Modelação das necessidades hídricas de olivais regados utilizando variáveis e parâmetros biofísicos e deteção remota

Estudos desenvolvidos na região de Moura, Alentejo, em olival permitiram quantificar a transpiração (T) das plantas para diversas modalidades de rega e utilizar esta informação para o desenvolvimento de uma equação de estimativa de T, através da relação entre T, e índices de vegetação (IVs) calculados a partir de informação obtida por detecção remota. Pretende-se alargar o âmbito deste trabalho de modelação e combinar outras técnicas de medição, tendo em vista a quantificação das necessidades hídricas de olivais regados, tanto à escala da parcela como regional. Para o efeito irá recorrer-se a outros modelos de simulação (SimDualKc, Revised RS-PM, METRIC) e à integração da informação numa plataforma SIG

Predictive factors for the appearance of myringosclerosis after myringotomy with ventilation tube placement: randomized study

Myringotomy with the insertion of ventilation tubes is the most frequent surgical procedure performed in children, and the appearance of myringosclerosis is one of its most frequent long-term complications. The objective of this study is to identify clinical factors and technique variations that may have a relation with the appearance of myringosclerosis, after tube insertion. Patients submitted to myringotomy with transtympanic short-term tube insertion were studied in a longitudinal prospective and analytical cohort study with the prospective randomized open, blinded endpoint (PROBE) methodology, to study the influence of the location of myringotomy (anterior-inferior quadrant or posterior-inferior), directions of the incision (radial or non-radial) and aspiration or not of the middle ear. Our study included 156 patients (297 ears). Myringosclerosis was observed in 35.7 % of the operated ears. It appeared more often in patients with greater number of otitis (p = .001) and with greater number of otorrhea episodes (p = .029) and in patients in whom the tympanogram after the tube extraction was type A (according to Jerger´s classification) (p = 0.016). We identified myringosclerosis in less patients, if the tube was in the tympanic membrane for less than 12 months (p = .009). Myringosclerosis was present more extensively if the tympanic incision was located in the anterior-inferior quadrant, with tympanic involvement superior to 25 % (p = .015). The results observed prove that, underlying the appearance of myringosclerosis, there exists an early inflammatory or infectious process and a final cicatricial process. It was also found that when myringotomy is made in the anterior-inferior quadrant, myringosclerosis appears in a higher percentage of the tympanic membrane; therefore, it is not recommended to do the incision in this quadrant, because it may lead to a reduction of the tympanic membrane vibration

Epigenetic regulation of cdh1 is altered after hoxb7-silencing in mda-mb-468 triple-negative breast cancer cells

HOXB7 is often overexpressed in breast cancer cells and found to relate to poor prognosis. The search for the HOXB7 targets, as a transcription factor, has led to molecules involved in regulating cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and processes such as angiogenesis and therapy resistance. However, the specific targets affected by the deregulation of HOXB7 in breast cancer remain largely unknown in most molecular sub-types, such as triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). To unveil the molecular basis behind these aggressive and often untreatable cancers, here we explored the contribution of HOXB7 deregulation for their aggressiveness. To this end, HOXB7 was silenced in TNBC Basal A cells MDA-MB-468, and the phenotype, gene/protein expression, and methylation profile of putative targets were analyzed. Lower migration and invasion rates were detected in HOXB7-silenced cells in comparison with the controls. In addition, these cells expressed more CDH1 and less DNMT3B, and the promoter methylation status of CDH1 diminished. Our data suggest that the HOXB7 transcription factor may act on TNBC Basal A cells by controlling CDH1 epigenetic regulation. This may occur indirectly through the up-regulation of DNMT3B, which then controls DNA methylation of the CDH1 promoter. Thus, future approaches interfering with HOXB7 regulation may be promising therapeutic strategies in TNBC treatment.This research was funded by FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional) funds through the COMPETE 2020 Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030562), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) in the framework of the project PTDC/BTM-TEC/30562/2017

Water protection after tympanostomy (Shepard) tubes does not decrease otorrhea incidence - retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION: Myringotomy for tube insertion is the most common otologic surgery. Otorrhea is a frequent complication of this procedure and, to prevent it, most surgeons strongly recommend avoiding contact with water as this is thought to adversely impact on post-operative quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To understand the benefit of this recommendation. METHODS: Observational study - retrospective cohort study comparing the incidence of post-operative otorrhea and its impact on patients' quality of life, in two groups of patients comprising children under 10 years of age who underwent bilateral myringotomy and tube placement for chronic otitis media with effusion between May 2011 and May 2012. One group received water protection care after surgery, the other did not. Data was collected through telephonic interview, after one year of follow up (one year after the procedure). Water exposure without protection was considered the exposure event. Incidence of otorrhea and perceived impact on quality of life were the outcome measures. Results were compared after logistic regression. RESULTS: We included 143 children: 116 were not exposed to water without protection and 27 were exposed. In the not exposed group 36.2% had at least one episode of otorrhea, compared to 40.0% of the exposed group. Odds ratio for otorrhea on exposed was 1.21 (95% CI 0.51-2.85, p=0.6). Negative impact on quality of life was reported by parents of 48.2% on the not exposed children, compared to 40.7% on the exposed group. This difference was not significant (p=0.5). CONCLUSION: We found that recommending water protection did not have beneficial effect on the incidence of otorrhea after myringotomy with tubes on chronic otitis media with effusion. However, such measures did not appear to have a negative impact on quality of life. This is a populational observational study with few cases (143 cases); these final statements would be better stated by a very large populational study with another large control group.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Intermediate osteotomies in rhinoplasty: a new perspective

The nasal dorsum framework plays a major role in nasal and facial harmony. This study presents a new approach to an already known technique, intermediate osteotomies, which can be used routinely in patients with cosmetically unpleasant changes in eyebrow-tip line features, allowing the acquisition of a natural, aesthetically agreeable and harmonious dorsum contour, while preserving nasal function. The approach was evaluated retrospectively in 50 consecutive patients at a tertiary referral hospital. Patients were asked to complete a survey to rate their satisfaction with the cosmetic outcome on a 5-point visual analog scale (VAS) and to compare the impact of nasal obstruction on their quality of life, pre- and postoperatively, by completing the validated Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale. Satisfaction was scored as excellent (satisfaction level VAS average score, 4.4), with more than 50% of the patients completely satisfied with the aesthetic result, while NOSE scale scores demonstrated preservation of nasal function postoperatively. Typical complications of the upper third of the nose following osteotomies were not observed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Roles of the hox proteins in cancer invasion and metastasis

Invasion and metastasis correspond to the foremost cause of cancer-related death, and the molecular networks behind these two processes are extremely complex and dependent on the intra-and extracellular conditions along with the prime of the premetastatic niche. Currently, several studies suggest an association between the levels of HOX genes expression and cancer cell invasion and metastasis, which favour the formation of novel tumour masses. The deregulation of HOX genes by HMGA2/TET1 signalling and the regulatory effect of noncoding RNAs generated by the HOX loci can also promote invasion and metastasis, interfering with the expression of HOX genes or other genes relevant to these processes. In this review, we present five molecular mechanisms of HOX deregulation by which the HOX clusters products may affect invasion and metastatic processes in solid tumours.The work was financed by FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional) funds through the COMPETE 2020 Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisa-tion (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030562 (PTDC/BTM-TEC/30562/2017). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed

Estudio del crecimiento de terneros con alimentador automático en la raza Holstein Frisia en la región de entre Douro y Minho de Portugal

publishedTomo I . Sección: Sistemas Ganaderos-Economía y Gestión. Sesión: Producción de leche. Ponencia nº 3