Plano de Estudo Epidemiológico do Porco Alentejano e Cruzado

Com o objectivo de estudar a patologia associada à produção de porcos de raça Alentejana, a Divisão de Saúde Animal dos Laboratórios Pfizer, a empresa Eservet e a Universidade de Évora, através do Hospital Veterinário e do Departamento de Medicina Veterinária estabeleceram um protocolo de colaboração para levar a efeito o Plano de Estudo Epidemiológico do Porco Alentejano e Cruzado – PEEPAC. Os produtores e médicos veterinários assistentes de explorações de suínos de raça Alentejana e/ ou resultantes de cruzamentos com raça Alentejana têm beneficiado, de acordo com o protocolo, de um serviço de apoio ao diagnóstico constituído por um conjunto de análises laboratoriais. As amostras enviadas ao laboratório para análise, consistindo em cadáveres ou vísceras de um ou mais animais, provenientes de diferentes explorações, foram submetidas a exames anatomopatológicos, bacteriológicos e parasitológicos. A pesquisa de vírus foi apenas efectuada quando especificamente solicitada pelo médico veterinário assistente na respectiva exploração. Serão apresentados e discutidos os resultados dos exames necrópsicos e exames histopatológicos; os resultados da pesquisa de bactérias aeróbias, de bactérias anaeróbias e respectivos testes de sensibilidade a agentes antimicrobianos; os resultados dos exames coprológicos, bem como das análises macro e microscópicas para pesquisa de ecto e endoparasitas

Sustained remission from depressive-like behavior depends on hippocampal neurogenesis

Impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis has been associated with the expression of depressive-like symptoms and some studies have suggested neurogenesis as a critical factor in the normalization of behavior by antidepressant (AD) drugs. This study provides robust evidence that ongoing neurogenesis is essential for the maintenance of behavioral homeostasis and that its pharmacological arrest precipitates symptoms commonly found in depressed patients. Further, the incorporation of newly born neurons and astrocytes into the preexisting hippocampal neurocircuitry is shown to be necessary for the spontaneous recovery from the adverse effects of stress and for long-term benefits of AD treatments.We thank M Carneiro and L Martins for technical assistance. AM-P, LP, MM and SM received fellowships from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). This work was supported by FCT (PTDC/SAU-NEU/105180/2008) and the ICVS

Newborn Urinary Metabolic Signatures of Prematurity and Other Disorders: A Case Control Study

This work assesses the urinary metabolite signature of prematurity in newborns by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, while establishing the role of possible confounders and signature specificity, through comparison to other disorders. Gender and delivery mode are shown to impact importantly on newborn urine composition, their analysis pointing out at specific metabolite variations requiring consideration in unmatched subject groups. Premature newborns are, however, characterized by a stronger signature of varying metabolites, suggestive of disturbances in nucleotide metabolism, lung surfactants biosynthesis and renal function, along with enhancement of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity, fatty acids oxidation, and oxidative stress. Comparison with other abnormal conditions (respiratory depression episode, large for gestational age, malformations, jaundice and premature rupture of membranes) reveals that such signature seems to be largely specific of preterm newborns, showing that NMR metabolomics can retrieve particular disorder effects, as well as general stress effects. These results provide valuable novel information on the metabolic impact of prematurity, contributing to the better understanding of its effects on the newborn's state of health.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Newborn Urinary Metabolic Signatures of Prematurity and Other Disorders: A Case Control Study

This work assesses the urinary metabolite signature of prematurity in newborns by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, while establishing the role of possible confounders and signature specificity, through comparison to other disorders. Gender and delivery mode are shown to impact importantly on newborn urine composition, their analysis pointing out at specific metabolite variations requiring consideration in unmatched subject groups. Premature newborns are, however, characterized by a stronger signature of varying metabolites, suggestive of disturbances in nucleotide metabolism, lung surfactants biosynthesis and renal function, along with enhancement of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity, fatty acids oxidation, and oxidative stress. Comparison with other abnormal conditions (respiratory depression episode, large for gestational age, malformations, jaundice and premature rupture of membranes) reveals that such signature seems to be largely specific of preterm newborns, showing that NMR metabolomics can retrieve particular disorder effects, as well as general stress effects. These results provide valuable novel information on the metabolic impact of prematurity, contributing to the better understanding of its effects on the newborn's state of health.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of electrochemical genosensors for the CYPC*2 gene polymorphism detection

Pharmacogenetic studies search for heritable genetic polymorphisms that influence responses to drug therapy. Pharmacogenetics has many possible applications in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy including screening for polymorphisms to choose agents with the greatest potential for efficacy and least risk of toxicity. Pharmacogenetics also informs dose adaptations for specific drugs in patients with aberrant metabolism. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are considered one of the leading causes of death worldwide. To prevent cardiovascular complications and further loss of life oral anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin) are frequently prescribed to patients. Nevertheless, warfarin therapeutic agent presents narrow therapeutic windows with well-documented health risks. Some of these dose-responses are a result of specific single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genetic variations present in a patient´s DNA. Among them, determined SNP in the cytochrome P4502C9 (CYP2C9), namely the CYP2C9*2, gene has been identified as dose-response altering SNP. Therefore, the need for a rapid, selective, low-cost and in real time detection device is crucial before prescribing any anticoagulant. In this work an analytical approach based on electrochemical genosensor technique is under development to create a low-cost genotyping platform able to genotype SNPs related with the therapeutic response of warfarin. Analyzing public databases, two specific 71 bp DNA probes, one with adenine (TA) and other with guanine (TG) SNP genetic variation were selected and designed. The design of this electrochemical genosensor consists of ssDNA immobilization onto gold surfaces that act as the SNPs complementary probes. The hybridization reaction is performed in a sandwich format of the complementary ssDNA, using an enzymatic scheme to amplify the electrochemical signal. The electrochemical signal was performed by using chronoamperometric technique.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

VKORC1 gene polymorphism as cardiovascular biomarker: Detection by electrochemical genosensors

Warfarin is an anticoagulant generally used to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Since of the low therapeutic index of warfarin and frequent complications of prevention or treatment, significant differences in individual doses of warfarin are needed to achieve prophylactic and therapeutic ranges. Recent studies have been reporting that genetic variants of vitamin K epoxide reductase complex (VKORC1) influence the response to warfarin and doses [9]. So, the genetic and pharmacogenetic information of the major cardiovascular diseases plays an important role in the identification of the cardiovascular risk factors and in the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. This work addresses the development of a disposable electrochemical genosensor able of detecting single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the VKORC1 gene. Analysing public databases, two specific 52 bp DNA probes, one with adenine (TA) and another with guanine (TG) SNP genetic variation were selected and selected and designed. The genosensor methodology implied the immobilization of a mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM) linear VKORC1 DNA-capture probe and mercaptohexanol (MCH) onto screen-printed gold electrodes (SPGE). To improve the genosensor´s selectivity and avoid strong secondary structures, that could hinder the hybridization efficiency, a sandwich format of the VKORC1 allele was designed using a complementary fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled signaling DNA probe and enzymatic amplification of the electrochemical signal. Preliminary studies indicate that differences in the electrochemical answers were obtained depending of the hybridization reaction format. In fact, higher electrochemical intensities were measured when the hybridization reaction was performed with a complementary DNA (without SNPs). These results suggested that the sensor is able to discriminate between the complementary DNA and single base mismatch targets having a great potential for the DNA polymorphism analysis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Non‐invasive telemonitoring improves outcomes in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction : a study in high‐risk patients

© 2020 The Authors. ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.Aims: Non-invasive telemonitoring (TM) in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF) may be useful in the early diagnosis of HF decompensation, allowing therapeutic optimization and avoiding re-hospitalization. We describe a TM programme in this population and evaluate its effectiveness during a 12 month period. Methods and results: We conducted a single-centre study of patients discharged from hospital after decompensated HF, allocated into three groups: prospective TM programme, prospective HF protocol follow-up programme (PFP) with no TM facilities, and retrospective propensity-matched usual care (UC). TM effectiveness was assessed by all-cause hospitalizations and mortality; HF-related hospitalization (HFH), days lost to unplanned hospital admissions/death, functional capacity and quality of life (New York Heart Association, Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, 6 min walk test, and plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide) were also evaluated. A total of 125 patients were included [65.9 ± 11.9 years, 32% female, left ventricular ejection fraction 27% (21-32)]. TM was similar to PFP regarding effectiveness; TM reduced all-cause hospitalization and mortality (HR 0.27; 95% CI 0.11-0.71; P < 0.01) and HFH (HR 0.29; 95% CI 0.10-0.89; P < 0.05) as compared with UC. TM reduced the average number of days lost due to unplanned hospital admissions or all-cause death as compared with PFP (5.6 vs. 12.4 days, P < 0.05) and UC (5.6 vs. 48.8 days, P < 0.01). Impact on quality of life was similar between TM and PFP (P = 0.36). Conclusions: In patients with HFrEF and recent HF hospitalization, non-invasive TM reduced 12 month all-cause hospitalization/mortality and HFH as compared with usual care. TM also reduced the number of days lost due to unplanned hospital admission/death as compared with either an optimized protocol-based follow-up programme or usual care.This work was supported by National Health System programme with specific budget attributed to non-invasive TM of HF patients. TM was performed in cooperation with Linde Healthcare®, which had no role in the data interpretation or writing of the report. The corresponding author had full access to all the data in the study and had the final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Real-time precision in 3D concrete printing: controlling layer morphology via machine vision and learning algorithms

3D concrete printing (3DCP) requires precise adjustments to parameters to ensure accurate and high-quality prints. However, despite technological advancements, manual intervention still plays a prominent role in this process, leading to errors and inconsistencies in the final printed part. To address this issue, machine learning vision models have been developed and utilized to analyze captured images and videos of the printing process, detecting defects and deviations. The data collected enable automatic adjustments to print settings, improving quality without the need for human intervention. This work first examines various techniques for real-time and offline corrections. It then introduces a specialized computer vision setup designed for real-time control in robotic 3DCP. Our main focus is on a specific aspect of machine learning (ML) within this system, called speed control, which regulates layer width by adjusting the robot motion speed or material flow rate. The proposed framework consists of three main elements: (1) a data acquisition and processing pipeline for extracting printing parameters and constructing a synthetic training dataset, (2) a real-time ML model for parameter optimization, and (3) a depth camera installed on a customized 3D-printed rotary mechanism for close-range monitoring of the printed layer

Immuno-Golgi as a Tool for Analyzing Neuronal 3D-Dendritic Structure in Phenotypically Characterized Neurons

Characterization of neuronal dendritic structure in combination with the determination of specific neuronal phenotype or temporal generation is a challenging task. Here we present a novel method that combines bromodioxyuridine (BrdU) immunohistochemistry with Golgi-impregnation technique; with this simple non-invasive method, we are able to determine the tridimensional structure of dendritic arborization and spine shape of neurons born at a specific time in the hippocampus of adult animals. This analysis is relevant in physiological and pathological conditions in which altered neurogenesis is implicated, such as aging or emotional disorders

Differential and converging molecular mechanisms of antidepressants' action in the hippocampal dentate gyrus

Major depression is a highly prevalent, multidimensional disorder. Although several classes of antidepressants (ADs) are currently available, treatment efficacy is limited, and relapse rates are high; thus, there is a need to find better therapeutic strategies. Neuroplastic changes in brain regions such as the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) accompany depression and its amelioration with ADs. In this study, the unpredictable chronic mild stress (uCMS) rat model of depression was used to determine the molecular mediators of chronic stress and the targets of four ADs with different pharmacological profiles (fluoxetine, imipramine, tianeptine, and agomelatine) in the hippocampal DG. All ADs, except agomelatine, reversed the depression-like behavior and neuroplastic changes produced by uCMS. Chronic stress induced significant molecular changes that were generally reversed by fluoxetine, imipramine, and tianeptine. Fluoxetine primarily acted on neurons to reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory response genes and increased a set of genes involved in cell metabolism. Similarities were found between the molecular actions and targets of imipramine and tianeptine that activated pathways related to cellular protection. Agomelatine presented a unique profile, with pronounced effects on genes related to Rho-GTPase-related pathways in oligodendrocytes and neurons. These differential molecular signatures of ADs studied contribute to our understanding of the processes implicated in the onset and treatment of depression-like symptoms.Patricia Patricio, Antonio Mateus-Pinheiro, Monica Morais, and Nuno Dinis Alves received fellowships from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). Michal Korostynski and Marcin Piechota were funded by the POIG De-Me-Ter 3.1 and NCN 2011/03/D/NZ3/01686 grants. This study was co-funded by the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS) and ON. 2-O NOVO NORTE-North Portugal Regional Operational Programme 2007/2013, of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2007/ 2013, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by the SwitchBox Consortium (Contract FP7-Health-F2-2010-259772 from the European Union). The authors declare no conflict of interest