Narrativas entrelaçadas no ensino superior - Como nos constituímos enquanto comunidade e produzimos colaborativamente conhecimento emancipatório sobre investigação baseada em artes?

ABSTRACT. This article sets up a collaborative narrative of three elements from the Group Study on Participatory and Artistic Processes in Research and Education (GEPPAIE), composed of researchers in academic and professional development (professors, doctoral and master's students in Education areas). It begins with a question: how have we experienced, as a higher education study group, our meeting spaces for the production of emancipatory knowledge about research, especially about arts-based research? This question unfolds into others and drives us to what has already been produced collectively, but also boosts the new writings and reflections in this text. It is also part of Ana Serra Rocha's PhD, focused on the problematization of The book’s experience as a place of epistemological reflection in artistic education, aiming at a broader reflection in the field of artistic education and in doctoral studies. It speculates on the participatory processes of collaborative creation and on some issues that have been debated at GEPPAIE, namely of a relational and methodological nature, with a view to (des/re)construction of knowledge and its forms of written and visual representation.ABSTRACT. This article sets up a collaborative narrative of three elements from the Group Study on Participatory and Artistic Processes in Research and Education (GEPPAIE), composed of researchers in academic and professional development (professors, doctoral and master's students in Education areas). It begins with a question: how have we experienced, as a higher education study group, our meeting spaces for the production of emancipatory knowledge about research, especially about arts-based research? This question unfolds into others and drives us to what has already been produced collectively, but also boosts the new writings and reflections in this text. It is also part of Ana Serra Rocha's PhD, focused on the problematization of The book’s experience as a place of epistemological reflection in artistic education, aiming at a broader reflection in the field of artistic education and in doctoral studies. It speculates on the participatory processes of collaborative creation and on some issues that have been debated at GEPPAIE, namely of a relational and methodological nature, with a view to (des/re)construction of knowledge and its forms of written and visual representation.  RESUMEN. Este artículo configura una narrativa colaborativa de tres elementos del Grupo de Estudios en Procesos Artísticos y Participativos en Investigación y Educación (GEPPAIE), integrado por investigadores en formación (profesores, estudiantes de doctorado y máster en áreas de Educación). Comienza con una pregunta: ¿cómo hemos vivido nosotros, como grupo de estudio de educación superior, nuestros espacios de encuentro para la producción de conocimiento emancipatorio sobre la investigación, es decir, sobre la investigación basada en las artes? Esta pregunta se desdobla en otras y es el lema para presentar lo ya producido colectivamente, pero también para crear los nuevos escritos y reflexiones que se reflejan en este texto. También forma parte del doctorado de Ana Serra Rocha, centrado en la problematización de El lugar de la experiencia del libro como lugar de reflexión epistemológica, en el contexto de la educación artística, con el objetivo de ampliar la reflexión sobre el campo de la educación artística y sobre los estudios de doctorado desarrollados en este ámbito. Tiene como objetivo reflexionar sobre los procesos participativos de creación colaborativa y sobre algunos temas que se han debatido en GEPPAIE, es decir, de carácter relacional y metodológico, con miras a la (des/re) construcción del conocimiento y la problematización de sus formas de escritura y organización visual.ABSTRACT. This article sets up a collaborative narrative of three elements from the Group Study on Participatory and Artistic Processes in Research and Education (GEPPAIE), composed of researchers in academic and professional development (professors, doctoral and master's students in Education areas). It begins with a question: how have we experienced, as a higher education study group, our meeting spaces for the production of emancipatory knowledge about research, especially about arts-based research? This question unfolds into others and drives us to what has already been produced collectively, but also boosts the new writings and reflections in this text. It is also part of Ana Serra Rocha's PhD, focused on the problematization of The book’s experience as a place of epistemological reflection in artistic education, aiming at a broader reflection in the field of artistic education and in doctoral studies. It speculates on the participatory processes of collaborative creation and on some issues that have been debated at GEPPAIE, namely of a relational and methodological nature, with a view to (des/re)construction of knowledge and its forms of written and visual representation.Este artigo configura uma narrativa colaborativa de três elementos do Grupo de Estudos em Processos Participativos e Artísticos em Investigação e Educação (GEPPAIE), composto por investigadores em formação (docentes, doutorandos e mestrandos em áreas da Educação). Parte da interrogação: como temos vivido, enquanto grupo de estudos do ensino superior, nossos espaços de encontro(s) para a produção de conhecimento emancipatório sobre a investigação, nomeadamente sobre a pesquisa baseada em artes? Esta interrogação desdobra-se noutras e é mote para apresentarmos o já produzido coletivamente, mas também para criarmos as novas escritas e reflexões que estão vertidas neste texto. Integra-se, ainda, no doutoramento de Ana Serra Rocha, centrado na problematização de A experiência do lugar do livro como um lugar de reflexão epistemológica na educação artística, visando ampliar a reflexão sobre o campo da educação artística e sobre os estudos doutorais desenvolvidos nesta área. Tem por objetivo refletir sobre os processos participativos de criação colaborativa e sobre algumas questões que se têm vindo a debater no GEPPAIE, nomeadamente de ordem relacional e metodológica, tendo em vista a (des/re)construção do conhecimento e a problematização das suas formas de organização escrita e visual. Palavras-chave: comunidade relacional, construção dialógica de conhecimento, narrativas colaborativas, cardografia, tese de doutoramento.   Intertwined narratives in higher education - How do we constitute ourselves as a community and collaboratively produce emancipatory knowledge about arts-based research? ABSTRACT. This article sets up a collaborative narrative of three elements from the Group Study on Participatory and Artistic Processes in Research and Education (GEPPAIE), composed of researchers in academic and professional development (professors, doctoral and master's students in Education areas). It begins with a question: how have we experienced, as a higher education study group, our meeting spaces for the production of emancipatory knowledge about research, especially about arts-based research? This question unfolds into others and drives us to what has already been produced collectively, but also boosts the new writings and reflections in this text. It is also part of Ana Serra Rocha's PhD, focused on the problematization of The book’s experience as a place of epistemological reflection in artistic education, aiming at a broader reflection in the field of artistic education and in doctoral studies. It speculates on the participatory processes of collaborative creation and on some issues that have been debated at GEPPAIE, namely of a relational and methodological nature, with a view to (des/re)construction of knowledge and its forms of written and visual representation. Keywords: relational community, dialogic knowledge construction, collaborative narratives, cardography, doctoral thesis.   Narrativas entrelazadas en la educación superior: ¿cómo nos constituimos como comunidad y producimos en colaboración conocimiento emancipatorio sobre la investigación basada en las artes? RESUMEN. Este artículo configura una narrativa colaborativa de tres elementos del Grupo de Estudios en Procesos Artísticos y Participativos en Investigación y Educación (GEPPAIE), integrado por investigadores en formación (profesores, estudiantes de doctorado y máster en áreas de Educación). Comienza con una pregunta: ¿cómo hemos vivido nosotros, como grupo de estudio de educación superior, nuestros espacios de encuentro para la producción de conocimiento emancipatorio sobre la investigación, es decir, sobre la investigación basada en las artes? Esta pregunta se desdobla en otras y es el lema para presentar lo ya producido colectivamente, pero también para crear los nuevos escritos y reflexiones que se reflejan en este texto. También forma parte del doctorado de Ana Serra Rocha, centrado en la problematización de El lugar de la experiencia del libro como lugar de reflexión epistemológica, en el contexto de la educación artística, con el objetivo de ampliar la reflexión sobre el campo de la educación artística y sobre los estudios de doctorado desarrollados en este ámbito. Tiene como objetivo reflexionar sobre los procesos participativos de creación colaborativa y sobre algunos temas que se han debatido en GEPPAIE, es decir, de carácter relacional y metodológico, con miras a la (des/re) construcción del conocimiento y la problematización de sus formas de escritura y organización visual. Palabras clave: comunidad relacional, construcción dialógica del conocimiento, narrativas colaborativas, cardografía, tesis de doctorado

Antiproliferative effect of colonic fermented phenolic compounds from jaboticaba (Myrciaria trunciflora) fruit peel in a 3D cell model of colorectal cancer

Jaboticaba is a Brazilian native berry described as a rich source of phenolic compounds (PC) with health promoting effects. PC from jaboticaba peel powder (JPP) have low intestinal bio-accessibility and are catabolized by gut microbiota. However, the biological implication of PCderived metabolites produced during JPP digestion remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the antiproliferative effects of colonic fermented JPP (FJPP) in a 3D model of colorectal cancer (CRC) composed by HT29 spheroids. JPP samples fermented with human feces during 0, 2, 8, 24 or 48 h were incubated (10,000 µg mL−1 ) with spheroids, and cell viability was assessed after 72 h. Chemometric analyses (cluster and principal component analyses) were used to identify the main compounds responsible for the bioactive effect. The antiproliferative effect of FJPP in the CRC 3D model was increased between 8 h and 24 h of incubation, and this effect was associated with HHDP-digalloylglucose isomer and dihydroxyphenyl-γ-valerolactone. At 48 h of fermentation, the antiproliferative effect of FJPP was negligible, indicating that the presence of urolithins did not improve the bioactivity of JPP. These findings provide relevant knowledge on the role of colonic microbiota fermentation to generate active phenolic metabolites from JPP with positive impact on CRC

Human naïve regulatory T-cells feature high steady-state turnover and are maintained by IL-7

Naïve FoxP3-expressing regulatory T-cells (Tregs) are essential to control immune responses via continuous replenishment of the activated-Treg pool with thymus-committed suppressor cells. The mechanisms underlying naïve-Treg maintenance throughout life in face of the age-associated thymic involution remain unclear. We found that in adults thymectomized early in infancy the naïve-Treg pool is remarkably well preserved, in contrast to conventional naïve CD4 T-cells. Naïve-Tregs featured high levels of cycling and pro-survival markers, even in healthy individuals, and contrasted with other circulating naïve/memory CD4 T-cell subsets in terms of their strong γc-cytokine-dependent signaling, particularly in response to IL-7. Accordingly, ex-vivo stimulation of naïve-Tregs with IL-7 induced robust cytokine-dependent signaling, Bcl-2 expression, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent proliferation, whilst preserving naïve phenotype and suppressive capacity. Altogether, our data strongly implicate IL-7 in the thymus-independent long-term survival of functional naïve-Tregs, and highlight the potential of targeting the IL-7 pathway to modulate Tregs in different clinical settings.This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT; POCI2010/IC/83068/2007 to RMMV; PTDC/SAU-MIC/109786/2009 to AES), and Gulbenkian Foundation (96526/2009 to JF; P132532/2013 to AES). SLS, ASA, RBF, ARP, PM and SMF received FCT scholarships

Monozygotic twins concordant for common variable immunodeficiency : strikingly similar clinical and immune profile associated with a polygenic burden

Copyright © 2019 Silva, Fonseca, Pereira, Silva, Barbosa, Serra-Caetano, Blanco, Rosmaninho, Pérez-Andrés, Sousa, Raposo, Gama-Carvalho, Victorino, Hammarstrom and Sousa. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.Monozygotic twins provide a unique opportunity to better understand complex genetic diseases and the relative contribution of heritable factors in shaping the immune system throughout life. Common Variable Immunodeficiency Disorders (CVID) are primary antibody defects displaying wide phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity, with monogenic transmission accounting for only a minority of the cases. Here, we report a pair of monozygotic twins concordant for CVID without a family history of primary immunodeficiency. They featured a remarkably similar profile of clinical manifestations and immunological alterations at diagnosis (established at age 37) and along the subsequent 15 years of follow-up. Interestingly, whole-exome sequencing failed to identify a monogenic cause for CVID, but unraveled a combination of heterozygous variants, with a predicted deleterious impact. These variants were found in genes involved in relevant immunological pathways, such as JUN, PTPRC, TLR1, ICAM1, and JAK3. The potential for combinatorial effects translating into the observed disease phenotype is inferred from their roles in immune pathways, namely in T and B cell activation. The combination of these genetic variants is also likely to impose a significant constraint on environmental influences, resulting in a similar immunological phenotype in both twins, despite exposure to different living conditions. Overall, these cases stress the importance of integrating NGS data with clinical and immunological phenotypes at the single-cell level, as provided by multi-dimensional flow-cytometry, in order to understand the complex genetic landscape underlying the vast majority of patients with CVID, as well as those with other immunodeficiencies.This work received funding from PAC - PRECISE - LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-016394, co-funded by FEDER through POR Lisboa 2020 - Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa PORTUGAL 2020 and Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia; and UID/BIM/50005/2019, project funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (MCTES) through Fundos do Orçamento de Estado. Work in MG-C lab is supported by UID/MULTI/04046/2019 Research Unit grant from FCT, Portugal (to BioISI) and FCT research grant PTDC/BIA-CEL/29257/2017.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quantification of cell cycle kinetics by EdU (5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine)-coupled-fluorescence-intensity analysis

Copyright: Pereira et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0 (CC BY3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.We propose a novel single-deoxynucleoside-based assay that is easy to perform and provides accurate values for the absolute length (in units of time) of each of the cell cycle stages (G1, S and G2/M). This flow-cytometric assay takes advantage of the excellent stoichiometric properties of azide-fluorochrome detection of DNA substituted with 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU). We show that by pulsing cells with EdU for incremental periods of time maximal EdU-coupled fluorescence is reached when pulsing times match the length of S phase. These pulsing times, allowing labelling for a full S phase of a fraction of cells in asynchronous populations, provide accurate values for the absolute length of S phase. We characterized additional, lower intensity signals that allowed quantification of the absolute durations of G1 and G2 phases.Importantly, using this novel assay data on the lengths of G1, S and G2/M phases are obtained in parallel. Therefore, these parameters can be estimated within a time frame that is shorter than a full cell cycle. This method, which we designate as EdU-Coupled Fluorescence Intensity (E-CFI) analysis, was successfully applied to cell types with distinctive cell cycle features and shows excellent agreement with established methodologies for analysis of cell cycle kinetics.João A. Ferreira received support from a Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation grant (96526) and Pedro Pereira is an FCT fellow (SFRH/BD/45502/2008). Evguenia Bekman is the recipient of an IMM-Lisbon fellowship (iMM/BPD/60-2016; project PTDC/BEXBCM/5899/2014).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

CYP21A2 gene mutations, its nature and frequency in a paediatric Portuguese cohort with congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Introduction: The most common cause of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) caused by alterations in CYP21A2 gene. The clinical phenotypes of this autosomal recessive disease are classified as classic (saltwasting and simple virilizing) and non-classic forms of CAH. The severity of the disease is directly related with the impairment of the 21-OH enzymatic activity. Genetic testing can confirm the disease and is crucial for familial studies and genetic counseling. Aim: The aim of this work was to perform the clinical and molecular characterization of the patients observed at the Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra (Portugal) with the clinical suspecion of CAH. Methods: Retrospective analysis of patient medical records of all cases observed in our hospital with suspicion of CAH and detailed literature comparison. CYP21A2 molecular analysis had been performed in 81 unrelated Portuguese patients (51 female, 30 males) with clinical and endocrine laboratorial findings suggestive of CAH, using mini-sequencing, restriction enzyme digestion, Sanger sequencing or/and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). Results: CYP21A2 variants were identified in 74/81 (91%) of the patients. Homozygosity for CYP21A2 was found in 39.2% (29/74) of the patients while 55.4% (41/74) were compound heterozygous and, in 5.4% of the cases (4/74), only one pathogenic variant was identified. The most frequent alterations were p.Val281Leu, g.655A/C>G (splicing variant) and p.Ile172Asn, that account for more than 50% of the alleles of this patient’s cohort. All variants were already described except a novel missense variant identified in a salt-wasting patient, g.1173T>C(p.Trp201Arg). The rare variant p.Gly424Ser which was detected in one patient had been previously associated with a possible founder effect in Brazil and the splicing variant g.391G>A, only described in the Portuguese population. Conclusion: Our study provides a detailed clinical and molecular characterization of a large cohort of CAH Portuguese patients. The overall concordance between the clinical phenotype and the inferred phenotype (based on genotype) was 90%.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

As Artes no Ensino Superior – ‘Pedagogias do evento’ no Doutoramento em Educação Artística

Este artigo pretende apresentar e refletir sobre várias experiências artísticas vivenciadas no contexto de um curso de doutoramento em Educação Artística, na Universidade de Lisboa. O curso existe desde 2011 na Universidade do Porto, mas, desde o ano letivo de 2016/17, a que este artigo se reporta, abriu também na Universidade de Lisboa, passando a conferir uma dupla certificação entre ambas as instituições. Na Universidade de Lisboa é organizado pelo Instituto de Educação e pela Faculdade de Belas Artes (Despacho nº 13244/2015, de 5 de novembro de 2015). Apesar de contactos constantes com a instituição do Porto, assumiu-se em Lisboa o caráter altamente aberto e experimental de todo o projeto curricular, entendendo-o como uma oportunidade de inovação e investigação no campo da pedagogia do ensino superior.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Age-associated distribution of normal B-cell and plasma cell subsets in peripheral blood

Background: Humoral immunocompetence develops stepwise throughout life and contributes to individual susceptibility to infection, immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, and neoplasia. Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) isotype serum levels can partly explain such age-related differences, but their relationship with the IgH isotype distribution within memory B-cell (MBC) and plasma cell (PCs) compartments remains to be investigated. Objective: We studied the age-related distribution of MBCs and PCs expressing different IgH isotypes in addition to the immature/transitional and naive B-cell compartments. Methods: B-cell and PC subsets and plasma IgH isotype levels were studied in cord blood (n = 19) and peripheral blood (n = 215) from healthy donors aged 0 to 90 years by using flow cytometry and nephelometry, respectively. Results: IgH-switched MBCs expressing IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgA1, and IgA2 were already detected in cord blood and newborns at very low counts, whereas CD27+IgM++IgD+ MBCs only became detectable at 1 to 5 months and remained stable until 2 to 4 years, and IgD MBCs peaked at 2 to 4 years, with both populations decreasing thereafter. MBCs expressing IgH isotypes of the second immunoglobulin heavy chain constant region (IGHC) gene block (IgG1, IgG3, and IgA1) peaked later during childhood (2-4 years), whereas MBCs expressing third IGHC gene block immunoglobulin isotypes (IgG2, IgG4, and IgA2) reached maximum values during adulthood. PCs were already detected in newborns, increasing in number until 6 to 11 months for IgM, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgA1, and IgA2; until 2 to 4 years for IgD; and until 5 to 9 years for IgG4 and decreasing thereafter. For most IgH isotypes (except IgD and IgG4), maximum plasma levels were reached after PC and MBC counts peaked. Conclusions: PC counts reach maximum values early in life, followed by MBC counts and plasma IgH isotypes. Importantly, IgH isotypes from different IGHC gene blocks show different patterns, probably reflecting consecutive cycles of IgH isotype switch recombination through life

Defects in memory B-cell and plasma cell subsets expressing different immunoglobulin-subclasses in patients with CVID and immunoglobulin subclass deficiencies

Background: Predominantly antibody deficiencies (PADs) are the most prevalent primary immunodeficiencies, but their B-cell defects and underlying genetic alterations remain largely unknown. Objective: We investigated patients with PADs for the distribution of 41 blood B-cell and plasma cell (PC) subsets, including subsets defined by expression of distinct immunoglobulin heavy chain subclasses. Methods: Blood samples from 139 patients with PADs, 61 patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), 68 patients with selective IgA deficiency (IgAdef), 10 patients with IgG subclass deficiency with IgA deficiency, and 223 age matched control subjects were studied by using flow cytometry with EuroFlow immunoglobulin isotype staining. Patients were classified according to their B-cell and PC immune profile, and the obtained patient clusters were correlated with clinical manifestations of PADs. Results: Decreased counts of blood PCs, memory B cells (MB Cs), or both expressing distinct IgA and IgG subclasses were identified in all patients with PADs. In patients with IgAdef, B-cell defects were mainly restricted to surface membrane (sm)IgA(+) PCs and MBCs, with 2 clear subgroups showing strongly decreased numbers of smIgA(+) PCs with mild versus severe smIgA(+) MBC defects and higher frequencies of nonrespiratory tract infections, autoimmunity, and affected family members. Patients with IgG subclass deficiency with IgA deficiency and those with CVID showed defects in both smIgA(+) and smIgG(+) MBCs and PCs. Reduced numbers of switched PCs were systematically found in patients with CVID (absent in 98%), with 6 different defective MBC (and clinical) profiles: (1) profound decrease in MBC numbers; (2) defective CD27(+) MBCs with almost normal IgG(3)(+) MBCs; (3) absence of switched MBCs; and (4) presence of both unswitched and switched MBCs without and; (5) with IgG(2)(+) MBCs; and (6) with IgA(1)(+) MBCs. Conclusion: Distinct PAD defective B-cell patterns were identified that are associated with unique clinical profiles

Multidifferential study of identified charged hadron distributions in ZZ-tagged jets in proton-proton collisions at s=\sqrt{s}=13 TeV

Jet fragmentation functions are measured for the first time in proton-proton collisions for charged pions, kaons, and protons within jets recoiling against a $Z$ boson. The charged-hadron distributions are studied longitudinally and transversely to the jet direction for jets with transverse momentum 20 $< p_{\textrm{T}} < 100$ GeV and in the pseudorapidity range $2.5 < \eta < 4$. The data sample was collected with the LHCb experiment at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.64 fb$^{-1}$. Triple differential distributions as a function of the hadron longitudinal momentum fraction, hadron transverse momentum, and jet transverse momentum are also measured for the first time. This helps constrain transverse-momentum-dependent fragmentation functions. Differences in the shapes and magnitudes of the measured distributions for the different hadron species provide insights into the hadronization process for jets predominantly initiated by light quarks.Comment: All figures and tables, along with machine-readable versions and any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-013.html (LHCb public pages