Octopus fishermen have a high rate of allergy sensitization to this species

Food allergy is an increasing worldwide problem. Food sensitization can occur by skin contact due to professional exposure and lead to clinical allergy, but data are sparse. In the Portuguese population diet, Octopus is usually fished and consumed. The major allergen (Oct v 1) in the muscle of the octopus Octopus vulgaris is tropomyosin, a highly conserved muscle protein with cross-reactivity between molluscs (bivalves, cephalopods, or gastropod) and also with arthropods (crustacea, insects and dust mites). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of allergic sensitization to Octopus vulgaris on fishermen that captures it and establish its clinical relevance of it. It was applied a survey concerned to respiratory and food allergy. Skin prick tests with aeroallergens extracts and prick -to- prick skin tests with octopus were performed. The sample was 17 fishermen from a village that mainly capture of octopus, using pots and traps. Like in general population, 29% of fishermen have dust mite sensitization, but 35% of them has octopus sensitization, instead of the expected sensitization rate lower than 5%. Also, there was no significant correlation with dust mites sensitization (spearman rank order correlation p˂0,05). Our results show a higher prevalence rate, unrelated with dust mites sensitization, and probably due to professional exposure. This is the first study with octopus’ fishermen in Portugal. Larger studies with a molecular profile should be performed in order to establish the clinical relevance of this data and the healthcare impact of it.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Investigating the knowledge of octopus fishermen about allergies to Octopus vulgaris manipulation and ingestion and testing whether if their daily practices can lead to cross-reaction with other captures species

Nowadays, the allergies in humans, that consuming marine products, are increasing and cephalopods are not an exception. Octopus is a food which may result in allergy symptoms because of essentially to tropomyosin in composition. Another problem is cross-allergy provoked by manipulation during fishing of different species from different groups (crustacean, fishes, molluscs) and manipulation of animals captured and recipients used aboard. For this study two Portuguese zones were chosen that were famous for octopus fishing by using pots and traps. The methodology used consisted in a presential survey/interview and observation method. The results demonstrated that the majority haven't heard about seafood or cephalopods allergy. Some procedures aboard aren’t avoided cross reaction allergy and can even promote the occurrence of it. Is necessary and urgent to give in-formation to the fishermen about allergen problems and correct some behaviors aboard.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Innovation and educational changes: two e-Learning cases in aquaculture

In this paper, we investigate the potential changes that education innovation can bring to education and training in aquaculture. When introducing Information and Communication Technology methods into new educational contexts, situations and/or practices, in the process teacher/practitioners will almost always make use of innovatory technology which in itself can lead to a measure of change within the relevant educational system. Nevertheless, it should not be forgotten that the use of technology is not an end in itself, its use is only justified as a tool to achieve the educational goals that have been set. It is in this spirit that two case studies are presented from current aquaculture curricula, which make use of innovative teaching methodology in the form of e-Learning: one case study is from the Open University (Universidade Aberta) in Portugal [distance teaching in a Master’s programme (Second Cycle)]; the second is from the NAFC Marine Centre, Scottish Qualifications Authority accredited courses in Scotland, UK. We report the pedagogical models on which these courses were built, the tools required to achieve the intended educational objectives and the teaching and learning resources used. We also report the creative stimulus inherent in the innovation processes that allowed the two teachers/instructors to achieve the same, or better, results than traditional teacher-led classroom methods, by using a technology-enhanced teaching process without the need for face-to-face interaction.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Adaptive evolution and divergence of SERPINB3: a young duplicate in great Apes

A series of duplication events led to an expansion of clade B Serine Protease Inhibitors (SERPIN), currently displaying a large repertoire of functions in vertebrates. Accordingly, the recent duplicates SERPINB3 and B4 located in human 18q21.3 SERPIN cluster control the activity of different cysteine and serine proteases, respectively. Here, we aim to assess SERPINB3 and B4 coevolution with their target proteases in order to understand the evolutionary forces shaping the accelerated divergence of these duplicates. Phylogenetic analysis of primate sequences placed the duplication event in a Hominoidae ancestor (∼30 Mya) and the emergence of SERPINB3 in Homininae (∼9 Mya). We detected evidence of strong positive selection throughout SERPINB4/B3 primate tree and target proteases, cathepsin L2 (CTSL2) and G (CTSG) and chymase (CMA1). Specifically, in the Homininae clade a perfect match was observed between the adaptive evolution of SERPINB3 and cathepsin S (CTSS) and most of sites under positive selection were located at the inhibitor/protease interface. Altogether our results seem to favour a coevolution hypothesis for SERPINB3, CTSS and CTSL2 and for SERPINB4 and CTSG and CMA1. A scenario of an accelerated evolution driven by host-pathogen interactions is also possible since SERPINB3/B4 are potent inhibitors of exogenous proteases, released by infectious agents. Finally, similar patterns of expression and the sharing of many regulatory motifs suggest neofunctionalization as the best fitted model of the functional divergence of SERPINB3 and B4 duplicates

