Multidimensional measurement of exposure to music in childhood: Beyond the musician/ non-musician dichotomy

Much research in music psychology characterizes the music background of its participants in a dichotomous manner, labeling participants as “musicians” and “non-musicians” or professionals and non-professionals. However, this terminology is inconsistent from study to study, and even more sophisticated measures fail to accurately represent music experiences; moreover, there is no standardized measure suitable for use with younger participants. This article presents a new measure, the Exposure to Music in Childhood Inventory, for capturing the amount and type of exposure to music activities suitable for use with children. Children from public and private school, aged 5 to 13 years old (N = 1006; M = 8.36 years old, SD = 1.5 years) completed the inventory, and through a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis a two-factor solution was obtained. The first factor includes personal music listening activities, home musical environment and the influence of television and the internet; the second reflects more social, active and public elements of music-making, playing an instrument and performing. This scale is suitable for use in a wide range of future research to more accurately assess the kinds of music activities children have access to in a dimensional way, which can have a bearing on their understanding of musi

Osteochondral Tissue Engineering: The Potential of Electrospinning and Additive Manufacturing

The socioeconomic impact of osteochondral (OC) damage has been increasing steadily over time in the global population, and the promise of tissue engineering in generating biomimetic tissues replicating the physiological OC environment and architecture has been falling short of its projected potential. The most recent advances in OC tissue engineering are summarised in this work, with a focus on electrospun and 3D printed biomaterials combined with stem cells and biochemical stimuli, to identify what is causing this pitfall between the bench and the patients' bedside. Even though significant progress has been achieved in electrospinning, 3D-(bio)printing, and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies, it is still challenging to artificially emulate the OC interface and achieve complete regeneration of bone and cartilage tissues. Their intricate architecture and the need for tight spatiotemporal control of cellular and biochemical cues hinder the attainment of long-term functional integration of tissue-engineered constructs. Moreover, this complexity and the high variability in experimental conditions used in different studies undermine the scalability and reproducibility of prospective regenerative medicine solutions. It is clear that further development of standardised, integrative, and economically viable methods regarding scaffold production, cell selection, and additional biochemical and biomechanical stimulation is likely to be the key to accelerate the clinical translation and fill the gap in OC treatment

The Extracellular Matrix: An Accomplice in Gastric Cancer Development and Progression

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a dynamic and highly organized tissue structure, providing support and maintaining normal epithelial architecture. In the last decade, increasing evidence has emerged demonstrating that alterations in ECM composition and assembly strongly affect cellular function and behavior. Even though the detailed mechanisms underlying cell-ECM crosstalk are yet to unravel, it is well established that ECM deregulation accompanies the development of many pathological conditions, such as gastric cancer. Notably, gastric cancer remains a worldwide concern, representing the third most frequent cause of cancer-associated deaths. Despite increased surveillance protocols, patients are usually diagnosed at advanced disease stages, urging the identification of novel diagnostic biomarkers and efficient therapeutic strategies. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview regarding expression patterns of ECM components and cognate receptors described in normal gastric epithelium, pre-malignant lesions, and gastric carcinomas. Important insights are also discussed for the use of ECM-associated molecules as predictive biomarkers of the disease or as potential targets in gastric cancer.This work was supported by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors (COMPETE 2020), Programa Operacional de Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI), Programa Cells 2020, 9, 394 14 of 23 Operacional Regional do Norte (Norte 2020) and by National Funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the projects PTDC/MED-GEN/30356/2017, PTDC/BIM-ONC/0171/2012, PTDC/BIM-ONC/0281/2014, NORTE-01–0145-FEDER-000029, and doctoral grants SFRH/BD/114687/2016-AMM, SFRH/BD/143533/2019-JP, and SFRH/BD/108009/2015-SM. We acknowledge the American Association of Patients with Hereditary Gastric Cancer “No Stomach for Cancer” for funding Seruca and Figueiredo’s research

A machine learning approach for single cell interphase cell cycle staging

The cell nucleus is a tightly regulated organelle and its architectural structure is dynamically orchestrated to maintain normal cell function. Indeed, fluctuations in nuclear size and shape are known to occur during the cell cycle and alterations in nuclear morphology are also hallmarks of many diseases including cancer. Regrettably, automated reliable tools for cell cycle staging at single cell level using in situ images are still limited. It is therefore urgent to establish accurate strategies combining bioimaging with high-content image analysis for a bona fide classification. In this study we developed a supervised machine learning method for interphase cell cycle staging of individual adherent cells using in situ fluorescence images of nuclei stained with DAPI. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier operated over normalized nuclear features using more than 3500 DAPI stained nuclei. Molecular ground truth labels were obtained by automatic image processing using fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (Fucci) technology. An average F1-Score of 87.7% was achieved with this framework. Furthermore, the method was validated on distinct cell types reaching recall values higher than 89%. Our method is a robust approach to identify cells in G1 or S/G2 at the individual level, with implications in research and clinical applications.This work was supported by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors (COMPETE 2020), Programa Operacional de Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI), Programa Opera-cional Regional do Norte (Norte 2020) and by National Funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the projects PTDC/BBB-IMG/0283/2014, PTDC/BTM-SAL/30383/2017, LARSyS-UIDB/50009/2020, LARSyS-UID/EEA/50009/2019, NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000029 and doctoral grant SFRH/ BD/114687/2016. The authors acknowledge the American Association of Patients with Hereditary Gastric Cancer “No Stomach for Cancer” for funding Seruca’s research and the support of the i3S Scientific Platform Advanced Light Microscopy, member of the PPBI (PPBI-POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022122)

Human Papillomavirus in Brazilian women with and without cervical lesions

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Human Papillomavirus (HPV) high-risk (HR) types are the causal factor for cervical cancer and premalignant dysplasia. Data on frequency of HPV types provide a basis to design and evaluate HPV prevention programs. Taking into account the heterogeneity of HPV types across and within populations this study aims to access the HPV frequency in Brazilian women.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We identified 24 different types of HPV, including a <it>Betapapillomavirus </it>and a likely new type, previously reported, from 132 women positive for the virus analysed by Hybrid Capture II assay. These women were infected by a single or multiple HPV types and 142 HPV strains were identified. HR types were found in 75% of women and HPV types 16, 18, 45, 58, and 66 had the highest frequency. Significant differences in frequency of HR HPV types were found for presence of cervical lesions, and for different HPV species and women age.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Compared with previous studies in Brazil, our data indicated differences in frequency and HPV type diversity, a significant association of other HR-types but HPV16 and 18 and cervical lesions, and a trend for distinct distribution of HPV types by age.</p

Russel-Silver syndrome

Russel-Silver syndrome is a pattern of malformations whose most characteristic features are intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation, a characteristic facial appearance and limb asymmetry. We report a 9-month-old male born at 37 weeks' gestation. Family history, pregnancy and delivery revealed no significant anomalies. The infant had no intrauterine growth retardation (birth weight and height ranging between the 25 th and 50 th percentile). The infant's head circumference was disproportionately large for the small facial mass. Clinical findings included a small triangular face with frontal bossing, blue sclerae, thin lips with down-turned corners, retromicrognathia, clinodactyly of the fifth finger in both hands and limb asymmetry with undergrowth of the right leg and the left arm. The patient presented postnatal growth deficiency with weight and height 5th percentile; his head circumference grew normally along the 90 th percentile. Psychomotor development was appropriate for his age (9 months) according to the Sheridan Scale. On the basis of this clinical evidence we diagnosed Russel-Silver syndrome, attributing particular relevance to the normal intrauterine growth and the crossed asymmetry of the limbs

Impact of montelukast as add on treatment to the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19): protocol for an investigator-initiated open labeled randomized controlled pragmatic trial

Background: Montelukast, a safe drug widely use in asthmatic patients, may be an adjuvant in the treatment of Covid-19, either by improving lung injury and inflammation, or by acting as an anti-viral drug. We aim to assess the efficacy and safety of montelukast as add-on treatment in patients with Covid-19. Methods: We propose a randomized, controlled, parallel, open-label trial involving 160 hospitalized adult patients with confirmed Covid-19. Patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either montelukast 10 mg, once a day for 14 days, in addition to standard of care (SoC), or SoC alone. SoC will follow the best practice for treating these patients, according to updated recommendations. The primary outcome is time to recovery. Participants will be assessed using diary cards to capture data on treatment-related improvements in an 8-point ordinal scale. Secondary endpoints will include changes in respiratory and inflammatory parameters, and adverse events. This phase IV clinical trial will take place at the University Hospital of São João, Porto. EudraCT number: 2020-001747-21. Results: This study intends to generate scientific evidence on efficacy and safety of montelukast as add-on treatment in Covid-19. The results will be essential to improve clinical outcomes which remains to be determined. Conclusion: Montelukast has been suggested as a potential drug with 2 main actions on Covid-19. The validation of montelukast as an adjuvant treatment may improve lung injury, inflammation, and symptoms leading to a better prognosis. The use of this drug may fulfil the existing gap on therapeutic options

Tempo entre consultas de nutrição condiciona a adesão à intervenção

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cross-reactive LTP sensitization in food-dependent exercise-induced urticaria/anaphylaxis: a pilot study of a component-resolved and in vitro depletion approach

Background: Challenge tests for food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) carry some risk and have a high rate of false negatives. Our aim was to explore the usefulness of an in vitro immunodepletion assay and an allergen microarray test in the identification of IgE-mediated cross-reactive food allergens in patients with suspected FDEIA or food-dependent exercise-induced urticaria and panallergen sensitization. Methods: Three patients with a history of food dependent exercise induced urticaria/anaphylaxis and food panallergen sensitization in whom a food-exercise challenge was not feasible were selected: a 25-year-old man with cholinergic urticaria who experienced generalized urticaria and angioedema during a soccer match after drinking a peach-based soft drink; a 19-year-old woman with allergic rhinitis and controlled asthma who experienced anaphylactic shock while playing soccer, having eaten walnuts in the previous 90 min; and a 57-year-old man with baker’s asthma who experienced four episodes of anaphylaxis during exercise after ingesting wheat-containing food. All individuals underwent a diagnostic work-up with skin prick tests, specific IgE (sIgE) and ImmunoCAP ISAC test. For the in vitro immunodepletion procedure, patients’ serum was pre-incubated with the suspected native allergen (peach, walnut, or wheat) in solid phase (ImmunoCAP). The eluted serum, containing unbound IgE, was collected and samples were re-tested using Immunocap ISAC 112 and compared with baseline results. Results: All individuals were sensitized to lipid transfer proteins. The first patient was sensitized to Pru p 3, Cor a 8, Jug r 3, and Ara h 9; after pre-incubation with peach there was 100% depletion of sIgE to all components. The second patient was sensitized to Pru p 3, Cor a 8, Jug r 3, and Ara h 9; immunodepletion with walnut depleted sIgE to Ara h 9 by 67%, Pru p 3 and Pla a 3 (60%), Art v 3 (75%), Jug r 3 (88%), and Cor a 8 (100%). The third patient was sensitized to Pru p 3, Jug r 3, Ara h 9, and Tri a 14; immunodepletion with wheat depleted Tri a 14 only (100%). Conclusions: In vitro immunodepletion might be a useful diagnostic tool in food dependent exercise induced urticaria/anaphylaxis with panallergen sensitization, particularly for identifying the culprit allergen and guiding dietary elimination recommendations

In vitro and in vivo performance of methacrylated gellan gum hydrogel formulations for cartilage repair

Methacrylated gellan gum (GGMA) formulation is proposed as a second‐generation hydrogel for controlled delivery of cartilage‐forming cells into focal chondral lesions, allowing immediate in situ retention of cells and 3D filling of lesion volume, such approach deemed compatible with an arthroscopic procedure. Formulation optimization was carried out in vitro using chondrocytes and adipose mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (ASCs). A proof‐of‐concept in vivo study was conducted using a rabbit model with induced chondral lesions. Outcomes were compared with microfracture or non‐treated control. Three grading scores were used to evaluate tissue repair after 8 weeks by macroscopic, histological and immunohistochemical analysis. Intense collagen type II and low collagen type I gene and protein expression were achieved in vitro by the ASC + GGMA formulation, in light with development of healthy chondral tissue. In vivo, this formulation promoted significantly superior de novo cartilage formation compared with the non‐treated group. Maintenance of chondral height and integration with native tissue was further accomplished. The physicochemical properties of the proposed GGMA hydrogel exhibited highly favorable characteristics and biological performance both in vitro and in vivo, positioning itself as an attractive xeno‐free biomaterial to be used with chondrogenic cells for a cost‐effective treatment of focal chondral lesions