Kidney Injury in type 2 diabetic: the role of berberine treatment

rType 2 diabetes mellitus is a multifactorial disease. Prolonged hyperglycemia is one of the major determinants of long-term complications of diabetes. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) refers to a set of structural and functional changes which arise in response to chronic glycemic attack. Because diabetes is a progressive disease, pharmacotherapies with complementary mechanisms of action will be necessary to achieve glycemic goals. Berberine is a natural alkaloid isolated from the Coptis Chinensis. Although routinely prescribe in Asian countries, an interest in its beneficial effects in metabolic diseases has been growing in the Western world over the last decade. The aim of our work was to analyze the effects of BBR in T2DM, specifically in several markers of diabetic nephropathy. To realize our work we analyzed the metabolic profile and several parameters (energy homeostasis, inflammation and fibrosis) in cortex kidney tissue of 12 month old rats. To testing the effects of this natural compound in diabetic renal disease, we will go studding the profile metabolic of these animals. In renal tissue we will go evaluated the activity of two enzymes activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Sirtuin (Sirt)-1. Besides that, it is essential to study the role of several parameters in the evolution of renal disease like, Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and pro-inflammatory cytokines In conclusion, berberine is a valuable candidate for diabetic renal disease therapy?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Internationalization strategy of Origama to Brazil

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsThis work project studies Origama and its internationalization process to Brazil, specifically to Rio de Janeiro. Origama is a Portuguese start up succeeding in the beach products market and aiming to expand to international markets, in the quest for growth and sustainability. The key success factors in the domestic market were identified and compared with the foreign factors in order to investigate what were the barriers to entry and possible solutions to overcome them. The market research conducted aims at understanding the suitability of their product in the Brazilian culture and thus to determine the best mode of entry and develop a marketing strategy

Moving towards a safe by design approach for ENM: linking ENM relevant properties to toxicological concerns

Within the Safe by Design concept, the functionality of a material and its toxicity are considered in an integrated way. The central goal of this presentation is to discuss some fundamental principles of engineered nanomaterials (ENM) interactions with biological systems relevant to human exposure and biological responses. Major factors to consider in the ENM safe-by-design approach are surface modification to reduce the potential hazardous properties of target nanoparticles (NP), compatibility between NP coatings and their matrix, as well as biopersistence, considering the relevant exposure scenarios across the life cycle of the target NP and products. This is a cross-disciplinary field that needs to identify, at earlier stages of the ENM R&D process, the physicochemical properties that may act as good predictors of toxicity, e.g. crystal structure/reactivity, zeta potential/surface charge/dynamic properties. Furthermore, it is also needed to build adequate screening in vitro testing strategies (realistic doses, exposure duration and target tissues), incorporating relevant hazard endpoints that can give an insight about the toxicological mode of action (MoA) with relevance to human health and environment, taking into account the uses and applications along the lifecycle (EHS roadmap). These topics will be illustrated by a cytotoxicity and genotoxicity study performed with a set of ENM with identical chemistry but different physicochemical characteristics that highlighted the importance of investigating each ENM individually, instead of assuming a common MoA. The findings, although creating a dilemma for developing criteria for categorization and read-across, are also suggestive of the importance of considering the functionality of a material and its toxicity in an integrated way, enabling a safe-by-design concept. Ultimately, the overall safety data is intended to best support the decision of IND developers and risk managers during the ENM design and development processes

The Role of Saliva in Food Sensory Perception: Relevant Knowledge to Design Healthy Foods

Food choices and consumption are determined by a range of factors that contribute to aversion or pleasure and guide to final intake. Among these, the sensorial characteristics of food have a major and decisive role in choice behaviour. Although some of the mechanisms involved in oral food perception, namely in taste and astringency perception, are considerable known, many questions remains, particularly in what concerns variations among individuals in their sensitivity for food sensorial aspects. The understanding of the mechanisms leading to different responses for the same sensorial stimulus is particularly important to understand food choices. Bitter has been the basic taste most studied for variations among individuals in perception and in how this influences food behaviour and nutritional status. The observation, at several years ago, that some individuals are very sensitive to the bitterness of the compounds phenyl thiocarbamide (PTC) or 6-n-propylthyouracil (PROP), whereas others are almost insensitive, triggered the emergence of diverse studies about the motif for that, resulting in the identification of gene polymorphisms for the bitter taste receptor TAS2R38. Subsequently to that, polymorphisms for other receptors and taste qualities have been identified. Even so, these genetic variations are not able to explain the total diversity in taste/oral sensations responses. In recent years, it has begun to become apparent that saliva has a relevant role in taste recognition mechanisms. Apart from astringency, which is well known to depend on salivary proteins to develop and being perceived, basic tastes started to be related with saliva composition. Some salivary proteins, among which carbonic anhydrase VI, cystatins, amylase and others, have been observed to relate with taste perception. However, saliva secretion changes with taste stimulation and according dietary habits. Moreover, body weight condition, metabolic status or diverse pathologies are responsible for changes in saliva composition. Being this fluid important in modulating oral food perception, to know individuals’ saliva composition becomes of interest for modulating or directing choices. Based on the literature and recent scientific results, the role of saliva in food sensory perception will be discussed according to these two angles. The question of the high between-subject variability in view of saliva properties and its consequence on perception will be emphasized.Acknowledgements This article was funded by FCT-Science and Technology Foundation as part of Project UID/AGR/00115/2013. Funding was additionally provided by the FCT-Portuguese Science Foundation: research contract IF/01778/2013-Elsa Lamy, while FCT was not involved in carrying out this study or submitting it for publication

Relatório de estágio profissional

O presente Relatório de Estágio Profissional tem como finalidade a apresentação de registos e experiências baseados na Prática Pedagógica I e II efetuada em Educação Pré-Escolar. Surge ainda no decorrer de um estudo pessoal e científico das práticas efetuadas durante o meu estágio entre 13 de setembro de 2010 a 15 de julho de 2011. O estágio aqui relatado foi acompanhado pela Equipa de Supervisão Pedagógica da Escola Superior de Educação João de Deus e pelas crianças dos Jardins-Escolas João de Deus (em geral) que permitiram a sua observação e implementação de atividades. Este trabalho encontra-se dividido por três capítulos, nomeadamente, Relatos Diários, Planificações e Dispositivos de Avaliação. No final é feita uma Reflexão onde exponho algumas considerações finais, limitações e novas pesquisas. Por uma questão de privacidade omito os nomes das educadoras e das crianças com quem efetuei as minhas observações e desenvolvi este estudo

Pulmonary Sarcoidosis in Behçet's Disease Treated with Adalimumab

TNF-α antagonists are used to treat various rheumatic diseases including sarcoidosis. However, there have been increasing reports of sarcoidosis in relation to treatment using these drugs. The pathogenesis of this reaction remains unknown. This is a report of a clinical case of sarcoidosis in Behçet's disease (DB) with mucocutaneous and intestinal involvement in treatment using adalimumab, with improvement after anti-TNF suspension and corticosteroid therapy

Stability of patterns of behavior in the butterfly technique of the elite swimmers

The purpose of this study was to find patterns in the butterfly swimming technique, with an adaptation of the Behavioral Observation System Tech. This, as an instrument for ad-hoc qualitative analysis, enables the study of the stability of the technical implementation. When used in the training of swimmers, analysis can reduce the variability of behavioral tuning swimming technique. Through the analysis of temporal patterns (T-pattern) and a sequence of five cycles running at hand maximum speed, the behavior of four technical Portuguese elite swimmers, with a record of 259 alphanumeric codes and a total of 160 configurations, were studied. The structure of the original instrument, based on a mixed system of categories and formats Field, can record technical features, observed during the execution of hand cycles. The validity was ensured through the index of intra-observer reliability (95%) and inter-observer accuracy (96%). To detect patterns in each swimmer, the Theme 5.0 software was used, which allowed to identify the stable structures of technical performance within a critical interval of time (p <0.05) - t-patterns. The patterns were different, adjusting to the characteristics of technical implementation of the swimmers. It was found that the swimmer can create settings with different levels of structure complexity, depending on the implementation of changes within the hand cycle. Variations of codes in each configuration obtained using the SOCTM, allowed determining the differences between swimmers. However, the records showed a clear behavioral similarity when comparing the result with a general pattern of the butterfly technique. The potential quality of this instrument seems to be important due to the patterns obtained from a temporal sequence. Key pointsThe patterns were different, adjusting to the characteristics of technical implementation of the swimmers.The swimmer can make settings with different levels of structure complexity, depending on the implementation of changes within the hand cycle.Variations of codes in each configuration obtained using the SOCTM, allowed determining the differences between swimmers.The records showed a clear behavioral similarity when comparing the result with a general pattern of the butterfly technique.The potential quality of this instrument seems to be important due to the patterns obtained from a temporal sequence.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Salivary Protein Profile and Food Intake: A Dietary Pattern Analysis

Saliva research has gained interest due to its potential as a source of biomarkers. One of the factors inducing changes in saliva, in the short term, is food intake, and evidence exist about changes in salivary proteome induced by some food components. Since this topic of research is in its early stages, it was hypothesized that saliva protein composition could be associated with different levels of adherence to dietary patterns that contain higher amounts of plant products. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesis, in adults, by comparing salivary protein electrophoretic profiles of individuals with different diet characteristics, particularly dietary patterns (DP) that exhibit different proportions of animal and plant-based products. Dietary habits were assessed in 122 adults (61 from each sex, with ages ranging from 20 to 59 years) using Food Frequency Questionnaires. To identify the dietary patterns, a principal component analysis was used. Individual’s non-stimulated saliva was evaluated for flow rate, pH, protein concentration, α-amylase activity, and electrophoretic protein profiles. Seven dietary patterns (DP) were identified. Salivary amylase enzymatic activity was positively associated with animal-based and starchy foods DP, and with plant-based fatty foods without wine DP. At the same time, protein bands containing amylase and type S cystatins were positively associated with the cheese/yoghurt and wine DP. Our results support the association of salivary proteomics and different dietary patterns and highlight the need of considering food consumption habits in studies using saliva, since this is a factor associated with variations in the composition of this fluid.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio