Antibacterial bioadhesive layer-by-layer coatings for orthopedic applications

In this study, thin LbL films were produced by combining the adhesive properties of the hyaluronic acidâ dopamine conjugate with the bioactivity and bactericidal properties of silver doped bioactive glass nanoparticles. The build-up of these films was investigated by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. LbL coatings were then constructed on a glass substrate for further characterization. We found that these antimicrobial bioinspired films display enhanced adhesive strength. In vitro bioactivity tests were performed by immersing them in simulated body fluid solution for 14 days where the constructed films promoted the formation of a bone-like apatite layer. From microbiological assays, it was found that coatings containing silver doped nanoparticles exhibited a remarkable antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli cultures. Finally, in vitro cellular behavior tests showed enhanced cell adhesion, proliferation and viability for these antibacterial bioadhesive films. Therefore, the constructed thin films showed promising properties and evidenced great potential to be used as coatings for orthopedic implants.The authors acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the European program FEDER/COMPETE for the financial support through project BioSeaGlue: EXPL/CTM-BIO/0646/2013 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER041105). This work was co-funded by ‘‘Programa Operacional Regional do Norte’’ (ON.2-O Novo Norte) under the ‘‘Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional’’ (QREN), through the ‘‘Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional’’ (FEDER). E. T. also thanks the FCT investigator grant (IF/01390/2014)

The 2011 submarine volcanic eruption in El Hierro (Canary Islands)

Forty years after the Teneguía Volcano (La Palma, 1971), a submarine eruption took place off the town of La Restinga, south of El Hierro, the smallest and youngest island of the Canarian Archipelago. Precursors allowed an early detection of the event and its approximate location, suggesting it was submarine. Uncertainties derived from insufficient scientific information available to the authorities during the eruption, leading to disproportionate civil protection measures, which had an impact on the island's economy-based primarily on tourism-while residents experienced extra fear and distress. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, The Geologists' Association & The Geological Society of London.Peer Reviewe

Origin of mounds in the Pantanal wetlands: An integrated approach between geomorphology, pedogenesis, ecology and soil micromorphology.

Vegetated mounds are an important geomorphological feature of the Pantanal, where the influence of floods dictates not only hydropedological processes, but also the distribution and ecology of the flora and fauna. This work aimed to identify factors and processes that influence the formation and spatial distribution of the mounds, which are commonly associated with termite activity. In order to characterize pedological processes, macro and micro morphological descriptions, satellite image interpretation, dating of the sandy sedimentary material using OSL and carbon dating using 14C AMS were carried out. This dating of the materials indicates that the sediments in which the soils were formed were deposited during the Pleistocene, while the carbonates are from the Holocene. The basin-like format of the laminar structures suggests that part of the more clayey material was deposited in lacustrine environments. The more humid climate in the Holocene intensified argilluviation, which at an advanced stage, led to a more pronounced textural gradient, reducing drainage and leading to ferrolysis and thickening of the E horizon. Besides pedogenic processes, more erosive flooding during the Holocene began reducing and rounding the landscape's more elevated structures (paleolevees). In the final stage, these structures were occupied by termites to shelter from flooding. Thereafter, the bio-cementation action of the termite nests has increased the resistance of the vegetated mounds to processes of erosion

The 2011 submarine volcanic eruption in El Hierro (Canary Islands)

Forty years after the Teneguía Volcano (La Palma, 1971), a submarine eruption took place off the town of La Restinga, south of El Hierro, the smallest and youngest island of the Canarian Archipelago. Precursors allowed an early detection of the event and its approximate location, suggesting it was submarine. Uncertainties derived from insufficient scientific information available to the authorities during the eruption, leading to disproportionate civil protection measures, which had an impact on the island's economy-based primarily on tourism-while residents experienced extra fear and distress. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, The Geologists' Association & The Geological Society of London.Peer Reviewe

Caracterização morfológica de solos sódicos em diferentes paleodiques no pantanal norte.

O Pantanal é considerado a maior planície continental inundável do mundo, englobando diferentes habitats, sustentando grande diversidade vegetal e de solos, se destacando os solos sódicos (Planossolos e Luvissolos). Tais solos têm grande importância econômica, social e ambiental para a região, pois se situam em antigos diques (paleodiques) que atualmente constituem as áreas mais elevadas da paisagem sendo que a inundação dessas somente ocorre em eventos excepcionais, servindo como refúgios para animais silvestres e também para geofagia, gerando especificida de ambiental (Coelho, 2006) . Entretanto estes solos necessitam de uma melhor entendimento da relação entre seus atributos morfológicos e a ocorrência de Na+, facilitando assim o seu mapeamento. Devido à grande importância ambiental que representam estes solos, o presente trabalho visou relacionar a morfologia dos horizontes B texturais com o caráter sódico em paleodiques de diferentes estádios de dissecação dessas feições geomórficas, bem como características químicas e físicas. Observou-se que a geomorfologia guarda grande relação com a morfologia do solo, em que paleodiques mais dissecados apresentam transições irregulares, quebradas, maior porosidade e espessamento do horizonte eluvial (E)

Lifestyles and physical activity: clusters of leisure time activities representations and patterns among adolescents

Pretendeu-se com o presente estudo identificar perfis de representações e das práticas das atividades de lazer (AL) de adolescentes, e explorar a relação entre a importância e a prática das AL. Responderam a um questionário, sobre a importância e prática das AL. 387 adolescentes (217 raparigas e 170 rapazes; 17.1 ± 1.0 anos). A análise de clusters e análise de correspondências múltiplas permitiram identificar cinco perfis das representações (“pouco sociáveis”, “desportistas extrovertidos”, “artistas”, “não desportistas”, “ecléticos”) e quatro padrões de prática das AL. As AL mais valorizadas tenderam a ser as mais praticadas, com exceção da atividade física (AF) – cujos níveis eram reduzidos – e dos comportamentos sedentários (CS) relacionados com as atividades de ecrã – prevalentes na maioria da amostra. Intervenções para promover a prática regular de AF e reduzir o CS são necessárias. Neste âmbito devem-se considerar os diferentes interesses e as práticas das AL de cada grupo de adolescentes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Long COVID Symptoms in Non-Hospitalised Patients: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented numerous challenges to healthcare systems. As the number of affected individuals continues to rise, it is crucial to find preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches. This study aims to describe different COVID-19 sequelae within a Primary Health Care population.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in adults diagnosed with COVID-19 from March 2020 to April 2022, excluding pregnant women, minors, nursing home residents, hospitalizations, and deaths. Data was gathered from surveillance records on the Trace COVID-19 (R) platform, a pre-set original questionnaire (which included the Portuguese version of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life Assessment Instrument), and, if needed, patient electronic health records. Information on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of acute COVID-19 was collected along with long COVID symptoms.Results: This study included 284 patients, aged 19 to 99 years old. The five most prevalent acute COVID-19 symptoms were fever (50.0%), tiredness (48.2%), myalgias (44.7%), dry cough (37.7%) and odynophagia (36.3%). Symptoms related to the neurological system (23.2%) and tiredness (22.9%) were the most prevalent in long COVID symptoms. Acute tiredness and arthralgia were associated with all long COVID outcomes. The associations between acute COVID-19 symptoms with long COVID outcomes were stronger for anosmia [OR = 5.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.49 -10.36, p < 0.001] on a neurological chapter, acute tiredness for long lasting tiredness (OR = 4.07, 95% CI 2.07 -8.02, p = 0.041), fatigue for muscles and/or bones chapter (OR = 7.55, 95% CI 3.06 -18.66, p < 0.001), tiredness on an endocrine/hormonal chapter (OR = 6.54, 95% CI 2.37 -18.04, p < 0.001), dyspnea for respiratory symptoms (OR = 5.67, 95% CI 1.92 -16.74, p = 0.002) and fever for stomach or intestine symptoms (OR = 8.06, 95% CI 2.55 -25.47, p < 0.001). Almost all quality of life dimensions were negatively associated with the number of long COVID symptoms.Conclusion: A higher number of acute symptoms, as well as the presence of specific COVID-19 symptoms were associated with reported symptoms = 12 weeks after infection. In the studied population, an increased number of symptoms in both acute and long COVID had a significant negative impact on the perception of overall quality of life. The identification of these relationships could provide a new perspective for post-COVID care

Cloreto de cobre (CuCl2) como extrator de Al associado à matéria orgânica em Espodossolos do litoral do Estado de São Paulo.

O estudo objetivou avaliar a capacidade extratora do CuCl2 como reagente seletivo de alumínio associado à matéria orgânica em solos representativos sob vegetação de restinga do Estado de São Paulo. Os resultados foram comparados ao pirofosfato de sódio e a outros reagentes seletivos, seguindo-se as interpretações comumente observadas na literatura quanto à capacidade extratora e seletividade dos reagentes utilizados.bitstream/item/32367/1/Bol-PD-158.pd