Microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behaviour of Ti6Al4V/Al2O3 joints brazed with TiCuNi filler

Ti6Al4V and Al2O3 were successfully vacuum brazed at 980 °C using TiCuNi filler foil. The microstructure and the chemical composition of the interface were analysed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and EDS (energy dispersive spectros- copy), respectively. The hardness profile across the interface and the mechanical strength of joints were assessed by Vickers microhardness tests and shear tests, respectively. The fracture surfaces were analysed by SEM, EDS and XRD (X-ray dif- fraction). The corrosion behaviour of joints was evaluated by OCP (open circuit potential), potentiodynamic polarisation tests and EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy). Brazing produced a layered interface, free of pores and cracks, essentially composed of α-Ti, Ti2(Cu,Ni) and TixOy. The shear strength of joints was 168 ± 13 MPa, and fracture occurred partially through the hardest zone of the interface (1261 HV0.01.), located in the vicinity of the Al2O3 sample, and partially through the ceramic sample. The brazed joint did not significantly affect the corrosion behaviour of Ti6Al4V.This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portugal, under PTDC/CTM-CTM/31579/2017—POCI-01–0145-FEDER – 031579 – funded by FEDER funds through COMPETE2020—Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) and by national funds (PIDDAC) through FCT/MCTES

Prevention and control of antimicrobial resistant healthcare-associated infections: The microbiology laboratory rocks!

In Europe, each year, more than four milion patients acquire a healthcare-associated infection (HAI) and almost 40 thousand die as a direct consequence of it. Regardless of many stategies to prevent and control HAIs, they remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide with a significant economic impact: a recent estimate places it at the ten billion dollars/year. The control of HAIs requires a prompt and efficient identification of the etiological agent and a rapid communication with the clinician. The Microbiology Laboratory has a significant role in the prevention and control of these infections and is a key element of any Infection Control Program. The work of the Microbiology Laboratory covers microbial isolation and identification, determination of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, epidemiological surveillance and outbreak detection, education, and report of quality assured results. In this paper we address the role and importance of the Microbiology Laboratory in the prevention and control of HAI and in Antibiotic Stewardship Programs and how it can be leveraged when combined with the use of information systems. Additionally, we critically review some challenges that the Microbiology Laboratory has to deal with, including the selection of analytic methods and the proper use of communication channels with other healthcare services.publishersversionpublishe

Haemophilus influenzae Carriage among Healthy Children in Portugal, 2015-2019

This article belongs to the Special Issue Haemophilus influenzae: New Insights in Epidemiology of Disease.Haemophilus influenzae is an important cause of mucosal and invasive infections and a common colonizer of the upper respiratory tract. As there are no recent data on H. influenzae carriage in Portugal, we aimed to characterize carriage samples and investigate possible parallelisms with disease isolates. Between 2016–2019, 1524 nasopharyngeal samples were obtained from children (0–6 years) attending day-care. H. influenzae were serotyped and screened for β-lactamase production. Strains producing β-lactamase and/or those that were encapsulated were further characterized by antibiotype; encapsulated strains were also investigated for MLST and the presence of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes (extracted from whole genome sequencing). The overall carriage rate was 84.1%. Most isolates (96.7%) were nonencapsulated. Encapsulated strains were of serotypes f (1.8%), e (1.1%), a (0.3%), and b (0.1%). MLST showed clonality within serotypes. Although the lineages were the same as those that were described among disease isolates, colonization isolates had fewer virulence determinants. Overall, 7.5% of the isolates were β-lactamase positive; one isolate had blaTEM-82, which has not been previously described in H. influenzae. A single isolate, which was identified as H. parainfluenzae, had an incomplete f-like cap locus. In conclusion, circulation of serotype b is residual. The few encapsulated strains are genetically related to disease-causing isolates. Thus, surveillance of H. influenzae carriage should be maintained.This work was partially supported by projects LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER (Microbiologia Molecular, Estrutural e Celular, funded by FEDER through COMPETE2020—Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização), LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-016417 (ONEIDA co-funded by Fundos Europeus Estruturais e de Investimento, Programa Operacional Regional Lisboa 2020 and Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)), WI230921 from Pfizer Portugal (to RSL), and National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal. CC was supported by grant from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Probable Person-to-Person Transmission of Legionnaires’ Disease

Correspondence to the Editor.Legionnaires’ disease is an often severe form of pneumonia that is typically acquired by susceptible persons (e.g., elderly persons and smokers) through inhalation of aerosols that contain legionella species.1-4 A cluster of cases of this disease occurred in Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal, in 2014

Meglumine antimoniate and miltefosine combined with allopurinol sustain pro-inflammatory immune environments during canine leishmaniosis treatment

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) caused by Leishmania infantum is a zoonotic disease of global concern. Antileishmanial drug therapies commonly used to treat sick dogs improve their clinical condition, although when discontinued relapses can occur. Thus, the current study aims to evaluate the effect of CanL treatments in peripheral blood, lymph node, and bone marrow cytokine profile associated with clinical recovery. Two groups of six dogs diagnosed with CanL were treated with miltefosine combined with allopurinol and meglumine antimoniate combined with allopurinol (MT+A and MG+A), respectively. At diagnosis and after treatment, during a 3-month follow-up, clinical signs, hematological and biochemical parameters, urinalysis results and antileishmanial antibody titers were registered. Furthermore, peripheral blood, popliteal lymph node, and bone marrow samples were collected to assess the gene expression of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, TGF-β, and IFN-γ by qPCR. In parallel, were also evaluated samples obtained from five healthy dogs. Both treatment protocols promoted the remission of clinical signs as well as normalization of hematological and biochemical parameters and urinalysis values. Antileishmanial antibodies returned to non-significant titers in all dogs. Sick dogs showed a generalized upregulation of IFN-γ and downregulation of IL-2, IL-4, and TGF-β, while gene expression of IL-12, TNF-α, IL-5, and IL-10 varied between groups and according to evaluated tissue. A trend to the normalization of cytokine gene expression was induced by both miltefosine and meglumine antimoniate combined therapies. However, IFN-γ gene expression was still up-regulated in the three evaluated tissues. Furthermore, the effect of treatment in the gene expression of cytokines that were not significantly changed by infection, indicates that miltefosine and meglumine antimoniate combined therapy directly affects cytokine generation. Both combined therapies are effective in CanL treatment, leading to sustained pro-inflammatory immune environments that can compromise parasite survival and favor dogs' clinical cure. In the current study, anti-inflammatory and regulatory cytokines do not seem to play a prominent role in CanL or during clinical recovery.publishersversionpublishe

multicenter cohort study

Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.Objective: Monochorionic (MC) triplet pregnancies are extremely rare and information on these pregnancies and their complications is limited. We aimed to investigate the risk of early and late pregnancy complications, perinatal outcome and the timing and methods of fetal intervention in these pregnancies. Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of MC triamniotic (TA) triplet pregnancies managed in 21 participating centers around the world from 2007 onwards. Data on maternal age, mode of conception, diagnosis of major fetal structural anomalies or aneuploidy, gestational age (GA) at diagnosis of anomalies, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), twin anemia–polycythemia sequence (TAPS), twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence and or selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR) were retrieved from patient records. Data on antenatal interventions were collected, including data on selective fetal reduction (three to two or three to one), laser surgery and any other active fetal intervention (including amniodrainage). Data on perinatal outcome were collected, including numbers of live birth, intrauterine demise, neonatal death, perinatal death and termination of fetus or pregnancy (TOP). Neonatal data such as GA at birth, birth weight, admission to neonatal intensive care unit and neonatal morbidity were also collected. Perinatal outcomes were assessed according to whether the pregnancy was managed expectantly or underwent fetal intervention. Results: Of an initial cohort of 174 MCTA triplet pregnancies, 11 underwent early TOP, three had an early miscarriage, six were lost to follow-up and one was ongoing at the time of writing. Thus, the study cohort included 153 pregnancies, of which the majority (92.8%) were managed expectantly. The incidence of pregnancy affected by one or more fetal structural abnormality was 13.7% (21/153) and that of TRAP sequence was 5.2% (8/153). The most common antenatal complication related to chorionicity was TTTS, which affected just over one quarter (27.6%; 42/152, after removing a pregnancy with TOP < 24 weeks for fetal anomalies) of the pregnancies, followed by sFGR (16.4%; 25/152), while TAPS (spontaneous or post TTTS with or without laser treatment) occurred in only 4.6% (7/152) of pregnancies. No monochorionicity-related antenatal complication was recorded in 49.3% (75/152) of pregnancies. Survival was apparently associated largely with the development of these complications: there was at least one survivor beyond the neonatal period in 85.1% (57/67) of pregnancies without antenatal complications, in 100% (25/25) of those complicated by sFGR and in 47.6% (20/42) of those complicated by TTTS. The overall rate of preterm birth prior to 28 weeks was 14.5% (18/124) and that prior to 32 weeks' gestation was 49.2% (61/124). Conclusion: Monochorionicity-related complications, which can impact adversely perinatal outcome, occur in almost half of MCTA triplet pregnancies, creating a challenge with regard to counseling, surveillance and management.publishersversionpublishe

Tactual perception: a review of experimental variables and procedures

This paper reviews literature on tactual perception. Throughout this review we will highlight some of the most relevant variables in touch literature: interaction between touch and other senses; type of stimuli, from abstract stimuli such as vibrations, to two- and three-dimensional stimuli, also considering concrete stimuli such as the relation between familiar and unfamiliar stimuli or the haptic perception of faces; type of participants, separating studies with blind participants, studies with children and adults, and an analysis of sex differences in performance; and finally, type of tactile exploration, considering conditions of active and passive touch, the relevance of movement in touch and the relation between exploration and time. This review intends to present an organised overview of the main variables in touch experiments, attending to the main findings described in literature, to guide the design of future works on tactual perception and memory.This work was funded by the Portuguese “Foundation for Science and Technology” through PhD scholarship SFRH/BD/35918/2007

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic