Prevalência e factores de risco para Anemia Ferropénica e Ferropénia durante a gravidez : um estudo prospectivo

Copyright © Ordem dos Médicos 2016Introduction: Anemia and iron deficiency during pregnancy are a worldwide concern and are more frequent among women of reproductive age, pregnant women, and young children. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and the risk factors for iron depletion during the first half of pregnancy, in a Portuguese population. Material and Methods: A prospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital and included pregnant women, until the 20th week of gestation. Data was collected regarding demographic and pregnancy features and hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations were determined. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify potential risk factors for iron deficiency. Results: Two hundred and one women were included, from which five (2.49%) presented anemia. Additionally, 77 (38.3%) exhibited iron deficiency and 22 (10.9%) revealed severe iron depletion. Maternal age was the only risk factor identified. The odds ratio (OR) was equal to 12.99 (95% CI 2.41 - 70.0) for women under twenty years of age and 2.09 (95% CI 1.05 - 4.14) for women older than thirty years of age. Discussion and Conclusion: The prevalence of maternal anemia in the first half of pregnancy was lower than in other studies. However, more than one-third of the women exhibited iron deficiency. With the exception of maternal age, no other risk factors were identified.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A multivariate randomized controlled experiment about the effects of mindfulness priming on EEG neurofeedback self-regulation serious games

Neurofeedback training (NFT) is a technique often proposed to train brain activity SR with promising results. However, some criticism has been raised due to the lack of evaluation, reliability, and validation of its learning effects. The current work evaluates the hypothesis that SR learning may be improved by priming the subject before NFT with guided mindfulness meditation (MM). The proposed framework was tested in a two-way parallel-group randomized controlled intervention with a single session alpha NFT, in a simplistic serious game design. Sixty-two healthy naïve subjects, aged between 18 and 43 years, were divided into MM priming and no-priming groups. Although both the EG and CG successfully attained the up-regulation of alpha rhythms (F(1,59) = 20.67, p ηp2 = 0.26), the EG showed a significantly enhanced ability (t(29) = 4.38, p t(29) = 1.18, p > 0.1). Furthermore, EG superior performance on NFT seems to be explained by the subject’s lack of awareness at pre-intervention, less vigour at post-intervention, increased task engagement, and a relaxed non-judgemental attitude towards the NFT tasks. This study is a preliminary validation of the proposed assisted priming framework, advancing some implicit and explicit metrics about its efficacy on NFT performance, and a promising tool for improving naïve “users” self-regulation ability.This work is co-financed by the ERDF—European Regional Development Fund through the Operational Program for Competitiveness and Internationalisation—COMPETE 2020 (ref.: POCI01-0145-FEDER-007043; ref: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007038), the North Portugal Regional Operational Program—NORTE 2020 (ref.: NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000045) and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology – FCT under MIT Portugal (author Ph.D. grant ref.: PD/BD/114033/2015) and within the R&D Units Project Scope (ref.: UIDB/00319/2020)

Reconstrução do Baluarte do Cavaleiro da Muralha de Chaves, Portugal

O presente artigo irá abordar os aspectos mais importantes do projecto de reconstrução da muralha de Chaves, Portugal, que foi levado a cabo em 2005. Após a ocorrência prévia de duas derrocadas (em 2001 e em 2004), cujas causas são sucintamente expostas, foi lançado um concurso para reconstrução da muralha tendo sido feita a adjudicação à empresa STAP, SA. Esta solicitou a colaboração do Instituto da Construção da Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto na avaliação dos condicionalismos geotécnicos e estruturais locais de modo a ser desenvolvida uma solução segura e mais adaptada ao cunho patrimonial da Muralha de Chaves. Através desta cooperação, foram desenvolvidos diversos estudos que, entre outros aspectos, permitiram a realização de análises quantitativas de caracterização dos condicionamentos locais da muralha, nomeadamente no que respeita aos materiais de aterro e às condições de fundação, fundamentais para a definição duma solução de reconstrução adequada da referida muralha. Em termos gerais, salienta-se que a solução de reconstrução desenvolvida procurou utilizar o material da derrocada da muralha seguindo técnicas construtivas próximas do original: processo manual com escolha das pedras para um bom embricamento entre pedras e entre pedras e aterro, boa compactação e drenagem do aterro no tardoz do muralha, boa drenagem dos terrenos envolventes e ligeira inclinação para o interior do aterro das pedras que executam a muralha. Serão focados neste artigo os três diferentes níveis de análise directamente associados às condições existentes ou a implementar no local que estiveram envolvidos no desenvolvimento do projecto de reconstrução da muralha: verificação das condições de fundação da muralha; avaliação criteriosa das características dos materiais geotécnicos envolvidos; e concepção de uma solução estrutural que, enquanto cumprisse os requisitos de reposição patrimonial, satisfizesse as condições de segurança deste tipo de estrutura geotécnica. Assim, de modo a garantir a segurança desta estrutura de suporte, a solução desenvolvida envolveu o reforço das fundações, a selecção de materiais de aterro e drenantes que garantissem as características mecânicas e hidráulicas que confeririam impulsos consentâneos com a geometria apresentada, e a definição de uma estrutura de alvenaria e um processo construtivo compatíveis com as características da muralha. Serão abordados, no artigo, as características mais importantes destes três aspectos da solução de reconstrução.Tópico 5: Intervenciones en construcciones con patologías estructurales y aplicación de refuerzos

A nanoparticle comprising a micelle formed by an amphiphilic block copolymer and encapsulating a gadolinium complex

