Life extension attitudes and the wish to become a centenarian

Mestrado em GerontologiaIntrodução: Com o avanço galopante da biologia e o aumento contínuo da esperança média de vida torna-se imperativo analisar as atitudes das pessoas em relação à extensão da vida humana e como estas se relacionam com as atitudes em casos de elevada longevidade do tempo de vida. Objetivos: O objetivo deste estudo é analisar, numa amostra de pessoas mais velhas, a relação entre atitudes pró e anti- longevidade, as atitudes em relação aos centenários e a vontade de chegar aos 100 anos. Métodos: Elaboração de um questionário com recurso a alguns itens selecionados da Life Questionnaire -Extension ( LEQ ) e à Aging Semantic Differential (ASD), cujo o objecto atitudinal foram os centenários. Inclui ainda uma questão sobre a vontade de chegar aos 100. O instrumento foi administrado a uma amostra de 141 indivíduos com idade mínima de 60 anos de idade. Informações sociodemográficas (idade, sexo, estado civil, existência de filhos e netos e o nível educacional) e relativas à auto-perceção do estado de saúde e da qualidade de vida também foram obtidas. Resultados: Os resultados globais sugerem que na amostra considerada não há, por grande maioria, atitudes de pró- ou anti- longevidade mas que há uma tendência prolongevista. O estado civil (ser casado / viver junto), nível educacional superior, auto-perceção positiva do estado de saúde e a vontade de viver até aos 100 anos foram os preditores dessa tendência. Conclusão: São necessários mais estudos sobre a opinião pública acerca da extensão da vida humana e das variáveis contextuais e construções psicológicas que sustentam as atitude positivas e / ou negativas em relação às vidas extremamente longas para se obter dados mais conclusivos. Também são necessárias novas análises sobre a versão em Português do LEQ.Background: With the galloping advances in biology and the continuous increase in life expectancy it is important to examine people’s attitudes regarding life extension possibilities and how these relate to attitudes towards living an extremely long life. Objectives: The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between pro- and anti-longevity attitudes; attitudes towards very old people (centenarians) and the willingness to live until the age of 100 years in a sample of older adults. Methods: Selected items from the Life-Extension Questionnaire (LEQ), the Aging Semantic Differential (ASD) using centenarians as an attitudinal target and a question about the willingness to live until the age of 100 were administered to a sample of 141 individuals aged at least 60 years old. Socio-demographic information (age, gender, marital status, children and grandchildren’s existence, educational level), perceived health status and perceived quality of life were also obtained. Findings: Overall findings suggest that there are no overwhelmingly pro- and anti- attitudes toward life extension in the considered sample, but that there is a prolongevist trend. Marital status (being married/living together), higher educational level, positive perceived health status and willingness to live to age 100 were found to be significantly related with this trend. Conclusion: Further studies are needed on the public opinion regarding human life extension and on the contextual variables and psychological constructs that may affect more a positive and/or negative attitude toward extreme longevity to gather more conclusive data on this subject. Further analyses of the Portuguese version of the LEQ are also needed

Host-Guest interaction between herbicide oxadiargyl and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin

In the face of a growing human population and increased urbanization, the demand for pesticides will simply rise. Farmers must escalate yields on increasingly fewer farm acres. However, the risks of pesticides, whether real or perceived, may force changes in the way these chemicals are used. Scientists are working toward pest control plans that are environmentally sound, effective, and profitable. In this context the development of new pesticide formulations which may improve application effectiveness, safety, handling, and storage can be pointed out as a solution. As a contribution to the area, the microencapsulation of the herbicide oxadiargyl (OXA) in (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) was performed. The study was conducted in different aqueous media (ultrapure water and in different pH buffer solutions). In all cases an increment of the oxadiargyl solubility as a function of the HP-β-CD concentration that has been related to the formation of an inclusion complex was verified. UV-Vis and NMR experiments allowed concluding that the stoichiometry of the OXA/HP-β-CD complex formed is 1 : 1. The gathered results can be regarded as an important step for its removal from industrial effluents and/or to increase the stabilizing action, encapsulation, and adsorption in water treatment plants

Enseñanza matemática al alumnado ciego

El propósito de este trabajo consiste en la elaboración de una propuesta didáctica para trabajar la asignatura de matemáticas en la Educación Secundaria con alumnado que presente una discapacidad visual. Para ello, comienza estudiando la evolución de la atención a la diversidad en nuestro país, así como el desarrollo a lo largo de la historia de la enseñanza a estudiantes ciegos. Además, se aportan una serie de herramientas y materiales manipulativos, con el objetivo de favorecer el aprendizaje en matemáticas de los estudiantes invidentes.The purpose of this study is to elaborate an educational proposal to work as a mathematics teacher in a Secondary School with students who have a visual disability. For this purpose, my study begins with the evolution and development of the inclusion of students with visual disabilities in our country. An additional part of this study provides manipulative tools and resources to assist the learning of blind students in mathematics

Gestão de risco em farmácia hospitalar

Trabalho Final de Mestrado Integrado, Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia, 2018Gestão de risco define-se como o processo de minimização ou eliminação de riscos através do desenvolvimento de sistemas que permitam identificar e analisar danos potenciais na prevenção de acidentes ou outros eventos adversos, de forma a que os seus efeitos e custos sejam minimizados. Estes princípios têm sido aplicados na área hospitalar, tendo em vista a segurança do doente e melhoria de cuidados prestados. Um dos aspetos mais visíveis da gestão de risco a nível hospitalar é a notificação de incidentes. Neste contexto, procurou-se analisar os eventos adversos notificados numa plataforma de reporte de incidentes de um hospital particular da região de Lisboa, de modo a determinar de que forma este sistema pode contribuir para a gestão de risco da instituição. A realização do presente trabalho permitiu identificar que os enfermeiros são os profissionais com maior número de incidências reportadas (78,4%) e os tipos de eventos mais notificados são as reações adversas a medicamentos (39,7%), omissão de medicamento (12,1%) e dose e/ou medicamento errado (16,3%). O evento mais reportado foram as reações adversas a meios de contraste, pelo que foram analisados individualmente e elaborado um manual de utilização segura destes medicamentos na unidade hospitalar. No que diz respeito ao circuito do medicamento, a fase com maior número de reportes foi a monitorização (39,7%), seguida da prescrição (25,9%). Os serviços com maior volume de notificações foram os de internamento (43,9%) e ambulatório (38,6%). Não foi reportado nenhum evento com dano severo para o doente. Foram identificadas oportunidades de melhoria, para as quais foram elaboradas sugestões, nomeadamente, formação aos profissionais e atualizações do sistema informático. Concluiu-se que, embora com algumas limitações, o sistema de reporte de incidências deve ser encarado como parte fundamental do processo de gestão de risco, devendo ser incentivado o seu uso por parte dos profissionais, através de ações de formação/consciencialização e feedback frequente da equipa de gestão de risco.Abstract Risk management is defined as the process of minimization or elimination of risks, it allows to identify and analyze potential damages in the prevention of accidents or other adverse events, so that their effects and costs are minimized. These principles have been applied in the Healthcare services, in view of patient safety and improve care. One of the most visible aspects of hospital risk management is incident reporting. In this context, we attempted to analyze the adverse events reported in an incident reporting platform of a private hospital in the Lisbon region, to determine how this system can contribute to the institution's risk management. The present study allowed us to identify that nurses are the professionals with the highest number of reported incidences (78,4%) and the most reported types of events are adverse drug reactions (39,7%), omission of medication (12,1%) and wrong dose and / or drug (16,3%). The most reported event were adverse reactions to contrast media, so they were individually analyzed and a manual on the safe use of these drugs was prepared. Regarding the medication circuit, the phase with the highest number of reports was monitoring (39,7%), followed by prescription (25,9%). The services with the highest number of reports were inpatient (43,9%) and outpatient (38,6%). No event was reported with severe damage to the patient. Opportunities for improvement were identified, for which suggestions were made, namely training for professionals and updating of the computer system. It was concluded that, although with some limitations, the incidence reporting system should be considered as a fundamental part of the risk management process, and its use should be encouraged by professionals through training / awareness-raising and frequent feedback of the risk management team

Variación de humedad en el almacenamiento de chocolates oscuros empacados y su aceptabilidad sensorial

Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. Facultad de Industrias Alimentarias. Departamento Académico de Ingeniería de Alimentos y Productos AgropecuariosSe obtuvo la cinética de ganancia de humedad de dos tipos de chocolates oscuros comerciales peruanos (45 y 52 por ciento de cacao) en cuatro diferentes tipos de empaque: papel manteca (PM), papel aluminio (PA), polipropileno (PP) y laminado (LM), tomando como índice de calidad la ganancia de humedad. Los chocolates empacados fueron expuestos a un ambiente acondicionado dentro de campanas de vidrio con una solución saturada de cromato de potasio (90 por ciento de humedad relativa, aproximadamente) por 90 días, donde se determinó la humedad de los chocolates empacados por el método de gravimétrico cada quince días y durante 90 días. Luego de un análisis los chocolates de 45 y 52 por ciento empacados en laminado (LM) fueron elegidos, se procesó una cinética modelada en función de la humedad (H) por regresión con las siguientes ecuaciones: H = e - 0,5409 + 0,00018*t² , con R² = 75,20 % y r = 0,87 y EEE = 0,3 y H = e -0,0779 + 0,0001*t² , con R² = 69,52 % y r = 0,83 y EEE = 0,2, respectivamente. El chocolate empacado con 45 y 52 por ciento de cacao en laminado (LM) fue sometido a una prueba sensorial de aceptabilidad general usando una escala hedónica lineal no estructurada de 10 cm, con tres niveles: no me agrada, ni me agrada-ni desagrada y me agrada, donde a partir de 6 cm fue la aceptabilidad. Alcanzaron una valoración de 95,6 y 51,1 por ciento en aceptabilidad general, respectivamente.The moisture gain kinetics of two types of commercial Peruvian dark chocolates (45 and 52 percent cocoa) in four different types of packaging were obtained: butter paper (BP), aluminum foil (AF), polypropylene (PP) and laminated (LM), taking moisture gain as the quality index. The packed chocolates were exposed to a conditioned environment inside glass bells with a potassium chromate solution (90 percent of relative moisture approximate) for 90 days, where the gravimetric humidity was determined of the packed chocolate every fifthteen days and for 90 days. After an analysis of the 45 and 52 percent chocolates packed in laminate (LM) were chosen, a modeled kinetics was processed as a function of moisture (M) by regression with the following equations: M = e-0.5409 + 0.0002*t² , with R² (%) = 75.20 y r = 0.87 and EEE = 0.3 and M = e-0.0779 + 0.0001*t², with R² (%) = 69.52 y r = 0.83 and EEE = 0.2, respectively. Chocolate packaged with 45 and 52 percent cocoa in laminated (LM) was subjected to a sensory test of general acceptability using an unstructured linear hedonic scale of 10 cm, with three levels: dislike, like-nor dislike. and I like it, where from 6 cm was the acceptability. They reached a rating of 95.6 and 51.1 percent in general acceptability, respectively

A Master’s Degree research: Proteomic approach on ewe’s cheese.

A MASTER’S DEGREE RESEARCH: PROTEOMIC APPROACH ON EWE’S CHEESE Ana Lúcia Garrido1, Flávio Silva1, Cristina Conceição1,2, Sofia Freitas1 Elsa Lamy2 1Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade de Évora, Portugal; 2ICAAM, Universidade de Évora, Portugal; ABSTRACT A master’s programme structure is usually flexible and involves a comparably dissertation that is based on a research or a practice-led research project. It involves a scientific exploration that helps students obtaining investigation skills and acquiring some transversal competences. The main challenge of this academic process is to build an idea, identify the problematic, organize the hypothesis and stablishing the best methodology to get answers according to the objectives. This master’s degree research was developed within a multidisciplinary project, and the main objective was to investigate which proteomic methodology was better to investigate the degradation of cheese nitrogen fractions, with the resources available at University of Évora. Ewe’s cheeses have great tradition in Portugal, and have a high intrinsic value, arising from their very appreciated unique sensory characteristics, coupled with long-recognized social and economic impacts. Therefore, it’s mandatory to understand the metabolic pathways in cheese ripening, and specifically, proteolysis. Three electrophoretic techniques have been used: urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Urea-PAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) for the insoluble fraction of cheese and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) for the soluble fraction. Results showed that urea-PAGE was the best method for cheese insoluble fraction analysis, mainly because it separates proteins not only by molecular mass, but also having charge into account, and since caseins have similar molecular masses SDS-PAGE is not able to separate them (1–3). This research investigation also concluded that both urea-PAGE and 2-DE methods are complementary in the study of proteolysis of ewe’s cheese. Urea-PAGE results showed a degradation of the insoluble fraction, the caseins, during maturation, and the 2-DE showed an increase of the soluble fraction, that according to other results (3) we believe that are peptides resulting from the degradation of caseins. Keywords: ewe’s cheese; proteolysis; electrophoresis; caseins