Análise dos padrões de diversidade genética em três regiões funcionalmente relevantes do genoma humano : Apolipoproteína E (APOE), α1-antitripsina (PI), grupo sanguíneo Duffy (FY)

Dissertação de Doutoramento em Biologia apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do PortoOs estudos de variabilidade genética ao nível populacional podem-se centrar na história evolutiva das populações ou na história de certos genes em particular. A análise da história das populações está na base de progressos muito importantes na interpretação das relações interpopulacionais e dos principais padrões de migração, mas tende a não aprofundar o estudo das propriedades específicas de cada marcador genético. A caracterização da variação genética locus a locus é inadequada para a descrição da história populacional, mas permite uma análise mais detalhada dos aspectos que condicionaram a actual diversidade das regiões codificantes do genoma humano, incluindo o estudo das variedades de processos mutacionais, a pesquisa de diferenças funcionais entre alelos e o seu impacto no risco de doença, a avaliação do papel da selecção, bem como a identificação do local de origem de certas mutações e a análise das forças que influenciaram a sua subsequente dispersão.Esta tese constitui uma contribuição para a compreensão dos padrões de variação genética em três genes polimórficos: apolipoproteína E (APOE), a1-antitripsina (PI) e grupo sanguíneo Duffy (FY). A variação alélica do locus da APOE determina uma importante fracção da variabilidade nos níveis de colesterol total e está associada ao risco de doença de Alzheimer, proporcionando um bom exemplo da influência de um polimorfismo genético comum na susceptibilidade a doenças degenerativas e não infecciosas. O gene PI apresenta um elevado grau de polimorfismo com diversos alelos normais e muitas variantes patogénicas que causam a deficiência da proteína, constituindo um bom modelo para o estudo da história natural de um polimorfismo. O grupo sanguíneo FY está associado à resistência à malária por Plasmodium vivax e é particularmente adequado ao estudo do impacto das doenças infecciosas na modulação da variação genética.Com o objectivo de caracterizar a diversidade genética da apolipoproteína E, estudaram-se as distri ..

Microcephaly in early intervention: effective intervention strategies

O presente estudo, tem como finalidade contribuir para a melhoria e desenvolvimento de estratégias eficazes de intervenção no âmbito da Intervenção Precoce na Infância. Como método de investigação, optou-se por um estudo de caso que requer critérios que o definem de acordo com a investigação a realizar. O objetivo da investigação do mesmo incidiu sobre uma questão, saber quais as estratégias a desenvolver para uma intervenção mais eficaz, nos casos de risco estabelecido, com o diagnóstico de microcefalia. Foi adotada uma investigação de natureza qualitativa, tendo-se para isso, recorrido à utilização de entrevistas como instrumento de recolha de dados. Construiu-se um guião para três educadores de Infância e outro para a família, com questões abertas de forma a permitir aos entrevistados a fluência do seu discurso, exprimindo-se com abertura sobre as suas perceções, os seus valores, ajudando assim à compreensão das questões formuladas. Os resultados indicam que as estratégias de intervenção eficazes assentam nas principais premissas da Intervenção Precoce, comunicação, partilha de informação, preparar o trabalho conjuntamente, ter em consideração os sistemas individuais e contexto natural, no sentido de preparar programas educativos individuais adequados ao perfil de funcionalidade de cada criança.This study aims to contribute to the improvement and development of effective intervention strategies in the context of Early Intervention for Children. The purpose of the investigation of this case study focuses on a base question: what are the strategies to be developed for more effective intervention in cases of risk established, with the diagnosis of microcephaly. Thus we propose a qualitative research method based on the use of interviews, for which we built a script for three educators for children and another family with open questions to allow the interviewee fluency of his speech, expressing with openness about their perceptions, their values, thus helping to understand the applied questions. The results were against the fundamental questions posed to the study. In fact the effective intervention strategies based on key assumptions of early intervention, communication, information sharing, prepare work together, take into account the individual systems and natural context, to prepare individual educational programs appropriate to the functionality profile of each child.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Loss and Gain of Function in SERPINB11: An Example of a Gene under Selection on Standing Variation, with Implications for Host-Pathogen Interactions

Serine protease inhibitors (SERPINs) are crucial in the regulation of diverse biological processes including inflammation and immune response. SERPINB11, located in the 18q21 gene cluster, is a polymorphic gene/pseudogene coding for a non-inhibitory SERPIN. In a genome-wide scan for recent selection, SERPINB11 was identified as a potential candidate gene for adaptive evolution in Yoruba. The present study sought a better understanding of the evolutionary history of SERPINB11, with special focus on evaluating its selective signature. Through the resequencing of coding and noncoding regions of SERPINB11 in 20 Yorubans and analyzing primate orthologous sequences, we identified a full-length SERPINB11 variant encoding a non-inhibitory SERPIN as the putative candidate of selection – probably driven to higher frequencies by an adaptive response using preexisting variation. In addition, we detected contrasting evolutionary features of SERPINB11 in primates: While primate phylogeny as a whole is under purifying selection, the human lineage shows evidence of positive selection in a few codons, all associated with the active SERPINB11. Comparative modeling studies suggest that positively selected codons reduce SERPINB11's ability to undergo the conformational changes typical of inhibitory SERPINs – suggesting that it is evolving towards a new non-inhibitory function in humans. Significant correlations between SERPINB11 variants and the environmental variables, pastoralism and pathogen richness, have led us to propose a selective advantage through host-pathogen interactions, possibly linked to an adaptive response combating the emergence of infectious diseases in recent human evolution. This work represents the first description of a resurrected gene in humans, and may well exemplify selection on standing variation triggered by drastic ecological shifts

Educação sexual: adaptação de programa dirigido ao 3º ciclo do ensino básico

A educação sexual passou a ser de inclusão obrigatória nos currículos das escolas portuguesas a partir de Setembro, de 2009 (Decreto-Lei 60/2009, de 6 de Agosto e Portaria nº196-A 2010, de 9 de Abril). As orientações ministeriais em vigor, prevêem que se elaborem projetos, e que estes sejam desenvolvidos por um professor coordenador de educação para a saúde e sexualidade. Devem ser ouvidos os alunos, os pais e os professores. Os projetos podem ser aplicados pelos diretores de turma na área curricular não disciplinar de formação cívica, numa lógica de cooperação interdisciplinar. O desafio que a legislação coloca às escolas é grande porque durante muitos anos este assunto foi contornado, e a sua execução levada pouco a sério. Os professores têm, agora, que estar preparados pois caso sejam diretores de turma precisam de trabalhar este tema. Para tentar ajudar os diretores de turma a desempenhar esta tarefa, propomos a aplicação de um programa de educação sexual (Banister e Begoray, 2008). Quisemos, no entanto saber se os elementos da comunidade educativa eram favoráveis à implementação de um programa deste género e quais seriam os seus impactos. Assim sendo, os objetivos gerais do trabalho foram, por um lado fornecer uma ferramenta de apoio ao trabalho dos diretores de turma; e por outro lado, avaliar os resultados da aplicação do programa no contexto de uma escola nacional. Na componente teórica deste trabalho, começamos por analisar a legislação existente em Portugal acerca da educação sexual. Em retrospetiva, tomamos como ponto de partida a reforma Veiga Simão que aconteceu antes de 25 de Abril de 1974, por ter sido nesta altura que o assunto foi aflorado pela primeira vez (Frade Alice, Marques, Alverca & Vilar, 2009). Observamos o que foi feito até 2011 e elaboramos uma pequena narrativa na qual destacamos os principais marcos legislativos. Atribuímos a esta etapa o título de “limites formais”porque nela incluímos o que é obrigatório segundo a Lei da República Portuguesa sendo, por isso formal e impondo limites ao trabalho da escola. Uma leitura do “estado da arte” permitiu verificar a existência de alguns conceitos que estão para além da legislação e que se relacionam com a comunidade educativa, o currículo e as emoções, os direitos humanos, as relações interpessoais e os valores, o papel do educador na promoção da saúde e a educação, o bem-estar e a educação global; elaboramos, por isso resenhas nas quais registamos estes aspetos pondo em destaque alguns estudos já desenvolvidos em diferentes países e que designamos, de um modo geral como “limites informais”. A parte empírica deste trabalho compreendeu dois estudos diferentes, em termos de método, mas complementares em termos de coerência e importância. O primeiro estudo, de natureza qualitativa procurou descobrir a opinião de diferentes elementos da comunidade educativa acerca da implementação de um programa de educação sexual. Este estudo foi realizado com uma amostra de 34 sujeitos (20 pais, 8 professores, 3 elementos dos órgãos de gestão da escola e 3 alunos) recorrendo-se a uma entrevista semi-estruturada. A partir deste estudo foi possível verificar que a comunidade educativa era favorável à implementação de um programa deste género, apesar de o tema ainda ser visto com alguma desconfiança e de haver um quase total desconhecimento da legislação que regulamenta a educação sexual nas escolas nacionais. O segundo estudo, de natureza quantitativa, recorreu à aplicação de um questionário em dois momentos distintos, antes e após a implementação do programa. Este estudo considerou uma amostra de 146 sujeitos (alunos) que se encontram a frequentar o 3º ciclo do ensino básico e que se dividem por três anos: 7º, 8º e 9º ano de escolaridade. De um modo geral, o programa teve alguns efeitos, estes, não foram de grandes dimensões, mas permitiram retirar algumas conclusões. Os dados recolhidos após a implementação sugerem que o programa pode ser aplicado, no 3º ciclo e obter resultados mais satisfatórios com os alunos do 9º ano de escolaridade. Tendo como base, os contributos da realização destes dois estudos indicamos nas conclusões deste trabalho algumas linhas orientadoras que podem ajudar a desenvolver outros estudos acerca do tema.Sexual education became part of Portuguese schools teaching programme, since September 2009 (DL 60/2009 of August 6.and DL Nº196-A 2010, April).The project design is considered in the current ministerial guidelines and shall be developed by a teacher coordinator for health education and sexuality. Students, parents and teachers should be heard in a logic of interdisciplinary cooperation. The law puts a big challenge to the schools, because for many years this issue was ignored and avoided, and its implementation was not taken seriously. Teachers now have to be prepared because if they are class directors they need to work on this issue. We present a sexual education programme (Banister and Begoray, 2008). We want to know, however if the persons of educational community would agreed with the implementation of such a programme and what their impacts. Therefore, the objectives were, firstly to provide a tool to support the work of the class directors, and secondly, to evaluate the results of implementation of the programme in the context of a national school. In the theorical component of this work we begin by rewing the existing legislation in Portugal about sexual education. In retrospective, we take as a starting point Veiga Simão reorganization that happened before April 25, 1974, as it was at this Time thatch the subject was comment for the firs time (Alice Frade, Marques, Alverca & Vilar, 2009). We wanted to know what was done until 2011 and prepared a resume in which we highlighted the main legislation guidelines. We denominate this stage the “formal limits” because it included what is required by the law of the Portuguese Republic and is therefore formal and imposes limits on school work. A reading of the “stage of the art” has shown the existence of some concepts that are beyond the law and are related with educational community, the curriculum and emotions, human rights, inter-personal relations and values, the role of educator in health promotion and education, the welfare and global education: We make reviews in which we record this aspects highlighting some studies already undertaken in different countries and which we describe, in general way as “informal limits”. The empirical part of this work have two different studies, in terms of method, but complementary in terms of coherence and relevance. The first study, from qualitative nature, tries to discover the different elements of the educational community about the implementation of a sexual education programme. This study was done with a sample of 34 subjects (20 parents, 8 teachers, 3 elements of the school management and 3 students) making use of a semi-structured interview. From this study it was possible to realize that the educational community was in favour of the implementation of such a programme, despite it still is being viewed with some suspicion and there is an almost total ignorance of the laws to control sexual education in national schools. The second study, from quantitative nature, applies a questionnaire at two different moments, before and after implementation of the programme. This study considered a sample of 146 subjects (students) who are attending the 3rd cycle of basic education and who are divided by three years: 7th, 8th and 9th grade. In general, the programme had some effects; these were not large, but allowed some conclusions. The data collected after implementation suggests that the programme can be applied in the 3rd cycle and get the best results with students in 9th grade. Based on the contributions of these two studies, it was showed on the conclusions of this paper some guidelines that can help to developed other studies on this topic

Comportamento adaptativo: Impacto de um programa dirigido a alunos do 3º Ciclo com perturbações do desenvolvimento

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Educação Especial domínio cognitivo e motor.A inclusão é ainda um assunto atual e desafiante para as escolas, no sentido de se assegurar o direito ao sucesso educativo e bem-estar pessoal e social. Para que isso aconteça é necessário que todos os alunos possam ser valorizados nas suas capacidades e apoiados a ultrapassar as suas dificuldades, tendo sido estes aspetos a motivação para a presente investigação. O enquadramento teórico fundamenta e justifica a pertinência do estudo, através da contextualização e apresentação dos principais normativos que têm vindo a regular a educação (agora) inclusiva, ao longo do tempo, apresentando-se os procedimentos organizacionais previstos na lei, bem como a caracterização das principais perturbações de desenvolvimento apresentadas pelos alunos alvo deste estudo, e a relevância do comportamento adaptativo em contexto escolar. O objetivo desta investigação é analisar o contributo de uma intervenção educativa baseada na funcionalidade e comportamento adaptativo de 7 alunos, entre os 14 e os 18 anos (M=15,286; sd=1,496) todos do género masculino, com perturbações do desenvolvimento, a frequentar o 3º ciclo da escolaridade obrigatória. Todos os alunos foram avaliados pela Escala de Comportamento Adaptativo – versão portuguesa (ECAP), em dois momentos distintos: antes do início da intervenção para o estabelecimento da avaliação baseline, cujos resultados permitiram a planificação de um programa, de 6 meses, centrado nas características individuais, e após a implementação do programa (avaliação final) para a análise do progresso académico dos participantes e avaliação do programa implementado. A análise dos dados foi feita com base no teste wilcoxon e os principais resultados apontam para a existência de diferenças significativas em dois domínios: Atividade Económica e Desenvolvimento da Linguagem. Além disso observa-se uma evolução positiva, com o aumento dos valores médios nos domínios da parte I e da redução de desajustamentos nos domínios da parte II. A observação qualitativa permitiu constatar a existência de melhorias na interação entre os alunos e no seu ajustamento à escola e às atividades da vida diária, com reflexos positivos no seu desempenho escolar. As principais conclusões, limitações e recomendações serão apresentadas.Inclusion is still a current and challenging subject for schools to ensure the right to educational success and personal and social well-being. For this to happen it is necessary that all students can be valued in their capacities and supported to overcome their difficulties. These were the main factors that led to this research. The theoretical framework justifies the pertinence of the study, through the contextualization and presentation of the main norms that have been regulating (now) inclusive education, over time. It will be described the organizational procedures provided in the law, as well as the characterization the main developmental disorders presented by the participants, and the relevance of adaptive behavior in the school context. The goal of this research is to analyze the contribution of an educational intervention based on the functionality and adaptive behavior of 7 students, aged 14 to 18 (M=15,286; sd=1,496) all male, with developmental disorders, all attending regular schools. The Portuguese version of the Adaptive Behavior Scale (ECAP) was applied in two different moments. Firstly, before the beginning of the intervention to establish the baseline evaluation, whose results allowed the planning of a 6-month students-centered program. Secondly, after the implementation of the program (final evaluation) for the analysis of the participants' academic progress and for the evaluation of the implemented program’ effectiveness. The data analysis was based on the Wilcoxon test and the main results point to the existence of significant differences in two domains: Economic Activity and Language Development.I In addition a positive evolution is observed, with the increase in mean scores in the domains Part I and the reduction of disadjustment in Part II of the scale. The qualitative observation made it possible to verify the existence of improvements in the interaction between the students and in their adjustment to the school and activities of daily living, with positive effects on their school performance. The main conclusions, limitations and recommendations will be presented

Synthesis and photophysical characterization of novel triphenylamine-benzimidazole derivatives

Research on organic luminescent materials has been intensely pursued due to their importance in technological applications related to signaling, fluorescent biosensory/chemosensory materials, molecular switches and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Organic fluorophores such as triphenylamine and benzimidazole derivatives have attracted a particular attention owing to their high emission efficiency being widely used as electron transporters and emitting layers for OLEDs.1 Recently, we have been investigating the potential of heterocyclic systems bearing functionalized (benz)imidazole derivatives exhibiting high thermal stability, interesting emissive and chemosensory properties.2 In this communication we report the synthesis and photophysical characterization of triphenylamine-benzimidazoles (compounds 1a-d) which were synthesized by a one step reaction through the Na2S2O4 reduction of several commercially available o-nitroanilines in the presence of triphenylamine aldehyde in DMSO at 120 °C. Compounds 1a-d bear different functionalization at position 5 of the benzimidazole with electron-donor or acceptor groups (Figure 1). A comprehensive spectral and photophysical investigation of these compounds including absorption, fluorescence and triplet-triplet absorption spectra, together with quantum yields of fluorescence, internal conversion, intersystem crossing and singlet oxygen and rate constants for the radiative and radiationless processes has been undertaken in solution at room temperature. It is shown that compounds 1a-d exhibit high fluorescence quantum yields (0.70-0.78). Additionally, a comparison between the optical and photophysical properties of 1a-d will be also presented and discussed.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT