Tolerogenic versus Inflammatory Activity of Peripheral Blood Monocytes and Dendritic Cells Subpopulations in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abnormalities in monocytes and in peripheral blood dendritic cells (DC) subsets have been reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We aim to clarify the tolerogenic or inflammatory role of these cells based on ICOSL or IFN-α and chemokine mRNA expression, respectively, after cell purification. The study included 18 SLE patients with active disease (ASLE), 25 with inactive disease (ISLE), and 30 healthy controls (HG). In purified plasmacytoid DC (pDC) was observed a lower ICOSL mRNA expression in ASLE and an increase in ISLE; similarly, a lower ICOSL mRNA expression in monocytes of ALSE patients was found. However, a higher ICOSL mRNA expression was observed in ASLE compared to HG in myeloid DCs. Interestingly, clinical parameters seem to be related with ICOSL mRNA expression. Regarding the inflammatory activity it was observed in purified monocytes and CD14(-/low) CD16(+) DCs an increase of CCL2, CXCL9, and CXCL10 mRNA expression in ASLE compared to HG. In myeloid DC no differences were observed regarding chemokines, and IFN-α mRNA expression. In pDC, a higher IFN-α mRNA expression was observed in ASLE. Deviations in ICOSL, chemokine, and IFN-α mRNA expression in peripheral blood monocytes and dendritic cells subpopulations in SLE appear to be related to disease activity

O sistema de gestão ambiental do ISCTE-IUL: um modelo de integração-qualidade-sustentabilidade

O artigo pretende partilhar a experiência do ISCTE - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL) na integração da sustentabilidade na cultura de qualidade. O ISCTE-IUL assumiu o compromisso com a Qualidade enquanto pilar do seu desenvolvimento estratégico, materializando-se num Sistema Interno de Garantia da Qualidade (SIGQ-IUL). Por seu lado, a sustentabilidade institucional – nas dimensões ambiental, social e económica – constitui também uma aposta estratégica e transversal que tem vindo a ser implementada nas práticas de gestão da instituição, no ensino, na investigação e na extensão universitária. O ISCTE-IUL é certificado de acordo com a Norma Portuguesa ISO 9001 desde 2008. O projeto da Sustentabilidade foi iniciado em 2016 e envolve um conjunto de ações para a melhoria do desempenho sustentável da instituição, das quais se destacam a implementação do Sistema de Gestão Ambiental (SGA) do ISCTE-IUL e a obtenção da respetiva certificação em 2018. Considerando a abrangência do SIGQ-IUL, um primeiro desafio prendia-se com o modelo previsto para a integração da Sustentabilidade, tendo sido adotada uma integração com relativa autonomia. Discutimos as implicações que o SGA colocou a diferentes níveis, com especial destaque para a necessidade de assumir a Sustentabilidade enquanto fator-chave da estratégia e da prática diária da Instituição, desde logo ao nível do campus, onde se procura a gestão eficiente dos recursos e a diminuição dos impactes ambientais negativos. Por outro lado, todo este processo tem-se traduzido em mais uma experiência de partilha, envolvimento e aprendizagem muito positivos para o ISCTE-IUL, com um contributo relevante para a melhoria da qualidade. A comunicação centra-se em dois aspetos: (i) a apresentação do modelo de integração da Sustentabilidade no SIGQ-IUL e (ii) o desenho e a implementação do SGA. Por último, uma nota conclusiva, resumindo os desafios particulares da Gestão da Sustentabilidade no ISCTE-IUL que presidem à conceção do Sistema de Gestão Ambiental.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Factors affecting the transfer of learning to the workplace

Training aims to respond to the needs of development of individuals and organizations (Grohmann & Kauffeld, 2013). Based on Holton model, we carried out a study seeking to identify and understand the factors involved in the process of learning transfer to the workplace from two different training actions on the design and skills. The study took place at a Portuguese organization and involved 98 participants. Former students were interviewed with the purpose to explore the factors that facilitated or hindered the learning transfer, and the Inventory of the Portuguese version of the Learning Transfer System (Holton, Bates, Seyler & Carvalho, 1997; Velada & Caetano, 2009) was applied. The results suggest that the Holton model (2005) shows that the trainees have identified important issues for learning transfer and that there are differences in relation to the transfer factor pursuant to the type of training.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Improved water-absorbing acrylamide hydrogels with itaconic esters

Hydrogels that absorb great amounts of water are gaining great acceptance in areas like medicine and agriculture. In this work we present the synthesis and characterization of hydrogels of monoitaconate esters. 2-ethoxyethyl monoitaconate and methyl monoitaconate were synthesized from itaconic acid. The effect of copolymer composition, amount of crosslinking agent, electrolyte presence and pH of the solution, on the water absorption rate and maximum degree of swelling was investigated

Improved water-absorbing acrylamide hydrogels with itaconic esters

Hydrogels that absorb great amounts of water are gaining great acceptance in areas like medicine and agriculture. In this work we present the synthesis and characterization of hydrogels of monoitaconate esters. 2-ethoxyethyl monoitaconate and methyl monoitaconate were synthesized from itaconic acid. The effect of copolymer composition, amount of crosslinking agent, electrolyte presence and pH of the solution, on the water absorption rate and maximum degree of swelling was investigated

someunconsciousthings Goldsmiths Art Psychotherapy Exhibition

Art practice in art therapy is given shape by its simultaneous involvement of artist, viewer and curator and its boundaries of time, space and materials. The drama takes place within contexts such as hospitals, schools, prisons and hospices; the players are positioned in relationships of power and unconscious and conscious processes can be explored. Tutors on the MA Art Psychotherapy, Goldsmiths, University of London, have used aspects of an art therapy practice to explore their individual and collective understanding of the ‘unconscious’. This exhibition, created in response to the centenary of Freud’s essays on the unconscious, is part of an on-going research project, which uses art-making and writing to explore the theme. Freud's essays were in part written as a rejoinder to scepticism of the concept; our research explores its contested relevance to contemporary art therapy practice. Christopher Brown, Kristen Catchpole, Annamaria Cavaliero, Diana Kagiafa, Jon Martyn, Lesley Morris, Lisa Rimmer, Susan Rudnik, Sally Skaife, Robin Tipple, Diana Velada, Jill Westwood

A Group Unconscious

What do we mean by 'the unconscious'? The staff team on the MA in Art Psychotherapy began to explore this question on hearing the increasingly and frequently stated view that the 'unconscious' was no longer relevant for consideration in the therapeutic process. We decided to use art-making, and tapes of our focussed discussions in response to the art made, as the data for our exploration. The Group Analytic Symposium has given us the opportunity to share the art of the early stages of this research with an audience sympathetic to our experiential method of teaching, that is, in psychodynamic, interlocking groups held together by a large art therapy group. Paralleling our students' end of year exhibition, this exhibition, 'a group unconscious', has raised issues about the potential of, and limitations to, art therapists' personal and social art practice and the role of art in art therapy. Trusting 'the unconscious', art-making and the group process in creating the exhibition, has been a form of staff team development that feeds reflexively into the students' learning in their progress towards becoming art therapists