Space-time analysis of pulmonary tuberculosis hospitalizations in mainland Portugal (2002-2016)

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is it a problem?

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Nuevas especies de Lepidoptera para Portugal continental (Insecta: Lepidoptera)

Six new species are added to the Lepidoptera fauna of mainland Portugal, resulting from the authors’ fieldwork in 2019 and 2020: namely Coleophora anitella Baldizzone, 1985, Aplota palpellus (Haworth, 1828), Anacampsis obscurella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), Apomyelois bistriatella (Hulst, 1887), Eublemma amoena (Hübner, 1803) and Xestia sexstrigata (Haworth, 1809)Seis novas espécies são adicionadas à fauna de Lepidoptera de Portugal continental, como resultado do trabalho de campo desenvolvido pelos autores em 2019 e 2020: nomeadamente Coleophora anitella Baldizzone, 1985, Aplota palpellus (Haworth, 1828), Anacampsis obscurella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), Apomyelois bistriatella (Hulst, 1887), Eublemma amoena (Hübner, 1803) e Xestia sexstrigata (Haworth, 1809).Se añaden seis nuevas especies a la fauna de Lepidoptera de Portugal continental, como resultado del trabajo de campo desarrollado por los autores en 2019 y 2020: a saber Coleophora anitella Baldizzone, 1985, Aplota palpellus (Haworth, 1828), Anacampsis obscurella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), Apomyelois bistriatella (Hulst, 1887), Eublemma amoena (Hübner, 1803) y Xestia sexstrigata (Haworth, 1809).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Note on the Picard-Fuchs Equations for N=2 Seiberg-Witten Theories

A concise presentation of the PF equations for N=2 Seiberg-Witten theories for the classical groups of rank r with N_f massless hypermultiplets in the fundamental representation is provided. For N_f=0, all r PF equations can be given in a generic form. For certain cases with N_f\neq zero, not all equations are generic. However, in all cases there are at least r-2 generic PF equations. For these cases the classical part of the equations is generic, while the quantum part can be formulated using a method described in a previous paper by the authors, which is well suited to symbolic computer calculations.Comment: 25 pages, Latex; some new references adde

Morfina como primeiro medicamento para tratamento da dor de câncer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:the medications used according to the recommendation of the World Health Organization do not promote pain relief in a number of patients with cancer pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of morphine as first medication for the treatment of moderate cancer pain in patients with advanced and/or metastatic disease, as an option to the recommendations of the World Health Organization analgesic ladder.METHOD:sixty patients without opioid therapy, with >18 years of age, were randomized into two groups. G1 patients received medication according to the analgesic ladder and started treatment with non-opioids in the first, weak opioids in the second, and strong opioids in the third step; G2 patients received morphine as first analgesic medication. The efficacy and tolerability of initial use of morphine were evaluated every two weeks for three months.RESULTS:the groups were similar with respect to demographic data. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding pain intensity, quality of life, physical capacity, satisfaction with treatment, need for complementation and dose of morphine. In G1 there was a higher incidence of nausea (p = 0.0088), drowsiness (p = 0.0005), constipation (p = 0.0071) and dizziness (p = 0.0376) in the second visit and drowsiness (p = 0.05) in the third.CONCLUSIONS:the use of morphine as first medication for pain treatment did not promote better analgesic effect than the ladder recommended by World Health Organization, with higher incidence of adverse effects.JUSTIFICACIÓN Y OBJETIVOS:los medicamentos usados según la recomendación de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) no generan alivio del dolor de un grupo de pacientes con dolor oncológico. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el uso de la morfina como primer medicamento para el tratamiento del dolor oncológico moderado en pacientes con enfermedad avanzada y/o metástasis, como opción a las recomendaciones de la escala analgésica preconizada por la OMS.MÉTODO:sesenta pacientes sin terapia con opiáceos, con una edad mayor o igual a los 18 años, fueron distribuidos aleatoriamente en 2 grupos. Los pacientes del G1 recibieron medicamentos según la escala analgésica iniciando el tratamiento con no opiáceo en la primera etapa, opiáceo débil en la segunda y opiáceo potente en la tercera; los del G2 recibieron morfina como primer medicamento analgésico. Fueron evaluadas la eficacia y la tolerabilidad del uso inicial de la morfina cada 2 semanas durante 3 meses.RESULTADOS:los grupos fueron similares en cuanto a los datos demográficos. No hubo diferencia significativa entre los grupos en lo que respecta a la intensidad del dolor, calidad de vida, capacidad física, satisfacción con el tratamiento, necesidad de complementación y dosis de morfina usada. En el G1 hubo una mayor incidencia de náuseas (p = 0,0088), somnolencia (p = 0,0005), estreñimiento (p = 0,0071) y mareos (p = 0,0376) en la segunda consulta, y de somnolencia (p = 0,05) en la tercera.CONCLUSIONES:el uso de la morfina como primer medicamento para el tratamiento del dolor no generó un efecto analgésico mejor que la escala preconizada por la OMS, habiendo una mayor incidencia de efectos adversos.JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS:Os medicamentos usados segundo a recomendação da Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) não promovem alívio da dor de uma parcela dos pacientes com dor oncológica. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o uso de morfina como primeiro medicamento para o tratamento da dor oncológica moderada, em pacientes com doença avançada e/ou metástases, como opção às recomendações da escada analgésica preconizada pela OMS.MÉTODO:Sessenta pacientes sem terapia com opioide, com idade maior ou igual a 18 anos, foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em dois grupos. Os pacientes do G1 receberam medicamentos segundo a escada analgésica e iniciaram o tratamento com não opioide no primeiro degrau, opioide fraco no segundo e opioide potente no terceiro; os do G2 receberam morfina como primeiro medicamento analgésico. Foram avaliadas a eficácia e a tolerabilidade do uso inicial de morfina, a cada duas semanas durante três meses.RESULTADOS:Os grupos foram semelhantes quanto aos dados demográficos. Não houve diferença significante entre os grupos quanto à intensidade da dor, qualidade de vida, capacidade física, satisfação com o tratamento, necessidade de complementação e dose de morfina usada. No G1 houve maior incidência de náusea (p = 0,0088), sonolência (p = 0,0005), constipação (p = 0,0071) e tontura (p = 0,0376) na segunda consulta e para sonolência (p = 0,05) na terceira.CONCLUSÕES:O uso de morfina como primeiro medicamento para tratamento da dor não promoveu melhor efeito analgésico do que a escada preconizada pela OMS e houve maior incidência de efeitos adversos.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL

A Pivotal Sponsor in Metabolic Remodeling and an Ally of 3-Mercaptopyruvate Sulfurtransferase (MST) in Cancer

Metabolic remodeling is a critical skill of malignant cells, allowing their survival and spread. The metabolic dynamics and adaptation capacity of cancer cells allow them to escape from damaging stimuli, including breakage or cross-links in DNA strands and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, promoting resistance to currently available therapies, such as alkylating or oxidative agents. Therefore, it is essential to understand how metabolic pathways and the corresponding enzymatic systems can impact on tumor behavior. Cysteine aminotransferase (CAT) per se, as well as a component of the CAT: 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MST) axis, is pivotal for this metabolic rewiring, constituting a central mechanism in amino acid metabolism and fulfilling the metabolic needs of cancer cells, thereby supplying other different pathways. In this review, we explore the current state-of-art on CAT function and its role on cancer cell metabolic rewiring as MST partner, and its relevance in cancer cells' fitness.publishersversionpublishe

Bioinformatic Analysis of Chlamydia trachomatis Polymorphic Membrane Proteins PmpE, PmpF, PmpG and PmpH as Potential Vaccine Antigens

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most important infectious cause of infertility in women with important implications in public health and for which a vaccine is urgently needed. Recent immunoproteomic vaccine studies found that four polymorphic membrane proteins (PmpE, PmpF, PmpG and PmpH) are immunodominant, recognized by various MHC class II haplotypes and protective in mouse models. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate genetic and protein features of Pmps (focusing on the N-terminal 600 amino acids where MHC class II epitopes were mapped) in order to understand antigen variation that may emerge following vaccine induced immune selection. We used several bioinformatics platforms to study: i) Pmps' phylogeny and genetic polymorphism; ii) the location and distribution of protein features (GGA(I, L)/FxxN motifs and cysteine residues) that may impact pathogen-host interactions and protein conformation; and iii) the existence of phase variation mechanisms that may impact Pmps' expression. We used a well-characterized collection of 53 fully-sequenced strains that represent the C. trachomatis serovars associated with the three disease groups: ocular (N=8), epithelial-genital (N=25) and lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) (N=20). We observed that PmpF and PmpE are highly polymorphic between LGV and epithelial-genital strains, and also within populations of the latter. We also found heterogeneous representation among strains for GGA(I, L)/FxxN motifs and cysteine residues, suggesting possible alterations in adhesion properties, tissue specificity and immunogenicity. PmpG and, to a lesser extent, PmpH revealed low polymorphism and high conservation of protein features among the genital strains (including the LGV group). Uniquely among the four Pmps, pmpG has regulatory sequences suggestive of phase variation. In aggregate, the results suggest that PmpG may be the lead vaccine candidate because of sequence conservation but may need to be paired with another protective antigen (like PmpH) in order to prevent immune selection of phase variants.AN is a recipient of a post-doctoral fellowship (SFRH/BPD/75295/2010) from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)

Specific berenil–DNA interactions: an approach for separation of plasmid isoforms by pseudo–affinity chromatography

Small molecules, like some antibiotics and anticancer agents that bind DNA with high specificity can represent a relevant alternative as ligands in affinity processes for plasmid DNA (pDNA) purification. In the present study, pDNA binding affinities of berberine, berenil, kanamycin and neomycin were evaluated by a competitive displacement assay with ethidium bromide using a fluorimetric titration technique. The binding between pDNA and ethidium bromide was tested in different buffer conditions varying the type and the salt concentration, and was performed both in absence and in presence of the studied compounds. The results showed that the minor groove binder berenil has the higher pDNA binding constant. Chromatographic experiments using a derivatized column with berenil as ligand, showed a total retention of pDNA using 1.3 M ammonium sulphate in eluent buffer. A selective separation of supercoiled and open circular isoforms was achieved by further decreasing salt concentration to 0.6 M and then to 0 M. These results suggest a promising application of berenil as ligand for specific pDNA supercoiled (sc) isoform purification by pseudo-affinity chromatography.C. Caramelo-Nunes acknowledges a fellowship (SFRH/BD/64918/2009) from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)

Design and Implementation of a New Layout in a New Production Area of a Cork Stopper Factory Following Lean Manufacturing Principles

Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.The current market conditions and purchasing power put pressure on selling prices. To maintain corporate profits, it is important to increase manufacturing efficiency and lower costs. The industrial unit in which this project was developed aims to increase the annual production of cork stoppers and by doing so, maintain the high standards of the quality and accuracy in their processes. To respond to this growth, Lean Manufacturing was implemented, and it was decided to build a new production area. The goal is to create a new production area for cork stoppers capable of producing around half a million cork stoppers per day. The use of Total Flow Management (TFM) tools allowed for the design of the layout and to level production. With the construction of a continuous flow between processes, the storage areas were gradually reduced, and the volume of WIP stock decreased by 63%. The results have also shown a decrease in the complaint rate of 3.5%, which was reduced under the established threshold of 5%, fulfilling the objectives proposed by the company for the project.publishe

Hospital-acquired pneumonia is more frequent and lethal in stroke patients: A nationwide 4-year study

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