Intervención internacional a través de los medios de comunicación en sociedades posguerra: Perspectivas a partir de las epistemologías del sur

Over the past two decades, international intervention in post-war settings has strictly followed liberal assumptions and practices. Efforts to build and shape the media in the aftermath of armed conflict are no exception. In setting the foundations for the rule of law, liberal democracy and free market, external actors have (re)defined what constitutes the mediascape – that is, the various spheres of communication within public discourse – and how to (re)construct it. Imprinted with modernity’s tenets and western assumptions about the public space, this approach has understood the mediascape narrowly as limited to traditional, established, liberal media, serving to validate particular actors and processes whilst obscuring, neglecting and shutting off global diversity. Law and technology, this paper argues, are the two main axes through which legitimation and exclusion are effected. A myopic focus on legal and technological aspects of the media reduces a rich space of local discourses, norms and practices to western-like media legislation, training and outlets, narrowing in turn the sites for addressing violence and building peace.Durante las últimas dos décadas, la intervención internacional en contextos posguerra ha seguido estrictamente los supuestos y prácticas liberales. Los esfuerzos para construir y dar forma a los medios de comunicación después de los conflictos armados no son una excepción. Al sentar las bases del estado de derecho, de la democracia liberal y del libre mercado, los actores externos han definido lo que constituye el paisaje mediático, es decir, las diversas esferas de la comunicación en el discurso público y cómo reconstruirlo. Imbuido con los principios de la modernidad y los supuestos occidentales sobre el espacio público, este enfoque ha entendido el panorama mediático estrechamente como limitado a los medios tradicionales, establecidos y liberales, sirviendo para validar actores y procesos particulares mientras oscurece, descuida y cierra la diversidad global. El derecho y la tecnología, sostiene este documento, son los dos ejes principales a través de los cuales se efectúan la legitimación y la exclusión. Un enfoque miope en los aspectos legales y tecnológicos de los medios de comunicación que reduce un rico espacio de discursos, normas y prácticas locales a la legislación, la formación y los medios de comunicación de los medios occidentales, reduciendo a su vez los sitios para abordar la violencia y construir la paz

Functional status following pulmonary rehabilitation: responders and non-responders

The 6 min walking test (6MWT) has been largely studied. Less is, however, known about responders and non-responders to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in other meaningful activities. We explored responders and non-responders and the predictors of response to PR in the 1 min sit-to-stand test (1 min STS) and the 6MWT and compared both measures in classifying responders. An observational study was conducted with 121 people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The functional status was assessed before and after PR. Baseline differences between responders and non-responders were tested with Mann–Whitney U, chi-square, or Fisher exact tests. Predictors were explored with binary logistic regressions. Agreement between both measures was assessed with chi-square, Cohen’s kappa, and McNemar tests. There were 54.5% and 57.0% of responders in the 1 min STS and the 6MWT, respectively. The proportion of responders was significantly different (p = 0.048), with a small agreement between the measures (kappa = 0.180; p = 0.048). The baseline 6MWT was the only significant predictor of response in the 6MWT (OR = 0.995; pseudo-r2 = 0.117; p < 0.001). No significant predictors were found for the 1 min STS. A large number of non-responders in terms of functional status exist. The 1 min STS and the 6MWT should not be used interchangeably. Future studies should explore the added benefit of personalizing PR to this outcome and investigate other potential predictors.publishe

Influence of an upwelling filament on the distribution of labile fraction of dissolved Zn, Cd and Pb off Cape São Vicente, SW Iberia

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Responsiveness to pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD is associated with changes in microbiota

Background Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) is one of the most cost-effective therapies for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management. There are, however, people who do not respond to PR and reasons for non-response are mostly unknown. PR is likely to change the airway microbiota and this could play a role in its responsiveness. In this study we have explored the association between PR effectiveness and specific alterations in oral microbiota and inflammation. Methods A prospective longitudinal study was conducted. Data on exercise capacity, dyspnoea, impact of disease and 418 saliva samples were collected from 76 patients, half of whom participated in a 12-weeks PR programme. Responders and non-responders to PR (dyspnoea, exercise-capacity and impact of disease) were defined based on minimal clinically important differences. Results Changes in microbiota, including Prevotella melaninogenica and Streptococcus were observed upon PR. Prevotella, previously found to be depleted in severe COPD, increased during the first month of PR in responders. This increase was negatively correlated with Streptococcus and Lautropia, known to be enriched in severe cases of COPD. Simultaneously, an anti-inflammatory commensal of the respiratory tract, Rothia, correlated strongly and negatively with several pro-inflammatory markers, whose levels were generally boosted by PR. Conversely, in non-responders, the observed decline in Prevotella correlated negatively with Streptococcus and Lautropia whose fluctuations co-occurred with several pro-inflammatory markers. Conclusions PR is associated with changes in oral microbiota. Specifically, PR increases salivary Prevotella melaninogenica and avoids the decline in Rothia and the increase in Streptococcus and Lautropia in responders, which may contribute to the benefits of PR.publishe

Biosorption of fluoroquinolones by activated sludge and aerobic granules sludge

Oral communicationAntibiotic residues have been detected in various environmental matrices, such as surface water and even drinking water. Although present at low levels (μg/L, ng/L), many antibiotics are bioaccumulative, pseudo-persistent and can promote resistance/alterations in bacterial populations [1]. Recent studies on antibiotics removal by activated sludge (AS) and aerobic granules (AGS) show biosorption as the dominant process, determining the fate of these micropollutants [2-3]. In this work the biosorption of three widely used fluoroquinolones (FQ) - ofloxacin (OFL), norfloxacin (NOR) and ciprofloxacin (CPF) - to AS and AGS was evaluated. A High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection (HPLC-FD) method was validated and used to follow the biosorption of the target FQ. Data obtained in this study contribute to a better comprehension of FQ biosorption behavior in AS and AGS. At pH 7 AS showed better performance to biosorb OFL, NOR and CPF than AGS. The higher biosortion capacity of AS was probably due to the negative charge on its surface, evaluated by a zeta potential of -25.65 mV, at pH 7. OFL was the less biosorbed, both onto AS and AGS, because this FQ at pH 7 is mainly present in its anionic form. The equilibrium data for AS showed a better fit to the Langmuir model, while the model that presented better fit for AGS was the Freundlich model. The FQ could be desorbed from AGS at pH 3, pH 8 and pH 9 whereas at pH 4 the biosorption process was promoted

Mechanism of Antifungal Activity by 5-Aminoimidazole-4-Carbohydrazonamide Derivatives against Candida albicans and Candida krusei

Systemic mycoses are one major cause of morbidity/mortality among immunocompromised/debilitated individuals. Studying the mechanism of action is a strategy to develop safer/potent antifungals, warning resistance emergence. The major goal of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of action of three (Z)-5-amino-N’-aryl-1-methyl-1H-imidazole-4-carbohydrazonamides (2h, 2k, 2l) that had previously demonstrated strong antifungal activity against Candida krusei and C. albicans ATCC strains. Activity was confirmed against clinical isolates, susceptible or resistant to fluconazole by broth microdilution assay. Ergosterol content (HPLC-DAD), mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity (MTT), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (flow cytometry), germ tube inhibition and drug interaction were evaluated. None of the compounds inhibited ergosterol synthesis. Ascorbic acid reduced the antifungal effect of compounds and significantly decreased ROS production. The metabolic viability of C. krusei was significantly reduced for values of 2MIC. Compounds 2h and 2k caused a significant increase in ROS production for MIC values while for 2l a significant increase was only observed for concentrations above MIC. ROS production seems to be involved in antifungal activity and the higher activity against C. krusei versus C. albicans may be related to their unequal sensitivity to different ROS. No synergism with fluconazole or amphotericin was observed, but the association of 2h with fluconazole might be valuable due to the significant inhibition of the dimorphic transition, a C. albicans virulence mechanism.This research was partially supported by national funds through FCT—Foundation for Sci ence and Technology within the scope of UID/Multi/04546/2019, UIDB/04423/2020, UIDB/50006/2020, UID/QUI/00686/2020

Remoção de fluoroquinolonas do ambiente: biossorção a lamas ativadas e a grânulos aeróbios

Diversas matrizes ambientais, particularmente águas residuais, têm revelado a presença de antibióticos. Embora presentes em níveis vestigiais (ng.L-1 a µg.L-1,), estes compostos são pseudo-persistentes e, naquelas concentrações, podem também promover resistências nas populações bacterianas [1]. Estudos recentes de remoção de antibióticos com lamas ativadas (AS) e grânulos aeróbios (AGS) mostram a biossorção como processo dominante e eficaz na remoção destes micropoluentes [2,3]. O presente trabalho explorou a biossorção de três fluoroquinolonas (FQ) - ofloxacina (OFL), norfloxacina (NOR) e ciprofloxacina (CPF) - a AS e AGS. Com vista a uma melhor compreensão dos fenómenos que ocorrem durante o processo, foram estudados diversos parâmetros que condicionam a biossorção. As AS demonstraram melhor desempenho na remoção da OFL, NOR e CPF relativamente aos AGS. No entanto, nas concentrações estudadas, não foi possível promover a remoção total dos fármacos. A capacidade mais elevada de biossorção das AS foi atribuída à carga negativa da superfície da biossorção, representada por um potencial zeta de -25,65 mV, a pH 7. A OFL foi a FQ menos removida, tanto pelas AS como pelos AGS, porque a OFL a pH 7 está principalmente presente na forma aniónica, com uma pequena percentagem, na forma zwiteriónica. Em AGS verifica-se um aumento da biossorção da OFL, NOR e CPF em pH ácido (pH 4) e maior dessorção em pH alcalino (pH 8 a 9). Observou-se também que ocorre a destruição da estrutura granular dos AGS quando o pH do meio é igual ou inferior a 3. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo contribuem para uma utilização mais eficaz de AS e AGS na remoção de antibióticos fluoroquinolonas do ambiente

Efficacy, Stability, and Safety Evaluation of New Polyphenolic Xanthones Towards Identification of Bioactive Compounds to Fight Skin Photoaging

Antioxidants have long been used in the cosmetic industry to prevent skin photoaging, which is mediated by oxidative stress, making the search for new antioxidant compounds highly desirable in this field. Naturally occurring xanthones are polyphenolic compounds that can be found in microorganisms, fungi, lichens, and some higher plants. This class of polyphenols has a privileged scaffold that grants them several biological activities. We have previously identified simple oxygenated xanthones as promising antioxidants and disclosed as hit, 1,2-dihydroxyxanthone (1). Herein, we synthesized and studied the potential of xanthones with different polyoxygenated patterns as skin antiphotoaging ingredients. In the DPPH antioxidant assay, two newly synthesized derivatives showed IC₅₀ values in the same range as ascorbic acid. The synthesized xanthones were discovered to be excellent tyrosinase inhibitors and weak to moderate collagenase and elastase inhibitors but no activity was revealed against hyaluronidase. Their metal-chelating effect (FeCl₃ and CuCl₂) as well as their stability at different pH values were characterized to understand their potential to be used as future cosmetic active agents. Among the synthesized polyoxygenated xanthones, 1,2-dihydroxyxanthone (1) was reinforced as the most promising, exhibiting a dual ability to protect the skin against UV damage by combining antioxidant/metal-chelating properties with UV-filter capacity and revealed to be more stable in the pH range that is close to the pH of the skin. Lastly, the phototoxicity of 1,2-dihydroxyxanthone (1) was evaluated in a human keratinocyte cell line and no phototoxicity was observed in the concentration range tested.This research was supported by national funds through FCT, Foundation for Science and Technology, within the scope of UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020 under the project PTDC/SAU-PUB/28736/2017 (reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028736), cofinanced by COMPETE 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union through the ERDF and by FCT through national funds, as well as CHIRALBIOACTIVE-PI-3RL-IINFACTS-2019, and supported by the Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit-UCIBIO which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UID/Multi/04378/2019). Thanks are also due to FCT, the European Union, QREN, FEDER, COMPETE, by funding cE3c center (Ref. UID/BIA/00329/2019) and Direcao Regional da Ciencia e Tecnologia (Azores Government) by funding Azorean Biodiversity Group.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio