Validação da BRBN-T: adaptação do Selective Reminding Teste do Word List Generation

Objective: This study aims to present the Selective Reminding Test (SRI) and Word List Generation (WLG) adaptation to the Portuguese population, within the validation of the Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRBN-T) for multiple sclerosis .(MS) patients. Method: 66 healthy participants (54.5% female) recruited from the community volunteered to participate in this study. Results: A combination of procedures from Classical Test Theory (OTT) and Item Response Theory (ITR) were applied to item analysis and selection. For each SRT list, 12 words were selected and 3 letters were chosen for WLG to constitute the final versions of these tests for the Portuguese population. Conclusion: The combination of CTT and ITR maximized the decision making process in the adaptation of the SRI and WLG to a different culture and language (Portuguese). The relevance of this study lies on the production of reliable standardized neuropsychological tests, so that they can be used to facilitate a more rigorous monitoring of the evolution of MS, as well as any therapeutic effects and cognitive rehabilitation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Distribution-Based Categorization of Classifier Transfer Learning

Transfer Learning (TL) aims to transfer knowledge acquired in one problem, the source problem, onto another problem, the target problem, dispensing with the bottom-up construction of the target model. Due to its relevance, TL has gained significant interest in the Machine Learning community since it paves the way to devise intelligent learning models that can easily be tailored to many different applications. As it is natural in a fast evolving area, a wide variety of TL methods, settings and nomenclature have been proposed so far. However, a wide range of works have been reporting different names for the same concepts. This concept and terminology mixture contribute however to obscure the TL field, hindering its proper consideration. In this paper we present a review of the literature on the majority of classification TL methods, and also a distribution-based categorization of TL with a common nomenclature suitable to classification problems. Under this perspective three main TL categories are presented, discussed and illustrated with examples

Protective role of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on human sperm exposed to etoposide

Background: Although recent progress in cancer treatment has increased patient survival and improved quality of life, reproductive side effects are still for concern. One way to decrease gonadal impairment is to use cytoprotectors. In testicular cancer, etoposide is generally used in combination with other agents, but there are no in-vitro studies of sperm exposure to etoposide and cytoprotectors, namely N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Methods: Twenty semen samples were individually divided into five groups: control, incubation with NAC alone, incubation with etoposide alone, sequential exposure of NAC followed by etoposide (pre-treatment) and sequential exposure of etoposide followed by NAC (post-treatment). Sperm characteristics, chromatin condensation (aniline blue), DNA fragmentation (TUNEL), oxidative stress (OxyDNA labelling) and glutathione quantification were used to evaluate the capabilities of NAC as a prophylactic (pre-treatment) or ameliorator (post-treatment) agent over the effects caused in sperm during in-vitro exposure to etoposide. Results: No deleterious effects were observed on sperm motility or sperm membrane integrity. Results revealed that prophylactic use of NAC (pre-treatment) increased rates of immature sperm chromatin as compared to ameliorator use of NAC (post-treatment), and increased rates of sperm DNA fragmentation in relation to controls. Pre and post-treatment with NAC increased oxidative levels in comparison to controls, but also increased levels of cellular antioxidant glutathione. Conclusions: The results indicate that NAC has the ability to counteract etoposide-induced toxicity rather than preventing the etoposide cytotoxic effects over sperm DNA, suggesting that the administration of NAC to cells formerly exposed to etoposide is preferable to its prophylactic use. As the results evidenced that NAC seems to be more efficient in attenuating sperm etoposide cytotoxic effects instead of being used as a chemoprophylactic agent, this reinforces the idea that there might be a new NAC mechanism over DNA.UMIB (Pest-OE/SAU/UI0215/2014) is funded by National Funds through FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology

Pharyngolaryngeal Foreign Body as Cause of Disphonia

A ingestão acidental e a impactação de corpos estranhos na via aerodigestiva é uma urgência otorrinolaringológica comum. Nos adultos, as espinhas são os corpos estranhos mais frequentemente impactados. Uma anamnese e uma observação cuidadosas são de extrema importância. Os sintomas incluem odinofagia, disfagia, tosse persistente, alteração da voz, sialorreia e menos frequentemente uma complicação respiratória. As espinhas impactam mais frequentemente numa localização supra-hioideia. Locais menos frequentes de impactação são a hipotaringe, a região cricofaríngea e o esófago, sendo o diagnóstico mais difícil a estes níveis. A migração extra-luminal ocorre raramente, sendo mais frequente na presença de uma espinha. Atendendo a sua forma, este é o corpo estranho que mais facilmente migra e como tal, é o que apresenta maior taxa de complicações. Nesta situação, é necessário um elevado lndice de suspeição, sendo a realização de TC fundamental. Os autores apresentam um caso de migração de uma espinha ao nível da banda ventricular laringea e um algoritmo para o diagnóstico e tratamento de corpos estranhos perfurantes e migrantes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

AGREGADOS TUBULARES DE RETÍCULO ENDOPLASMÁTICO LISO EM OVÓCITOS HUMANOS E SUA INFLUÊNCIA NAS TAXAS DE FERTILIZAÇÃO E GRAVIDEZ

O impacto da presença de anomalias morfológicas ovocitárias na fertilização e taxas de gravidez é um tema controverso na literatura. A presença de agregados tubulares de retículo endoplasmático liso (AT-REL) foi associada a taxas de gravidez mais baixas e a maior incidência de complicações obstétricas. A estrutura ultramiscroscópica destes AT-REL não está descrita. Este trabalho teve como objectivos: a) determinar a influência da presença de AT-REL nas taxas de fertilização e gravidez; b) descrever a ultrastrutura dos AT-REL de ovócitos humanos maduro

Data-driven prescription patterns in patients under maintenance treatment for respiratory diseases from the Portuguese prescription database

We aimed to identify prescription patterns in respiratory patients using an unsupervised (data-driven) method, in a random sample of patients aged >14 years (n=8799), retrieved from the Portuguese Electronic Medical Prescription database. Respiratory patients were defined if >2 packs of maintenance treatment for respiratory diseases were prescribed in 2016. We analysed all the prescriptions (n=39810) for respiratory diseases and exacerbations by medication type. Two-step clustering was based on the presence of ICS, LABA, LTRA, LAMA, LABA, SABA, SAMA and on the speciality of prescriber.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessment of cognitive functions in patients with multiple sclerosis applying the normative values of the Rao’s brief repeatable battery in the Portuguese population

Background: The Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests (BRBN-T) is one of the most sensitive and used measures for detecting cognitive impairment in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Objective: The aim of this study was to adapt and validate this battery to the Portuguese population of MS patients. Methods: The Portuguese version of the BRBN-T was applied to a stratified control national sample of 326 individuals considering sex, age, educational level and geographic location and also a clinical sample of 115 MS patients from several national hospitals. Through the exploration of its psychometrics properties, the Portuguese BRBN-T norms were produced. Results: The normative data is presented as a regression-based formula to adjust test scores for gender, education and age, and the results reveal the BRBN-T has the ability to differentiate between MS patients and healthy participant’s cognitive performance. Conclusion: This study demonstrated in our clinical population a good ability to detect cognitive impairment. Its clearly contributed to reinforcing the neuropsychological assessment in Portugal in patients with MS, by providing a new set of instruments, which can be used in the clinical practice, and in future studies. Moreover, it will allow a rigorous and precise support in relation to neuropsychological assessment for future longitudinal studies and clinical trials.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Traditional Cattle Feeding Stuffs: Fatty Acid Profile

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are perceived to be healthier than saturated fatty acids. Therefore, in order to be able to manipulate the fatty acid profile of meat and/or milk, to respond to the consumer demands, knowledge of the fatty acid profile of feeding stuffs for cattle is of major importance (LeDoux et al., 2002; Petit, 2002). In this work a preliminary study was made of the fatty acid profile of the cow\u27s diet in a traditional farm production system