Strategies to obtain designer polymers based on cyanobacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)

Biopolymers derived from polysaccharides are a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to the synthetic counterparts available in the market. Due to their distinctive properties, the cyanobacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), mainly composed of heteropolysaccharides, emerge as a valid alternative to address several biotechnological and biomedical challenges. Nevertheless, biotechnological/biomedical applications based on cyanobacterial EPS have only recently started to emerge. For the successful exploitation of cyanobacterial EPS, it is important to strategically design the polymers, either by genetic engineering of the producing strains or by chemical modification of the polymers. This requires a better understanding of the EPS biosynthetic pathways and their relationship with central metabolism, as well as to exploit the available polymer functionalization chemistries. Considering all this, we provide an overview of the characteristics and biological activities of cyanobacterial EPS, discuss the challenges and opportunities to improve the amount and/or characteristics of the polymers, and report the most relevant advances on the use of cyanobacterial EPS as scaffolds, coatings, and vehicles for drug delivery.This work was financed by FEDER—Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020 - Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028779, contract DL57/2016/CP1327/CT0007 and fellowship SFRH/BD/119920/2016

Intellectual disability, unusual facial morphology and hand anomalies in sibs

Here we report on a Portuguese family with three sisters who shared moderate intellectual disability, unusual facial morphology (short palpebral fissures; broad nasal tip; thin upper and lower vermillion; broad and pointed chin) and hand anomalies in two of them (short left third and fifth right metacarpals in one case; marked syndactyly between the third and fourth fingers in another). One of the sisters had microcephaly and short stature, and the other two were obese. Obesity and somewhat similar facial features were also present in the otherwise healthy mother. Despite the overlap with several known syndromes (Albright osteodystrophy; Filippi syndrome; Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome; microdeletion 2q37), we suggest this condition is previously unreported, and most likely displays an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance

Intellectual disability, coarse face, relative macrocephaly, and cerebellar hypotrophy in two sisters

We report on two Portuguese sisters with a very similar phenotype characterized by severe intellectual disability, absent speech, relative macrocephaly, coarse face, cerebellar hypotrophy, and severe ataxia. Additional common features include increased thickness of the cranial vault, delayed dental eruption, talipes equino-varus, clinodactyly, and camptodactyly of the fifth finger. The older sister has retinal dystrophy and the younger sister has short stature. Their parents are consanguineous. We suggest this condition constitutes a previously unreported autosomal recessive entity

Profile and professional expectations of medical students in Mozambique: a longitudinal study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>This paper compares the socioeconomic profile of medical students registered at the Faculty of Medicine of Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (FM-UEM), Maputo, for the years 1998/99 and 2007/08.</p> <p>Case study</p> <p>The objective is to describe the medical students' social and geographical origins, expectations and perceived difficulties regarding their education and professional future. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to all medical students.</p> <p>Discussion and evaluation</p> <p>The response rate in 1998/99 was 51% (227/441) and 50% in 2007/08 (484/968).</p> <p>The main results reflect a doubling of the number of students enrolled for medical studies at the FM-UEM, associated with improved student performance (as reflected by failure rates). Nevertheless, satisfaction with the training received remains low and, now as before, students still identify lack of access to books or learning technology and inadequate teacher preparedness as major problems.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>There is a high level of commitment to public sector service. However, students, as future doctors, have very high salary expectations that will not be met by current public sector salary scales. This is reflected in an increasing degree of orientation to double sector employment after graduation.</p

Holocene evolution of a barrier island system, Ria Formosa, South Portugal

Holocene evolution of the Ria Formosa barrier island system was studied through the examination of a large subsurface dataset acquired from 191 boreholes and five seismic refraction profiles. Two boreholes with total depths of 26 and 16.5 m were selected for a multi-proxy detailed laboratory analysis, including mean grain size distribution, organic matter (OM) content, color variation, shell identification, and benthic foraminifera assemblages. Selected cores are thought to be representative of the identified depositional sub-basins. Subsurface age data from 16 AMS C-14 dated samples were plotted against depth and resulted in a coherent age model of sedimentary infill. The system evolution was largely controlled by sediment availability, accommodation space, and Holocene sea level rise, first at a rapid rate of 7 mm/yr from 10 kcal yr BP to 7.25 kcal yr BP, followed by a slowdown to 1.1 mm/yr until present. A conceptual model for the origin and Holocene evolution of the Ria Formosa barrier island system implies three main steps, leading to the present system geomorphology: (1) marine flooding of incised palaeovalleys by the rapid transgression of palaeovalleys in the early Holocene(2) development of a proto-barrier island chain perched on Pleistocene detritic headlands and steeper interfluve areas during the early to middle Holoceneand (3) full development of the barrier islands chain and enclosing of the coastal lagoon, followed by the maturation of the system with subsequent siltation and salt marsh expansion from the middle Holocene until present. The onset of barrier system formation dates back to ca. 8 kcal yr BP, predating previously proposed age.SIHER project [PTDC/CTE-GIX112236/2009]EU Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate in Marine and Coastal Management (MACOMA) fellowship grant, under University of AlgarveEU Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate in Marine and Coastal Management (MACOMA) fellowship grant, under University of Cadi

Cardiospondylocarpofacial syndrome as a distinct hereditary connective tissue disorder: novel missense variant in MAP3K7 in two unrelated patients

CDKL5 deficiency disorder is a rare X-linked condition that results in early onset of impairedmotor and cognitive skills such as motor rigidity, stereotypical hand movements and deficient language acquisition aswell as recurrent seizures. It is caused by mutations in the cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) gene, which encodes a serine/threonine kinase involved in important neuronal processes such as cell signaling and neuron morphogenesis.FCT: UID/Multi/04326/2019 (CCMAR)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Neoliberalisation and 'lad cultures' in higher education

This paper links HE neoliberalisation and ‘lad cultures’, drawing on interviews and focus groups with women students. We argue that retro-sexist ‘laddish’ forms of masculine competitiveness and misogyny have been reshaped by neoliberal rationalities to become modes of consumerist sexualised audit. We also suggest that neoliberal frameworks scaffold an individualistic and adversarial culture among young people that interacts with perceived threats to men’s privilege and intensifies attempts to put women in their place through misogyny and sexual harassment. Furthermore, ‘lad cultures’, sexism and sexual harassment in higher education may be invisibilised by institutions to preserve marketability in a neoliberal context. In response, we ask if we might foster dialogue and partnership between feminist and anti-marketisation politics

Impact of Routine Fractional Flow Reserve Evaluation During Coronary Angiography on Management Strategy and Clinical Outcome: One-Year Results of the POST-IT Multicenter Registry

Penetration of fractional flow reserve (FFR) in clinical practice varies extensively, and the applicability of results from randomized trials is understudied. We describe the extent to which the information gained from routine FFR affects patient management strategy and clinical outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nonselected patients undergoing coronary angiography, in which at least 1 lesion was interrogated by FFR, were prospectively enrolled in a multicenter registry. FFR-driven change in management strategy (medical therapy, revascularization, or additional stress imaging) was assessed per-lesion and per-patient, and the agreement between final and initial strategies was recorded. Cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or unplanned revascularization (MACE) at 1 year was recorded. A total of 1293 lesions were evaluated in 918 patients (mean FFR, 0.81±0.1). Management plan changed in 406 patients (44.2%) and 584 lesions (45.2%). One-year MACE was 6.9%; patients in whom all lesions were deferred had a lower MACE rate (5.3%) than those with at least 1 lesion revascularized (7.3%) or left untreated despite FFR≤0.80 (13.6%; log-rank P=0.014). At the lesion level, deferral of those with an FFR≤0.80 was associated with a 3.1-fold increase in the hazard of cardiovascular death/myocardial infarction/target lesion revascularization (P=0.012). Independent predictors of target lesion revascularization in the deferred lesions were proximal location of the lesion, B2/C type and FFR. CONCLUSIONS: Routine FFR assessment of coronary lesions safely changes management strategy in almost half of the cases. Also, it accurately identifies patients and lesions with a low likelihood of events, in which revascularization can be safely deferred, as opposed to those at high risk when ischemic lesions are left untreated, thus confirming results from randomized trials

The training and professional expectations of medical students in Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the professional expectations of medical students during the 2007-2008 academic year at the public medical schools of Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique, and to identify their social and geographical origins, their professional expectations and difficulties relating to their education and professional future.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data were collected through a standardised questionnaire applied to all medical students registered during the 2007-2008 academic year.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Students decide to study medicine at an early age. Relatives and friends seem to have an especially important influence in encouraging, reinforcing and promoting the desire to be a doctor.</p> <p>The degree of feminization of the student population differs among the different countries.</p> <p>Although most medical students are from outside the capital cities, expectations of getting into medical school are already associated with migration from the periphery to the capital city, even before entering medical education.</p> <p>Academic performance is poor. This seems to be related to difficulties in accessing materials, finances and insufficient high school preparation.</p> <p>Medical students recognize the public sector demand but their expectations are to combine public sector practice with private work, in order to improve their earnings. Salary expectations of students vary between the three countries.</p> <p>Approximately 75% want to train as hospital specialists and to follow a hospital-based career. A significant proportion is unsure about their future area of specialization, which for many students is equated with migration to study abroad.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Medical education is an important national investment, but the returns obtained are not as efficient as expected. Investments in high-school preparation, tutoring, and infrastructure are likely to have a significant impact on the success rate of medical schools. Special attention should be given to the socialization of students and the role model status of their teachers.</p> <p>In countries with scarce medical resources, the hospital orientation of students' expectations is understandable, although it should be associated with the development of skills to coordinate hospital work with the network of peripheral facilities. Developing a local postgraduate training capacity for doctors might be an important strategy to help retain medical doctors in the home country.</p