Aplicações biológicas de compostos macrocíclicos

Trabalho Final de Mestrado Integrado, Ciências Farmacêuticas, 2022, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia.Os compostos macrocíclicos são compostos de origem natural ou sintética que de um modo geral apresentam uma cavidade central hidrófila com átomos dadores eletronegativos e uma estrutura exterior hidrófoba. São uma classe de moléculas orgânicas que podem formar complexos hóspede-hospedeiro de forma seletiva. Estas características permitem que estes compostos tenham aplicações nas mais variadas áreas. A procura de compostos com atividade biológica para fazer face aos desafios crescentes na saúde é uma área da ciência em grande desenvolvimento. As propriedades físico-químicas dos compostos macrocíclicos permitem-lhes interagir de forma seletiva com diversas biomoléculas, apresentando assim diversas aplicações como modelos biológicos, como sensores, como veículos de fármacos e até como agentes terapêuticos, entre outras. O objetivo desta monografia é rever a utilização dos compostos macrocíclicos e as suas aplicações biológicas, perceber o que tem sido feito até aos dias de hoje, bem como as perspetivas para o futuro. Para tal foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica eletrónica que abrangeu conteúdos publicados nos últimos 20 anos. Atualmente, existem várias famílias de compostos macrocíclicos com aplicações nas mais variadas áreas. Este trabalho focou-se nos éteres de coroa, nos calixarenos e nos pilararenos, compostos para os quais se encontraram na literatura um maior número de aplicações biológicas. Estes compostos desempenham as suas funções principalmente através do reconhecimento seletivo de espécies hóspede, nomeadamente com interesse biológico, que são incluídas no interior das suas cavidades, permitindo assim a sua separação e/ou transporte. A evidência crescente das aplicações biológicas dos compostos macrocíclicos indica o seu potencial uso em várias áreas, principalmente na da saúde.Macrocyclic compounds are natural or synthetic compounds that generally have a hydrophilic central cavity with electronegative donor atoms and a hydrophobic outer structure. These are a class of organic molecules which can selectively form host-guest complexes. These features allow these compounds to have applications in the most varied areas. The search for compounds with biological activity to face the growing health challenges is an area of science in great development. The physicochemical properties of macrocyclic compounds allow them to interact selectively with several biomolecules, thus presenting several applications as biological models, as sensors, as drug vehicles and even as therapeutic agents, among others. The aim of this monograph is to review the use of macrocyclic compounds and their biological applications, understand what has been done to date, as well as perspectives for the future. For this, an electronic bibliographic search was carried out, covering content published in the last 20 years. Currently, there are several families of macrocyclic compounds with several applications in different areas. This work focused on crown ethers, calixarenes and pillararenes, compounds for which a greater number of biological applications have been found in the literature. These compounds perform their functions mainly through the selective recognition of guest species, namely with biological interest that are included inside their cavities, thus allowing their separation and/or transport. The growing evidence of the biological applications of macrocyclic compounds indicates their potential use in several areas, mainly in health

Nitrate and phosphate leaching in a phaeozen soil treated with biosolids, composted biosolids and inorganic fertilizers

The use of organic wastes in agriculture may increase the production of crops by incorporating organic matter and nutrients into the soil, and by improving its physical characteristics; however, this use may cause environmental problems such as the leaching of certain ions. The objective of this study was to establish possible nitrogen and phosphorus leaching under real field conditions in Phaeozem soils. The experimental work was performed in a corn (Zea mays L.) field where three plots were conditioned with inorganic fertilizer, three plots with 4.5 Mg ha 1 of biosolids on dry basis, and three plots with the same amount of composted biosolids. The quality of biosolids and composted biosolids complied with the Mexican Official Standards. Soil water samples were collected with suction cups during two agricultural cycles and were analysed. Soil samples were also taken and analysed. The N–NO3 concentrations in soil water fluctuated between 0.9 and 98 mg L 1 in the composted biosolid treatment, between 0.7 and 64 mg L 1 in the biosolid treatment, and between 1 and 61 mg L 1 in the inorganic fertilizer treatment. The maximum concentration of N–NO2 and N–NH3 in soil water was 1.02 and 2.65 mg L 1, respectively. The greatest percentage of nitrogen leached is produced when inorganic fertilizer is used (37.4% and 24.0% N leached in the first and second years, respectively), followed by composted biosolids (17.1% and 13.5% N leached in the first and second years, respectively) and last by biosolids (11% for both years). This difference could be related to the form in which nitrogen is present in the fertilizers, while commercial fertilizer is as inorganic nitrogen, organic wastes are basically presented as organic nitrogen. The maximum PO3 4 concentration in soil water was 1.9 mg L 1 in the composted biosolid treatment, 1.7 mg L 1 in the biosolid treatment and 0.9 mg L 1 in the inorganic fertilizer treatment. The estimated percentage of leached phosphorus was less than 1% for all treatments. The minimum leaching that occurred seemed to be due to a sorption–precipitation process