Gravidez e parentalidade na adolescência: perspetivas teóricas

Empirical research grounded on ecological perspectives challenge the view of adolescent motherhood has necessarily having deleterious consequences to the later development of young mothers and their offspring; nonetheless it is still irrefutable that the occurrence of an early pregnancy may amplify previous vulnerabilities, making it more difficult for the adolescent mother and her child to develop along a favorable path. The present work reviews some of the current theoretical perspectives on this subject, looking to highlight the importance of understanding not only individual or family variables of the young girls who get pregnant, but also relational, social, cultural, legal and political contexts in which they develop. Knowledge of these multiple dimensions and of their complex interactions is crucial to design more specific and effective preventive interventions

Endothelial Jagged1 promotes solid tumor growth through both pro-angiogenic and angiocrine functions

Angiogenesis is an essential process required for tumor growth and progression. The Notch signaling pathway has been identified as a key regulator of the neo-angiogenic process. Jagged-1 (Jag1) is a Notch ligand required for embryonic and retinal vascular development, which direct contribution to the regulation of tumor angiogenesis remains to be fully characterized. The current study addresses the role of endothelial Jagged1-mediated Notch signaling in the context of tumoral angiogenesis in two different mouse tumor models: subcutaneous Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) tumor transplants and the autochthonous Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of the Mouse Prostate (TRAMP). The role of endothelial Jagged1 in tumor growth and neo-angiogenesis was investigated with endothelial-specific Jag1 gain- and loss-of-function mouse mutants (eJag1OE and eJag1cKO). By modulating levels of endothelial Jag1, we observed that this ligand regulates tumor vessel density, branching, and perivascular maturation, thus affecting tumor vascular perfusion. The pro-angiogenic function is exerted by its ability to positively regulate levels of Vegfr-2 while negatively regulating Vegfr-1. Additionally, endothelial Jagged1 appears to exert an angiocrine function possibly by activating Notch3/Hey1 in tumor cells, promoting proliferation, survival and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), potentiating tumor development. These findings provide valuable mechanistic insights into the role of endothelial Jagged1 in promoting solid tumor development and support the notion that it may constitute a promising target for cancer therapy

Niños como cuidadores: una investigación sobre la perspectiva de los enfermeros en la Región Autónoma de Madeira

Enquadramento: Não há registos, em Portugal, sobre crianças como cuidadoras. A literatura internacional realça que esta é uma área importante de intervenção dos profissionais de saúde. Objetivos: Analisar a perspetiva dos enfermeiros dos cuidados de saúde primários da Madeira sobre a problemática das crianças como cuidadoras e conhecer as áreas de intervenção de enfermagem junto destas. Metodologia: Estudo quantitativo, descritivo, com aplicação de um questionário a uma amostra de 157 enfermeiros da Região Autónoma da Madeira Resultados: Dos enfermeiros, 23% refere que já contactou com crianças cuidadoras, crianças que cuidam dos avós (29%), dos pais com doença psiquiátrica (25%) e dos pais com doença crónica (21%). Foram identificadas como áreas de intervenção de Enfermagem o ensino, treino de competências, suporte individual e aconselhamento. Conclusão: O envelhecimento e as doenças psiquiátricas aumentam a probabilidade de uma criança assumir o papel de cuidadora. Propomos a replicação desta investigação em Portugal continental assim como de estudos de natureza qualitativa, explorando o papel da pessoa dependente e da criança cuidadora.Background: In Portugal, there are no records of children as caregivers. The international literature highlights that this is an important area of intervention for health professionals. Objectives: To analyze the primary care nurses’ perspective about young caregivers in the Autonomous Region of Madeira and identify areas of intervention. Methodology: A quantitative and descriptive study was conducted based on a questionnaire applied to a sample of 157 nurses of the Autonomous Region of Madeira. Results: Among the participating nurses, 23% had already contacted with young caregivers, 29% with young caregivers caring for their grandparents, 25% with young caregivers caring for parents with mental disorders, and 21% with young caregivers caring for parents with chronic diseases. The following areas of nursing intervention were identified, education, skills training, individual support and counselling. Conclusion: The aging of the population and the high prevalence of mental disorders increase the probability of children assuming the role of caregivers. We recommend that this study be replicated in mainland Portugal. Qualitative studies should also be conducted on the role of the dependent person and the young caregiver.Marco contextual: En Portugal no hay registros sobre los niños como cuidadores. La literatura internacional destaca que esta es un área importante de intervención de los profesionales de la salud. Objetivos: Analizar la perspectiva de los enfermeros de atención primaria de Madeira (Portugal) sobre la problemática de los niños como cuidadores y conocer las áreas de intervención de la enfermería. Metodología: Se trata de un estudio cuantitativo de perfil descriptivo para el cual se autoadministró un cuestionario a una muestra ocasional de 157 enfermeros de Madeira. Resultados: El 23 % de los enfermeros indica que ya tuvo contacto con niños cuidadores. Las situaciones identificadas fueron: niños que cuidan de los abuelos (29 %); niños que cuidan de los padres con enfermedad psiquiátrica (25 %), y niños que cuidan de los padres con enfermedad crónica (21 %). Las áreas de intervención de la enfermería identificadas fueron: enseñanza, práctica de competencias, apoyo individual y asesor. Conclusión: El envejecimiento y las enfermedades psiquiátricas aumentan la probabilidad de que los niños asuman el papel de cuidadores. Se propone realizar esta misma investigación en Portugal Continental, así como estudios cualitativos para explorar el papel de la persona dependiente y del niño cuidador.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The users centered design of a new digital fluorometer

The fluorometer is the equipment used in chemical analysis laboratories, research institutes and nuclear fuel cycle companies. This equipment measures an unknown amount of uranium in ores, rivers, etc. The fluorometer functioning is based on the uranium fluorescence when submitted to the ultraviolet radiation incidence. The fluorescence is measured by an electronic optic system with optics filters, photomultiplier tube, and a current amplifier. The user centered design involvers the user in the product development in all phases of the design process. Users are not simply consulted at the beginning of the design process and evaluated the system at the end; they are treated as partners throughout the design process. The user centered design emphasizes the needs and abilities of the users and improves the usability of the equipment. The activity centered design emphasizes the development of the equipment with a deep understanding of the users activities and of the current work practices of the users. The aim of this paper is to present a methodological framework that contributes to the design and evaluation of a new digital fluorometer towards an approach related to the users and their activities. This methodological framework includes users-based testing, interviews, questionnaires, human factors standards and guidelines, the users activity analysis and users satisfaction questionnaire

Crianças como cuidadoras: revisão integrativa

Objetivo: realizar uma revisão bibliográfica integrativa do tema “Crianças como Cuidadoras”. Tratase de tema emergente na prestação de cuidados de saúde que, contudo, se mantém pouco visível na literatura. Metodologia: baseou-se numa pesquisa sobre nove bases de dados de artigos científicos, utilizando-se como descritores: child, young, caregivers, lay carer and nursing role, bem como os correspondentes em português. Foram analisados 21 artigos. Resultados: foram organizados em seis categorias: fatores que motivam a criança a assumir o papel de cuidadora; caraterísticas dessas crianças; tarefas desempenhadas; tempo passado a cuidar; consequências da prestação de cuidados e papel do enfermeiro em relação a essas crianças e suas famílias. Conclusão: as crianças como cuidadoras são um foco de atenção relevante para a prática de enfermagem, representando esse tema uma oportunidade de investigação nos países de língua portuguesa, já que não foi encontrado qualquer artigo em português sobre o mesmo. Além disso, com este primeiro estudo em língua portuguesa, inicia-se um trabalho de criação bibliográfica que permita a sensibilização para o tema e a identificação das respostas a dar às famílias envolvidas, de acordo com as suas necessidades.Objective: to undertake an integrative literature review on the issue of “Children as carers”. This is an emerging topic in the provision of health care, but nevertheless has a low profile in the literature. Methodology: this study was based in a survey of nine databases of scientific articles, using as descriptor: child, young, caregivers, lay carer and nursing role, as well as the corresponding terms in Portuguese. 21 articles were analyzed. Results: these were organized into six categories - factors which motivate the child to take on the role of caregiver; these children’s characteristics; tasks performed; time spent in caring; consequences of providing care and the role of the nurse in partnership with these children and their families. Conclusion: the children as carers are a focus of attention relevant to nursing practice, this issue representing an opportunity for investigation in Portuguese-speaking countries, as no article was found on the subject in Portuguese. In addition, with this first study in Portuguese, a work of the creation of a bibliography is begun, allowing an awareness of the issueinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

B Cells Regulate Neutrophilia during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection and BCG Vaccination by Modulating the Interleukin-17 Response

We have previously demonstrated that B cells can shape the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including the level of neutrophil infiltration and granulomatous inflammation at the site of infection. The present study examined the mechanisms by which B cells regulate the host neutrophilic response upon exposure to mycobacteria and how neutrophilia may influence vaccine efficacy. To address these questions, a murine aerosol infection tuberculosis (TB) model and an intradermal (ID) ear BCG immunization mouse model, involving both the μMT strain and B cell-depleted C57BL/6 mice, were used. IL (interleukin)-17 neutralization and neutrophil depletion experiments using these systems provide evidence that B cells can regulate neutrophilia by modulating the IL-17 response during M. tuberculosis infection and BCG immunization. Exuberant neutrophilia at the site of immunization in B cell-deficient mice adversely affects dendritic cell (DC) migration to the draining lymph nodes and attenuates the development of the vaccine-induced Th1 response. The results suggest that B cells are required for the development of optimal protective anti-TB immunity upon BCG vaccination by regulating the IL-17/neutrophilic response. Administration of sera derived from M. tuberculosis-infected C57BL/6 wild-type mice reverses the lung neutrophilia phenotype in tuberculous μMT mice. Together, these observations provide insight into the mechanisms by which B cells and humoral immunity modulate vaccine-induced Th1 response and regulate neutrophila during M. tuberculosis infection and BCG immunization. © 2013 Kozakiewicz et al

Concurrent validity of self-rating scale of self-directed learning and self-directed learning instrument among Italian nursing students

BACKGROUND: Self-Directed Learning develops when students take the initiative for their learning, recognising needs, formulating goals, identifying resources, implementing appropriate strategies and evaluating learning outcomes. This should be seen as a collaborative process between the nurse educator and the learner. At the international level, various instruments have been used to measure Self-Directed Learning abilities (SDL), both in original and in culturally-adapted versions. However, few instruments have been subjected to full validation, and no gold standard reference has been established to date. In addition, few researchers have adopted the established tools to assess the concurrent validity of the emerging new tools. Therefore, the aim of this study was to measure the concurrent validity between the Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning (SRSSDL_Ita) - Italian version and the Self-Directed Learning Instruments (SDLI) in undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: A concurrent validity study design was conducted in a Bachelor level nursing degree programme located in Italy. All nursing students attending the first, second or third year (n=428) were the target sample. The SRSSDL_Ita, and the SDLI were used. The Pearson correlation was used to determine the concurrent validity between the instruments; the confidence of intervals (CI 95%) bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrap (BCa), were also calculated. RESULTS: The majority of participants were students attending their first year (47.9%), and were predominately female (78.5%). Their average age was 22.5\ub14.1. The SDL abilities scores, as measured with the SRSSDL_Ita (min 40, max 200), were, on average, 160.79 (95% CI 159.10-162.57; median 160); while with the SDLI (min 20, max 100), they were on average 82.57 (95% CI 81.79-83.38; median 83). The Pearson correlation between the SRSSDL_Ita and SDLI instruments was 0.815 (CI BCa 95% 0.774-0.848), (p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirm the concurrent validity of the SRSSDL_Ita with the SDLI. The SRSSDL_Ita instrument can be useful in the process of identifying Self-Directed Learning abilities, which are essential for students to achieve the expected learning goals and become lifelong learners

RNA-Seq of Human Neurons Derived from iPS Cells Reveals Candidate Long Non-Coding RNAs Involved in Neurogenesis and Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Genome-wide expression analysis using next generation sequencing (RNA-Seq) provides an opportunity for in-depth molecular profiling of fundamental biological processes, such as cellular differentiation and malignant transformation. Differentiating human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide an ideal system for RNA-Seq since defective neurogenesis caused by abnormalities in transcription factors, DNA methylation, and chromatin modifiers lie at the heart of some neuropsychiatric disorders. As a preliminary step towards applying next generation sequencing using neurons derived from patient-specific iPSCs, we have carried out an RNA-Seq analysis on control human neurons. Dramatic changes in the expression of coding genes, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), pseudogenes, and splice isoforms were seen during the transition from pluripotent stem cells to early differentiating neurons. A number of genes that undergo radical changes in expression during this transition include candidates for schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that function as transcription factors and chromatin modifiers, such as POU3F2 and ZNF804A, and genes coding for cell adhesion proteins implicated in these conditions including NRXN1 and NLGN1. In addition, a number of novel lncRNAs were found to undergo dramatic changes in expression, one of which is HOTAIRM1, a regulator of several HOXA genes during myelopoiesis. The increase we observed in differentiating neurons suggests a role in neurogenesis as well. Finally, several lncRNAs that map near SNPs associated with SZ in genome wide association studies also increase during neuronal differentiation, suggesting that these novel transcripts may be abnormally regulated in a subgroup of patients