Development and preliminary results of the International Trauma Exposure Measure for children and adolescents (ITEM-CA)

Background. The need for children's assessment of traumatic exposure has been an extraordinary field of research that provided relevant knowledge on the impact of traumatic events. Mainly in severe or specific traumatic events, data have been gathered with several instruments. However, the use of these instruments in low risk samples pose an ethical reflection if generating a dangerous world assumption in children can have important negative side effects. Objective. This paper intends to present preliminary results of a questionnaire targeting assessment of traumatic exposure, safe as possible for low risk children aged between 7 and 13. It intends also to reflect its construction process within the aims of assuring competent epidemiological research while counterbalancing dangerous world assumptions by children and youth in low risk samples.Method. This new Likert scale has four levels based on frequency of exposure and was developed considering the potential negative impact of each item. Several researchers, victims and organizations discussed each item considering its meaning, degree of activation on non-exposed children and linguistic adequacy. The structure is based on International Trauma Exposure Measure for adults but differentiating contexts of exposure: family/care and school/community.Results. The final version of the scale has 36 items related to traumatic or adverse events exposure and a final item to reflect in positive life events.Conclusions. There is a special question about need for help, which may provide a safe way for professional support. Preliminary results from the Portuguese dataset are presented and discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Avaliação do desempenho das políticas de gestão e proteção do litoral continental português

Esta dissertação teve como objectivo principal desenvolver indicadores que sejam ao mesmo tempo abrangentes e diferenciadores das especificidades locais existentes na orla costeira do continente português com base na informação de base disponível e assim evidenciar a importância desta abordagem no apoio à gestão integrada das zonas costeiras tal como preconizado pelas Recomendações Europeias sobre GIZC de 2002 (Recomendações 2002/413/CE, 2002). Em Portugal, é no litoral que se encontra a maior parte da sua população, assim como recursos e atividades económicas estratégicas para o interesse nacional, pelo que a disponibilização de dados, que permitam rápidas leituras em diversos domínios sobre o litoral, assumem aspectos de enorme importância em diversas vertentes que importam a um efetivo desenvolvimento que se deseja sustentável e que vão desde o apoio à gestão do ponto de vista técnico e administrativo, no suporte a decisões políticas e no apoio a sectores produtivos. Esta dissertação resulta de um estágio de 7 meses na Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente onde foi efectuado um tratamento da informação em ambiente SIG após uma recolha dos dados de base disponíveis que, embora não tenha sido exaustiva, abrange um conjunto de indicadores muito representativos da realidade costeira e que vai desde os tradicionais censos do INE de 2011 até à sua combinação com dados geográficos. O trabalho teve como ponto de partida o trabalho desenvolvido no âmbito do projeto europeu SUSTAIN, que é um projeto que pretendeu avaliar e promover políticas locais de sustentabilidade das zonas costeiras, mas onde os indicadores referentes à caracterização do risco costeiro dominaram face às recomendações resultantes do Grupo de Trabalho do Litoral criado ao abrigo do despacho n.º 6574/2014, de 20 de maio. A dissertação teve ainda como objetivo secundário a inserção dos indicadores em sistemas de informação baseados em informação geográfica de forma a poderem ter uma ampla divulgação, sendo exemplo a plataforma colaborativa SIARL - Sistema de Administração do Recurso Litoral, que possui um campo próprio para implementação de indicadores deste tipo (www.siarl.igeo.pt) e que tem como objetivo principal ser uma ferramenta de apoio à decisão e que facilite a troca de experiências e o acesso à informação institucional. A análise efetuada no âmbito desta dissertação vem em grande parte evidenciar as assimetrias já referenciadas por muitos especialistas que se debruçaram sobre estas matérias, designadamente em termos de usos do solo, de risco ou demográficos, permitindo definir rumos claros quanto à política de dados a desenvolver pelas entidades responsáveis pela sua produção tendo em vista obterem-se indicadores que visem favorecer a gestão integrada das zonas costeiras

Light-dependent roles of the G-protein α subunit GNA1 of Hypocrea jecorina (anamorph Trichoderma reesei)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The filamentous ascomycete <it>Hypocrea jecorina </it>(anamorph <it>Trichoderma reesei</it>) is primarily known for its efficient enzymatic machinery that it utilizes to decompose cellulosic substrates. Nevertheless, the nature and transmission of the signals initiating and modulating this machinery are largely unknown. Heterotrimeric G-protein signaling represents one of the best studied signal transduction pathways in fungi.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Analysis of the regulatory targets of the G-protein α subunit GNA1 in <it>H. jecorina </it>revealed a carbon source and light-dependent role in signal transduction. Deletion of <it>gna1 </it>led to significantly decreased biomass formation in darkness in submersed culture but had only minor effects on morphology and hyphal apical extension rates on solid medium. Cellulase gene transcription was abolished in Δ<it>gna1 </it>on cellulose in light and enhanced in darkness. However, analysis of strains expressing a constitutively activated GNA1 revealed that GNA1 does not transmit the essential inducing signal. Instead, it relates a modulating signal with light-dependent significance, since induction still required the presence of an inducer. We show that regulation of transcription and activity of GNA1 involves a carbon source-dependent feedback cycle. Additionally we found a function of GNA1 in hydrophobin regulation as well as effects on conidiation and tolerance of osmotic and oxidative stress.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that GNA1 transmits a signal the physiological relevance of which is dependent on both the carbon source as well as the light status. The widespread consequences of mutations in GNA1 indicate a broad function of this Gα subunit in appropriation of intracellular resources to environmental (especially nutritional) conditions.</p

Strain sensitivity enhancement in suspended core fiber tapers

Suspended core fiber tapers with different cross sections (with diameters from 70 μm to 120 μm) are produced by filament heating. Before obtaining the taper, the spectral behavior of the suspended core fiber is a multimode interference structure. When the taper is made, an intermodal interference between a few modes is observed. This effect is clearly visible for low taper core dimensions. Since the core and cladding do not collapse, two taper regions exist, one in the core and the other in the cladding. The cladding taper does not affect the light transmission, only the core is reduced to a microtaper. The spectral response of the microtaper based-suspended core fiber is similar to a beat of two interferometers. The strain is applied to the microtaper, and with the reduction in the transverse area, an increase in sensitivity is observed. When the taper is immersed in a liquid with a different index of refraction or subjected to temperature variations, no spectral change occurs

Problematic and adaptive eating in people with obesity after a DBT-based skills training intervention : 3- and 8-month follow-up and mediation analysis

Background: Dialectical behavior therapy conceptualizes problematic behaviors as attempts to regulate emotions that occur when the individual lacks effective skills with which to manage his or her emotions and cope with distress. Problematic eating behaviors, e.g., binge and emotional eating, may serve to alleviate aversive emotional states, being highly associated with overweight and obesity. Dialectical behavior therapy skills training has been proven effective in reducing binge eating in several clinical studies. However, few studies reveal the effects of DBT on adaptive eating behaviors or the stability of outcomes. Objectives: This study aimed to test the effect of a brief DBT-based skills training intervention, and the stability of outcomes at 3- and 8-month follow-ups. Methods: Self-report measures of binge eating, emotional eating, intuitive eating, and mindful eating were taken on 5 timepoints before and after a 10-session DBT skills training intervention (2 baseline measures, 1 post-test, and 2 follow-ups). Data were analyzed using a mixed-model intention-to-treat approach and mediation analysis was conducted with path analysis. Results: After the intervention, intuitive eating and mindful eating scores were significantly higher than before the intervention, while emotional eating and binge eating scores were lower. The results remained stable during the follow-up period, with minor fluctuations and small trends towards returning to baseline values for binge eating and emotional eating. Mindful eating partially mediated the improvements in all outcomes. Limitations: Given that results are entirely based on self-report measures and that some instruments showed poor reliability, in addition to the high attrition rates, the results should be interpreted as preliminary. Conclusions: The results provide evidence that a brief DBT intervention is effective not only in reducing problematic eating but also in increasing adaptive eating, achieving reasonably stable results. Also, the mediation analysis results support the hypothesis that mindful eating partially explains the effects of the intervention on binge and emotional eating. Future research should address the limitations of this study by investigating a more diverse sample, triangulating different measurement strategies, and including other putative mediators

A versatile toolkit for high throughput functional genomics with Trichoderma reesei

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The ascomycete fungus, <it>Trichoderma reesei </it>(anamorph of <it>Hypocrea jecorina</it>), represents a biotechnological workhorse and is currently one of the most proficient cellulase producers. While strain improvement was traditionally accomplished by random mutagenesis, a detailed understanding of cellulase regulation can only be gained using recombinant technologies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Aiming at high efficiency and high throughput methods, we present here a construction kit for gene knock out in <it>T. reesei</it>. We provide a primer database for gene deletion using the <it>pyr4, amdS </it>and <it>hph </it>selection markers. For high throughput generation of gene knock outs, we constructed vectors using yeast mediated recombination and then transformed a <it>T. reesei </it>strain deficient in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) by spore electroporation. This NHEJ-defect was subsequently removed by crossing of mutants with a sexually competent strain derived from the parental strain, QM9414.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Using this strategy and the materials provided, high throughput gene deletion in <it>T. reesei </it>becomes feasible. Moreover, with the application of sexual development, the NHEJ-defect can be removed efficiently and without the need for additional selection markers. The same advantages apply for the construction of multiple mutants by crossing of strains with different gene deletions, which is now possible with considerably less hands-on time and minimal screening effort compared to a transformation approach. Consequently this toolkit can considerably boost research towards efficient exploitation of the resources of <it>T. reesei </it>for cellulase expression and hence second generation biofuel production.</p

Metabolic engineering strategies for the improvement of cellulase production by Hypocrea jecorina

Hypocrea jecorina (= Trichoderma reesei) is the main industrial source of cellulases and hemicellulases used to depolymerise plant biomass to simple sugars that are converted to chemical intermediates and biofuels, such as ethanol. Cellulases are formed adaptively, and several positive (XYR1, ACE2, HAP2/3/5) and negative (ACE1, CRE1) components involved in this regulation are now known. In addition, its complete genome sequence has been recently published, thus making the organism susceptible to targeted improvement by metabolic engineering. In this review, we summarise current knowledge about how cellulase biosynthesis is regulated, and outline recent approaches and suitable strategies for facilitating the targeted improvement of cellulase production by genetic engineering