Receptor Tyrosine Kinases interactions in human cancers

Mestrado em Biologia Molecular e CelularObjectivos: Os receptores tirosina cinase MET, ErbB-2 e EGFR foram identificados como tendo um papel importante no desenvolvimento e progressão de cancro. O objectivo deste estudo foi determinar a expressão e procurar interacções dos receptores MET, ErbB-2 e EGFR em linhas celulares de carcinomas de tiróide e mama, e em tumores mamários. Métodos: Neste estudo a expressão e interacções dos receptores MET, ErbB-2 e EGFR foi determinada em duas linhas celulares de carcinoma da tiróide (TPC-1 e 8505C) e em duas linhas celulares de carcinomas da mama (MDAMB- 231 e SkBr3). A expressão de MET foi também estudada, por Imunohistoquímica, numa serie de 219 carcinomas invasivos da mama, em microarrays, com um acompanhamento dos pacientes de 13 anos. Resultados: Observámos que MET, ErbB-2 e EGFR são expressos em todas as linhas de tiróide e mama, e observámos também interacções entre MET e ErbB-2. Na série de tumores mamários a expressão de MET foi significativamente relacionada com factores de prognóstico bem estabelecidos como ErbB-2, receptor de estrogénio, grau histológico e subtipos moleculares, sendo também significativamente associada com a diminuição da sobrevida das pacientes. Por análise multivariada MET demonstrou ter um valor prognóstico independente. Conclusões: O nosso estudo sugere que a comunicação entre MET e ErbB-2 pode ter um importante impacto clínico-patológico e que merece uma futura investigação, nomeadamente ao nível do desenvolvimento de novas terapêuticas. ABSTRACT: Aims: Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) MET, ErbB-2 and EGFR have been identified to play an important role in cancer development and progression. Our aim was to determine MET, ErbB-2 and EGFR expression and search for their interactions in thyroid and breast carcinoma-derived cell lines and human breast tumours. Methods: We have studied the RTKs expression and interactions in two thyroid carcinoma-derived cell lines (TPC-1 and 8505C) and in two breast carcinomaderived cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and SkBr3). We have also studied, by Immunohistochemistry, MET expression on a series of 219 invasive breast carcinomas with 13-year disease follow, using tissue-microarray. Results: We observed that MET, ErbB2 and EGFR were expressed in both thyroid and breast cell lines, and we found physical interactions between MET and ErbB2. In the series of breast tumours, MET expression was significative correlated with established prognostic factors such ErbB-2, oestrogen receptor (ER), grade and subtype, and was also significatively associated with poor clinical outcome of the patients. By multivariate analysis MET showed to have an independent prognostic value. Conclusions: Our study suggests that the cross-communication between MET, and ErbB-2 may have clinicopathological impact and deserves further analysis namely in the design of novel combined therapeutic approaches

A seleção brasileira de futebol a serviço da cerveja: análise multifuncional de texto na perspectiva da gramática sistêmico-funcional

This paper aims to analyze, under the perspective of Systemic Functional Grammar (Halliday and Matthiessen, 2004), an opinion article on the participation of members of Brazilian soccer team in beer advertisements during the 2010 Soccer WorldCup. Within the context of ideational metafunction, we analyzed the transitivity system, and based on that we investigated the participants included in the discourse and their representations. In relation to the interpersonal metafunction, resources of modality were analyzedin the text. Seen as responsible for systematizing experiential and interpersonal meanings, the thematic structure, by which one performs the textual metafunction, is analyzed by mapping the types of sentence Themes.Key words: Systemic Functional Grammar, language metafunctions,lexicogrammar, opinion article.Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar, sob o enfoque da Gramática Sistêmico-Funcional, de Halliday e Matthiessen (2004), um artigo de opinião que trata da participação, em propagandas de cerveja, de integrantes da seleção brasileira de futebol na Copa do Mundo de 2010. No âmbito da metafunção ideacional, foi analisado o sistema de transitividade, a partir do qual se verificam os participantes incluídos no discurso e suas representações. Em relação à metafunção interpessoal, foram analisados os recursos de modalidade presentes no texto. Entendida como responsável pela sistematização dos significados experienciais e interpessoais, a metafunção textual é abordada por meio de um dos seus sistemas de análise – a estrutura temática –, a partir do mapeamento dos Temas oracionais.Palavras-chave: Gramática Sistêmico-Funcional, metafunções dalinguagem, léxico-gramática, artigo de opinião

Brazilian soccer team in the service of beer: Multifunctional textual analysis under the perspective of systemic functional grammar

Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar, sob o enfoque da Gramática Sistêmico-Funcional, de Halliday e Matthiessen (2004), um artigo de opinião que trata da participação, em propagandas de cerveja, de integrantes da seleção brasileira de futebol na Copa do Mundo de 2010. No âmbito da metafunção ideacional, foi analisado o sistema de transitividade, a partir do qual se verificam os participantes incluídos no discurso e suas representações. Em relação à metafunção interpessoal, foram analisados os recursos de modalidade presentes no texto. Entendida como responsável pela sistematização dos significados experienciais e interpessoais, a metafunção textual é abordada por meio de um dos seus sistemas de análise – a estrutura temática –, a partir do mapeamento dos Temas oracionais.Palavras-chave: Gramática Sistêmico-Funcional, metafunções dalinguagem, léxico-gramática, artigo de opinião.This paper aims to analyze, under the perspective of Systemic Functional Grammar (Halliday and Matthiessen, 2004), an opinion article on the participation of members of Brazilian soccer team in beer advertisements during the 2010 Soccer WorldCup. Within the context of ideational metafunction, we analyzed the transitivity system, and based on that we investigated the participants included in the discourse and their representations. In relation to the interpersonal metafunction, resources of modality were analyzedin the text. Seen as responsible for systematizing experiential and interpersonal meanings, the thematic structure, by which one performs the textual metafunction, is analyzed by mapping the types of sentence Themes.Key words: Systemic Functional Grammar, language metafunctions,lexicogrammar, opinion article

Terapias cognitivo-comportamentais, terapias cognitivas e técnicas comportamentais para o transtorno de ansiedade social

BACKGROUND: Patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) exhibit distinctive patterns of response to different types of cognitive and/or behavioral treatment. Therefore, it is imperative to assess the best techniques used for the treatment of this disorder. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to perform a systematic review of controlled studies that evaluated the efficacy of cognitive and/or behavioral techniques on the treatment of SAD. METHOD: A systematic analysis of randomized clinical trials indexed in the following databases was made: PubMed/MedLine, PsycINFO, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, LILACS, ISI Web of Science, and related articles. RESULTS: No consensus on the efficacy of associating cognitive and behavioral therapies was found. Novel techniques (such as virtual reality, bycomputerhomework,and self therapy with therapeuticassistance) werefoundto be as effectiveasstandardcognitivebehavioral therapy (CBT). The association of CBT with the avoidance of safety behaviors, as well as with social skills training was associated with an additional advantage. As for behavioral therapy, focus training and exposure therapy were considered to be the most effective techniques. Further, individual treatment was more effective than group therapy, and weekly sessions were associated with better results than those occurring at least every other week. DISCUSSION: Both cognitive and behavioral (standard and innovative) therapies are effective for treating social phobia.CONTEXTO: Pacientes com transtorno de ansiedade social respondem de forma distinta a diferentes tipos de terapias cognitivas e/ou comportamentais, o que motiva a avaliação das melhores técnicas para o tratamento desse transtorno. OBJETIVO: Realizar uma revisão sistemática de estudos controlados que avaliaram a eficácia das técnicas cognitivo e/ ou comportamentais na redução do transtorno de ansiedade social. MÉTODO: Análise sistemática de ensaios clínicos randomizados indexados nas seguintes bases de dados: PubMed/MedLine, PsycINFO, Registro Cochrane de Ensaios Controlados, LILACS, ISI/Web of Science e em artigos relacionados. RESULTADOS: Não se encontrou consenso sobre a eficácia da associação da terapia cognitiva com técnicas comportamentais. Novas técnicas (tratamento por realidade virtual, tarefa de casa via computador e autoterapia com assistência terapêutica) demonstraram ser tão eficazes quanto aquelas utilizadas na terapia cognitivo-comportamental (TCC) padrão. A associação da TCC com evitação de comportamentos de segurança e com o treino de habilidades sociais apresentou vantagem adicional em relação ao modelo convencional. Entre as técnicas comportamentais, o treino em tarefa de concentração e a exposição foram as estratégias mais eficazes. O tratamento individual foi mais efetivo do que em grupo e o modelo de sessões semanais foi mais eficaz do que sessões no mínimo quinzenais. CONCLUSÃO: Os estudos avaliados confirmaram que tanto técnicas cognitivas quanto comportamentais (convencionais e inovadoras) são eficazes no tratamento do transtorno de ansiedade social

Validation of quantitative gait analysis systems for Parkinson’s disease for use in supervised and unsupervised environments

© The Author(s). 2021 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.Background: Gait impairments are among the most common and impactful symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Recent technological advances aim to quantify these impairments using low-cost wearable systems for use in either supervised clinical consultations or long-term unsupervised monitoring of gait in ecological environments. However, very few of these wearable systems have been validated comparatively to a criterion of established validity. Objective: We developed two movement analysis solutions (3D full-body kinematics based on inertial sensors, and a smartphone application) in which validity was assessed versus the optoelectronic criterion in a population of PD patients. Methods: Nineteen subjects with PD (7 female) participated in the study (age: 62 ± 12.27 years; disease duration: 6.39 ± 3.70 years; HY: 2 ± 0.23). Each participant underwent a gait analysis whilst barefoot, at a self-selected speed, for a distance of 3 times 10 m in a straight line, assessed simultaneously with all three systems. Results: Our results show excellent agreement between either solution and the optoelectronic criterion. Both systems differentiate between PD patients and healthy controls, and between PD patients in ON or OFF medication states (normal difference distributions pooled from published research in PD patients in ON and OFF states that included an age-matched healthy control group). Fair to high waveform similarity and mean absolute errors below the mean relative orientation accuracy of the equipment were found when comparing the angular kinematics between the full-body inertial sensor-based system and the optoelectronic criterion. Conclusions: We conclude that the presented solutions produce accurate results and can capture clinically relevant parameters using commodity wearable sensors or a simple smartphone. This validation will hopefully enable the adoption of these systems for supervised and unsupervised gait analysis in clinical practice and clinical trials.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Spatial and temporal variations of Cockle (Cerastoderma spp.) populations in two portuguese estuarine systems with low directed fishing pressure

Cockles are amongst the most exploited bivalve species in Portugal, playing an important ecological and socioeconomic role in coastal ecosystems. Two sympatric species of cockles, Cerastoderma edule (Linnaeus, 1758) and Cerastoderma glaucum (Bruguiere, 1789-1792) may co-occur in estuaries and coastal lagoons in mixed populations along the European Atlantic coast, namely in Portugal, France and the United Kingdom. The increasing importance of shellfish harvesting in Portugal requires a good knowledge of cockle stocks and temporal variability in stock levels to better inform sustainable management practices. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing spatial and temporal variations in cockle populations in two Portuguese estuarine systems where the species are exploited at low levels. Sampling was carried out using a clam dredge, covering the entire potential area of occurrence of cockles in the Tagus and Sado estuaries at around the same time of the year in each of the three sampling years (2015, 2018, and 2019). The abundance, spatial distribution and population structure of cockles were examined at each system. Moreover, several water and sediment parameters were measured to understand the influence of environmental conditions on the spatial distribution and abundance of cockles. The results obtained showed that cockles occur mostly in the intermediate areas of both estuarine systems and are more abundant in the Tagus estuary. Depth, average sediment grain size and the species Ruditapes philippinarum were the factors that better explained the probability of species occurrence. The population structure analysis indicated that natural mortality is constraining the cockle communities given the low abundance of adult individuals with marketable size in both estuaries. This study highlights the need for appropriate management measures to ensure the sustainability of these bivalve population stocks that have significant socioeconomic importance for local populations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 Seroconversion Following Relieve of Confinement Measures

Funding: This work was supported by FCT grants (PTDC/MECREU/29520/2017 to HS and CHRC UIDB/4923/2020, UIPD/4923/2020). JG, MJJ, and DAS are supported by FCT through /BD/128343/2017, PTDC/EGE-OGE/32573/2017, and PD/BD/137409/2018, respectively. The anti-SARSCoV-2 ELISA assay was developed within the context of Serology4COVID consortium, in which IBET (Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica) produced and purified the Spike protein. This initiative was supported by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Emergency Fund for COVID-19, Sociedade Francisco Manuel dos Santos and Oeiras Municipality.Seroprevalence studies are crucial both for estimating the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and to provide a measure for the efficiency of the confinement measures. Portuguese universities were closed on March 16th 2020, when Portugal only registered 62 SARS-CoV-2 infection cases per million. We have validated a SARS-CoV-2 ELISA assay to a stabilized full-length spike protein using 216 pre-pandemic and 19 molecularly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 positive individual's samples. At NOVA University of Lisbon, presential work was partially resumed on May 25th with staggered schedules. From June 15th to 30th, 3–4 weeks after the easing of confinement measures, we screened 1,636 collaborators of NOVA university of Lisbon for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike specific IgA and IgG antibodies. We found that spike-specific IgG in 50 of 1,636 participants (3.0%), none of which had anti-spike IgA antibodies. As participants self-reported as asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic, our study also provides a measurement of the prevalence of asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our study suggests that essential workers have a 2-fold increase in viral exposure, when compared to non-essential workers that observed confinement. Additional serological surveys in different population subgroups will paint a broader picture of the effect of the confinement measures in the broader community.publishersversionpublishe

Gangrena de Fournier - do diagnóstico ao tratamento / Fournier Grangrene- from diagnostic to treatment

INTRODUÇÃO: A Síndrome de Fournier é determinada como uma fasciite necrosante de evolução rápida e agressiva, que acomete regiões perineal, perianal e genital. Outrossim, manifesta-se por sinais flogísticos e possuí uma incidência de 1,6 por 100.000 habitantes, afetando principalmente homens. O tratamento da GF deve ser iniciado de forma imediata, logo após o diagnóstico da síndrome. Essa revisão foi realizada com o objetivo de analisar conceitos e aprofundar estudos acerca da Síndrome de Fournier. Sendo este estudo uma revisão de literatura, seu caráter é exploratório nas pesquisas contemporâneas acerca dessa síndrome. METODOLOGIA: uma revisão de literatura foi realizada em duas bases de dados, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrievel System Online (MEDLINE) e Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), seguida de triagem para selecionar os artigos relevantes ao assunto em questão. Foram incluídos no estudo 15 artigos em inglês, português e espanhol. DISCUSSÃO: A fisiopatologia da GF caracteriza-se por endarterite obliterante com formação de microtrombos arteriais e venosos, afetando tecidos subcutâneos e cutâneos. Os sinais clínicos incluem dor súbita, edema, eritema, febre, prostração e necrose da área acometida. Para diagnóstico são utilizados a Tomografia Computadorizada, Ressonância Magnética e Ultrassonografia, além de exames laboratoriais. O tratamento consiste em controle sistêmico, desbridamento cirúrgico e antibioticoterapia, podendo ser realizadas terapias adjuvantes. CONCLUSÃO Perante todo o exposto pode-se concluir que os métodos diagnósticos já estão claros, que o tratamento tem várias alternativas, sendo elas medicamentosas, cirúrgicas ou por oxigenoterapia hiperbárica.

Estratégia de acompanhamento de crianças menores de dois anos na atenção primária à saúde / Monitoring of children under two years in primary health care

No âmbito da vigilância à saúde da criança, a equipe multiprofissional tem responsabilidades de cuidado e suporte humanizado à criança e sua família, valorizando o bem-estar biopsicossocial, identificando e intervindo em necessidades e vulnerabilidades. Este estudo tem como objetivo descrever a assistência prestada no cuidado compartilhado às crianças de 0 a 2 anos na Atenção Primária à Saúde. Trata-se de relato de experiência que descreve as atividades desenvolvidas por uma equipe multiprofissional em uma unidade básica de saúde, desde abril de 2017. Foi instituído como rotina na unidade o fluxo de atendimento às crianças de 0 a 24 meses: com avaliação odontológica; consulta compartilhada com a enfermagem e a nutrição aos seis meses; utilização da escala de Denver II para avaliação do desenvolvimento infantil; além da supervisão e reforço quanto a importância da suplementação de sulfato ferroso, dose semestral de vitamina A e calendário vacinal. Assim, a depender do caso, realiza-se uma consulta compartilhada a fim de garantir um atendimento integral e resolutivo. As consultas representam um espaço para a educação em saúde e uma oportunidade para que os profissionais orientem cada mãe de acordo com a fase da criança e problemas apresentados

Influenza severe cases in hospitals, between 2014 and 2016 in Portugal

Rede Portuguesa de Laboratórios para o Diagnóstico da GripeBackground: Since 2009, the Portuguese Laboratory Network (PLNID) for Influenza Diagnosis has integrated 15 Laboratories in mainland and Atlantic Islands of Azores and Madeira. This PLNID added an important contribute to the National Influenza Surveillance Program regarding severe and hospitalized influenza cases. The present study aims to describe influenza viruses detected in influenza like illness (ILI) cases: outpatients (Outp), hospitalized (Hosp), and intensive care units (ICU), between 2014 and 2016. Methods: The PLNID performs influenza virus diagnosis by biomolecular methodologies. Weekly reports to the National Influenza Reference Laboratory ILI cases tested for influenza. Reports include data on detecting viruses, hospital assistance, antiviral therapeutics, and information on death outcome. Were reported during two winter seasons 8059 ILI cases,being 3560 cases in 2014/15 (1024 in Outp, 1750 Hosp, and 606 in ICU) and 4499 cases in 2015/2016 (1933 in Outp, 1826 Hosp, and 740 in ICU). Results: The higher percentage of influenza positive cases were detected in Outp in both seasons, 18% during 2014/15 and 20% in 2015/16. In 2014/15,influenza cases were more frequent in individuals older than 65 years old and these required more hospitalizations,even in ICU. In 2015/16,the influenza cases were mainly detected in individuals between 15-64 years old. A higher proportion of influenza positive cases with hospitalization in ICU were observed in adults between 45-64 years old.During the study period,the predominant circulating influenza viruses were different in the two seasons: influenza B and A(H3) co-circulated in 2014/15,and influenza A(H1)pdm09 was predominant during 2015/16. Even when influenza A is notthe dominant virus, A(H3) and A(H1)pdm09 subtypes correlate with higher detection rate in hospitalized cases (Hosp and UCI), with higher frequencies in adults older than 45. Influenza B,detected in higher proportion in outpatients, was frequently relatedwith influenza cases in younger age groups: 0-4 and 5-14 years old. Conclusions: This study highlights the correlation of theinfluenza virus type/subtype that circulates in each season with the possible need for hospitalization and intensive care in special groups of the population. Circulation of influenza A subtypes can cause more frequentdisease in individuals older than 45, with need of hospitalization including intensive care. On the other hand, influenza B is more frequently associated with less severe cases and with infection in children and younger adults. Influenza B circulation might predict lower number of hospitalizations.The identification of influenza type in circulation,byPLNID ineach season, could guide action planning measures in population health care.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio