippocampal and cortical cultures of neurons and glial cells, respectively, were incubated with CM from HUCPVCs. Results revealed that HUCPVCs CM increase glial cell viability and proliferation. Furthermore, it was observed that glial cell cultures exhibited higher numbers of GFAP-positive cells (astrocytes) and O4-positive cells (oligodendrocytes) when incubated with the CM. Additionally, it was also observed that the growth factors presents in the CM did not induce an increase on the microglial cells number. For hippocampal neurons similar results were obtained, as cultures exposed to HUCPVCs CM disclosed higher numbers of MAP-2–positive cells. Moreover it was also observed that the cell viability and proliferation in this primary hippocampal cell culture system was also higher, when compared to control cultures. From these results it was possible to conclude that HUCPVCs release neuroregulatory factors that have a direct impact on the densities, viability, and proliferation of glial cells and hippocampal primary cultures.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through funds from POCTI and/or FEDER programs (funding to ICVS, 3B's Research Group and post doctoral fellowship to A.J. Salgado-SFRH/BPD/17595/2004); funding from Funda ao Calouste de Gulbenkian. The authors would also like to acknowledge Prof. J.E. Davies from the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto, Canada, for kindly providing some of the HUCPVCs lots used in the present work. This work was performed following the terms of the cooperation agreement signed between the 3B's Research Group of the University of Minho and the Hospital de Sao Marcos in Braga and approved by its ethical committee

Mineralocorticoid Receptor in Calcium Handling of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

For decades, the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists have been used for the management of cardiovascular diseases; however, the molecular mechanisms involved in their beneficial effects are not fully understood. Recent publications point to the fundamental role of aldosterone and vascular MR in the regulation of arterial tone, vascular contractility, and cell proliferation. However, the intricate transduction machinery activated by vascular MRs has begun to be revealed with the help of transgenic rodent models and novel transcriptional analysis approaches. Specifically, in this chapter, we review and discuss the most recent contributions about the fine-tuning that the MR exerts on the expression and function of ion channels that participate in calcium handling of vascular cells and the therapeutic implications for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases

Child’s oxytocin response to mother-child interaction: the contribution of child genetics and maternal behavior

The oxytocinergic system is a primary biological system involved in regulating a child’s needs for bonding and for protection from threats. It is responsive to social experiences in close relationships, though evidence across studies is not entirely consistent. Guided by previous literature, we investigated individual and environmental factors predicting and presumably affecting children’s oxytocin (OT) response during mother-child interaction. by focusing on children’s OXTR genotype, and maternal behavior, respectively. This was achieved by assessing salivary OT levels of 88 Portuguese preschoolers prior to and following a mother-child interaction task, and by genotyping children’s OXTR SNP rs53576. Maternal interactive behavior was assessed using Ainsworth scales. Results indicated that child genotype and mother’s sensitive responsiveness interacted in predicting change in child OT concentrations from before to after the interaction. Specifically, Genotypic differences emerged under conditions of low maternal sensitive responsiveness: OT levels increased over time for children with the GG genotype when maternal sensitive responsiveness was low, but no such genotypic differences were evident when mothers were highly sensitive responsive. Findings provide preliminary support for the notion that increased understanding of children’s OT and close relationships requires consideration of both individual and environmental factors.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio