QUALITY OF LIFE AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING BOTULINUM TOXIN TREATMENT

The botulinum toxin (BTX) is a therapeutic modality used in diverse range of diseases in neurology such as dystonia, tics and tremors and spasticity. The literature about the relation between the use of BTX and its impact in quality of life scales are conflicting, our study proposes to aid answering this question. We selected 110 patients between April 2014 and January 2015, from two tertiary hospitals (movement disorder outpatient clinic), which have been evaluated for age, gender, type of BTX applied, technic of application, adverse events, clinical syndrome and etiology. To evaluate quality of life we used the SF-36® scale. The most prevalent clinical syndromes were dystonia, spasticity and daytime bruxism. We applied the scale in 55 patients pre and post treatment to trace a clinical and epidemiological profile of patients treated with botulinum toxin, evaluating its impact on quality of life. Main etiologies were: idiopathic, stroke and peripheral facial palsy. SF-36® scale applied to 55 patients showed that 35 of them improved, with higher impact upon the mental health, vitality, physical functioning and body pain subsections. Incidence of adverse events (21,8%) was similar to the literature. Botulinum toxin application was associated with higher scores on SF-36®, therefore representing a good therapeutic option dystonia and spasticity.

Pre-selection of fibroblasts subsets prompt prevascularization of tissue engineered skin analogues

The papillary and reticular dermis harbors phenotypically distinct fibroblasts, whose functions such as maintenance of skin's microvasculature are also distinct. Thus, we hypothesized that pre-selection of the subpopulations of fibroblasts would benefit the generation of skin tissue engineered (TE) constructs, promoting their prevascularization in vitro. We first isolated papillary and reticular fibroblasts using fluorescence-activated cell sorting and studied the effect of their secretome and extracellular matrix (ECM) on human dermal microvascular endothelial cell (hDMEC) organization. Subsequently, we developed a bilayered 3D polymeric structure with distinct layer-associated features to house the subpopulations of fibroblasts, to generate a skin analogue. Both papillary and reticular fibroblasts were able to stimulate capillary-like network formation in a Matrigel assay. However, the secretome of the two subpopulations was substantially different, being enriched in VEGF, IGF-1, and Angio-1 in the case of papillary fibroblasts and in HGF and FGF-2 for the reticular subset. In addition, the fibroblast subpopulations deposited varied levels of ECM proteins, more collagen I and laminin was produced by the reticular subset, but these differences did not impact hDMEC organization. Vessel-like structures with lumens were observed earlier in the 3D skin analogue prepared with the sorted fibroblasts, although ECM deposition was not affected by the cell's pre-selection. Moreover, a more differentiated epidermal layer was obtained in the skin analogue formed by the sorted fibroblasts, confirming that its whole structure was not affected. Overall, we provide evidence that pre-selection of papillary and reticular fibroblasts is relevant for promoting the in vitro prevascularization of skin TE constructs.The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Consolidator Grant “ECM_INK” (ERC-2016- COG-726061), to the FSE/POCH (Fundo Social Europeu através do Programa Operacional do Capital Humano) under the scope of the PD/169/2013, NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000037 (H.R. M.)

Singular Features of Trypanosomatids' Phosphotransferases Involved in Cell Energy Management

Trypanosomatids are responsible for economically important veterinary affections and severe human diseases. In Africa, Trypanosoma brucei causes sleeping sickness or African trypanosomiasis, while in America, Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease. These parasites have complex life cycles which involve a wide variety of environments with very different compositions, physicochemical properties, and availability of metabolites. As the environment changes there is a need to maintain the nucleoside homeostasis, requiring a quick and regulated response. Most of the enzymes required for energy management are phosphotransferases. These enzymes present a nitrogenous group or a phosphate as acceptors, and the most clear examples are arginine kinase, nucleoside diphosphate kinase, and adenylate kinase. Trypanosoma and Leishmania have the largest number of phosphotransferase isoforms ever found in a single cell; some of them are absent in mammals, suggesting that these enzymes are required in many cellular compartments associated to different biological processes. The presence of such number of phosphotransferases support the hypothesis of the existence of an intracellular enzymatic phosphotransfer network that communicates the spatially separated intracellular ATP consumption and production processes. All these unique features make phosphotransferases a promising start point for rational drug design for the treatment of human trypanosomiasis

Effects of concomitant benzodiazepines and antidepressants long-term use on social decision-making: results from the ultimatum game

Benzodiazepines and antidepressants have been shown to change responses to unfairness; however, the effects of their combined use on unfairness evaluation are unknown. This study examines the effects of concomitant benzodiazepines and antidepressants long-term use on the evaluation of fair and unfair offers. To analyze behavioral changes on responses to unfairness, we compared the performance of medicated participants and healthy controls in the Ultimatum Game (UG), both in the proposer and in the respondent role. The results showed that long-term psychotropic users had the worse economic strategy by accepting less offers than control subjects. However, in the proposer role, the unfair offers made by participants were similar between groups. The present results suggest that long-term use of psychotropic medication, specifically the combination of benzodiazepines and antidepressants, may increase the sensitivity to unfairness, resulting in higher rejection rates in conditions where this strategy is the most disadvantageous

Science communication in bioengineering and biotechnology: Active and collaborative learning project

In a society increasingly dependent on science and technology, the need to equip our students with the most varied digital and communication skills is crucial. Active and collaborative learning among peers is essential for the acquisition of transversal skills. Communication is one of the main tools that the Engineer uses to reach his target audience. Science Communication in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (CCBioTec) is a project on Innovation and Development of Teaching and Learning supported by Center IDEA-UMinho, a structure that emerges to promote and value Innovation and Development of Teaching and Learning at the University of Minho. CCBioTec is transversal to a set of Learning Units (LU) under the responsibility of the Department of Biological Engineering (DEB), including one LU of each year of the Integrated Masters in Biological Engineering and in Biomedical Engineering. The main goals of CCBioTEc are: to foster the awareness of the DEB educational community on the importance of science communication, as well as to develop science communication skills, through the production of short videos (pitches) displaying the explanation, in a simple and dynamic way, of complex concepts of Bioengineering and Biotechnology related with the curricula of each LU. CCBioTec started in the second semester of 2020/21, and it will go on in the 1st semester of 2021/22. The project was designed to be implemented according to the following steps: 1 - Technical and pedagogical training of teachers; 2 - Technical training of students involved in the project - Week CCBioTEC-2021; 3 - Development of materials for Science Communication in Bioengineering and Biotechnology; 4 - CCBioTec-2021 competition. In CCBioTec, teachers presenting himself as a mediator/facilitator of learning, boosting students development of transversal skills, collaborative work, decision making and the expression of ideas, together with the acquisition of knowledge foreseen in the curricular contents of the LU.(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Diabetic and Elder Patients Experience Superior Cardiovascular Benefits After Gastric Bypass Induced Weight Loss

Background/Objetives: Obesity and obesity related co-morbidities are well-recognized risks for cardiovascular (CV) disease and mortality. Weight loss improves CV risk factors and the efficacy of bariatric surgery in decreasing CV mortality is now well-established. Our aim was to assess CV risk progression and occurrence of CV events in a cohort of patients that underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) for obesity treatment in a single academic public center.Subjects and Methods: Ten year CV risk was estimated using the Framingham Equation at baseline and 2 years after RYGB surgery in our patients cohort (n = 260). In the subgroup with a follow-up time longer than 4 years after surgery (n = 185; mean 5.4 ± 0.1 years), CV risk adjusted for the time length after RYGB was similarly estimated and the occurrence of CV events for outcome adjudication was monitored during the same time period by reviewing the hospital patients' record, the electronic national health system patient register and our center outpatient clinic records.Results: Ten year CV risk was significantly reduced 2 years after surgery when compared to baseline, with reductions of 1.65 ± 0.25% in the risk of CV disease. Patients with prior type 2 diabetes and aged 50 years or older experienced a significantly superior CV risk reduction, with diabetic patients experiencing a reduction of their 10–year CV disease risk of 3.58 ± 1.11% vs. a reduction of 1.31 ± 0.20% in non-diabetic patients and with the 10–year risk of CV disease dropping 3.41 ± 0.75% in patients older than 50 vs. a reduction of 0.99 ± 0.18 in patients up to 50 years. For the subgroup of patients with a longer follow-up time, baseline CV risk estimation predicted the occurrence of 6.08 ± 0.56 cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, 3.87 ± 0.39 coronary heart disease (CHD) events, 1.49 ± 0.22 myocardial infarctions (MI), 0.71 ± 0.09 strokes, 0. 28 ± 0.05 deaths from CHD and 0.35 ± 0.05 deaths from CVD. No CV events were adjudicated in this subgroup during follow-up.Conclusions: RYGB significantly improves CV risk and prevents the occurrence of CV events. For similar weight loss, diabetic and elder patients experience a superior CV risk improvement and may have additional CV benefits after bariatric surgery

Getting Value from Pulp and Paper Industry Wastes: On the Way to Sustainability and Circular Economy

The pulp and paper industry is recognized as a well-established sector, which throughout its process, generates a vast amount of waste streams with the capacity to be valorized. Typically, these residues are burned for energy purposes, but their use as substrates for biological processes could be a more efficient and sustainable alternative. With this aim, it is essential to identify and characterize each type of waste to determine its biotechnological potential. In this context, this research highlights possible alternatives with lower environmental impact and higher revenues. The bio-based pathway should be a promising alternative for the valorization of pulp and paper industry wastes, in particular for bioproduct production such as bioethanol, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and biogas. This article focuses on state of the art regarding the identification and characterization of these wastes, their main applied deconstruction technologies and the valorization pathways reported for the production of the abovementioned bioproductspublishe

Influence of Alloying Elements and Solution Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Microhardness of the Ni-Nb-M System (M = Al, Ti, Cr, Fe)

Ni-based superalloys are widely used in critical components of aircraft engines and turbines and also in the petrochemical industry, for applications in highly corrosive environments. These alloys have as main characteristics their superior mechanical, corrosion and oxidation resistance at high temperatures, as well as creep resistance. The chemical composition associated with carrying out heat treatments directly influences the phases formed (such as the ordered cubic phase γ’-Ni3(Al,Ti) in the fcc γ-Ni matrix), and depending on the alloying elements and fraction, there is the possibility of an increase in mechanical strength. There is a certain gap in the literature regarding the study of ternary superalloys based on Ni-Nb, and the influence of the third alloying element on the microstructure and microhardness. In this context, the objective of the study is to characterize pseudo-eutectic alloys of the Ni-15Nb-xM and Ni-20Nb-xM systems (xM = 2Al, 4Ti, 15Fe and 15Cr, wt.%) and investigate the influence of alloy elements and solution heat treating on their microstructure and properties through X-Ray Diffraction, Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Vickers Microhardness. Microhardness and microstructures were significantly influenced by the addition of alloying elements. The addition of Cr had a significant effect on the hardness of the cast samples. All alloys showed microhardness and microstructural changes after solution heat treatment

Profile of depressive symptoms in women in the perinatal and outside the perinatal period: similar or not?

Purposes To analyze which Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Postpartum Depression Screening Scores (PDSS) total and dimensional scores, as well as symptomatic answers proportions significantly differ between women in the perinatal period (pregnant/postpartum) without major depression, with major depression and women outside the perinatal period. Methods 572 pregnant women in the third trimester completed Beck Depression Inventory-II and Postpartum Depression Screening Scale and were assessed with the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies. 417 of these were also assessed (with the same instruments) at three months postpartum. Ninety non-pregnant women or that did not have a child in the last year (mean age=29.42±7.159 years) also filled in the questionnaires. Results Non-depressed pregnant women showed lower scores than depressed pregnant women and higher scores than women outside the perinatal period in the BDI-II total score and in its Somatic-Anxiety dimension. Non-depressed postpartum women showed significantly higher scores than women outside the perinatal period only at Sleep/Eating Disturbances. Compared to women outside the perinatal period, pregnant women without depression presented higher scores only in the somatic items. Women with vs. without depression in the postpartum period did not significantly differ and both presented higher scores than women outside the perinatal period in the proportions of loss of energy and sleep changes. Limitations Women outside the perinatal period were not diagnosed for the presence of a depressive disorder, but their BDI-II mean score was similar to the figures reported worldwide regarding women in childbearing age. Conclusion In the perinatal period, most particularly at pregnancy, women experience significant somatic changes even if not clinically depressed. Cognitive-affective symptoms are more useful when assessing the presence of perinatal depression