Publication number: WO2011/113616The present invention relates to a nanoparticle comprising a micelle formed by an amphophilic block-copolymer and an agent encapsulated within said micelle. The present invention also relates to a composition comprising such nanoparticle and to the use of such nanoparticle and/or of such composition. More particularly, in one embodiment, the invention describes a new class of polymeric nanoparticles as smart Tl contrast agent for MR imaging for breast cancer early detection. These nanoparticles contrast agents have the capability to remain switched off during circulation and then switch on their imaging capacity upon arrival at the target sites (tissue of interest). These smart nanoparticles contrast agent are self-assembled from pH sensitive amphiphilic polymer, loaded with Gadolinium (Gd3+) complex based Tl agent and then fitted with targeting biomolecules such as antibody, small molecules or DNA to increase its specificity toward the target of interest

Serological and Molecular Survey of Leishmania infantum in a Population of Iberian Lynxes (Lynx pardinus)

This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Leishmania Research: From Basic Parasite Biology to Disease Control.Leishmania infantum, the sand fly-transmitted protozoan parasite responsible for leishmaniasis in humans, dogs, and cats, is endemic in the Iberian Peninsula. However, the impact of L. infantum infection on the conservation of the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is unknown. Herein, we describe for the first time the occurrence of L. infantum infection among a population of reintroduced and wild-born L. pardinus living in the Portuguese Guadiana Valley Park. The presence of infection was addressed by molecular detection of Leishmania kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) in 35 lynxes, with further confirmation of L. infantum species performed by an internally transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 sequencing. Eight blood samples were positive for kDNA, and ITS-1 sequencing confirmed the presence of L. infantum in two of those samples. Exposure to Leishmania was screened in a group of 36 lynxes using an immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and a multi-antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), using SPLA, rK39, and CPX as Leishmania-specific antigens. Four animals presented a positive IFAT at a dilution of 1:40. Eight samples were considered seropositive to all ELISA Leishmania-specific antigens. Agreement between PCR, IFAT, and all ELISA antigens was found for 1 in 27 samples. These results highlight the susceptibility of autochthonous L. pardinus to L. infantum infection. Further investigation is required to assess the impact of L. infantum infection on this wild species conservation.This research was funded by the Parasite Disease Group at i3S, Porto, Portugal, and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the PhD scholarship number 2020.07306.BD and the project PTDC/CVT-CVT/6798/2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Gas Chromatography in the Analysis of Compounds Released from Wood into Wine

Wood has been used in alcoholic beverages for centuries, mainly as material for containers used for alcoholic beverages aging. Recently OIV (Organisation International de la Vigne et du Vin) approved the use of chips (Resolution oeno 3/2005) and staves as alternatives for barrels. These practices are being rapidly spread among winemakers. The increased used of these alternatives are mainly related to low investments, similar sensorial results obtained in shorter time, simplicity of use and the possibility of avoiding contamination and offflavours, too-often related to aged or contaminated barrels. Besides oak, other woods are being looked at for enological purposes, such as acacia, cherry, chestnut and mulberry. Their characteristics are commonly compared to oak. In the past, chestnut (Castanea sativa) was widely used in the Mediterranean area, because of its availability and its cheap price. Chestnut wood has higher porosity than oak. Cherry wood (Prunus avium) has high porosity and oxygen permeation, and is usually used for short aging times. Acacia wood (Robinia pseudoacacia) is hard, with low porosity. Mulberry wood (Morus alba and Morus nigra) is tender and elastic, with medium porosity, and is characterized by a low release of compounds. The lack of properties for cooperage is now overcome by their possible use as staves or chips. The aim of this work is to present an overview on volatile and semi-volatile composition of different kind of wood with oenological interest. Within this purpose, this work will be focused on a bibliographic review of the most used chromatographic methods for characterization of volatile and semi-volatile compounds, including also a brief description of the most common reported sample preparation methods for chromatographic analysis

AI based monitoring violent action detection data for in-vehicle scenarios

With the evolution of technology associated with mobility and autonomy, Shared Autonomous Vehicles will be a reality. To ensure passenger safety, there is a need to create a monitoring system inside the vehicle capable of recognizing human actions. We introduce two datasets to train human action recognition inside the vehicle, focusing on violence detection. The InCar dataset tackles violent actions for in-car background which give us more realistic data. The InVicon dataset although doesn't have the realistic background as the InCar dataset can provide skeleton (3D body joints) data. This datasets were recorded with RGB, Depth, Ther-mal, Event-based, and Skeleton data. The resulting dataset contains 6 400 video samples and more than 3 million frames, collected from sixteen distinct subjects. The dataset contains 58 action classes, including violent and neutral (i.e., non-violent) activities.(c) 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )This work has been supported by FCT-Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia within the R & D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020. This work was partly financed by European social funds through the Portugal 2020 program and by national funds through FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of projects POCH-02-5369-FSE-000006. The author would also like to acknowledge FCT for the attributed Doctoral grant PD/BDE/150500/2019

Case Report

We report a case of a cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in a chronic kidney disease patient with three CVT predisposing conditions. A 53 year-old woman on chronic peritoneal dialysis presented to the emergency department with acute headache and vertigo. The neurological examination and head CT scan performed at the emergency department were normal but, three days later, a lateral gait deviation and a horizontal nystagmus were identified. A brain MRI and MRI-venogram confirmed a left lateral sinus thrombosis. Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), a positive lupus anticoagulante and a homozygous mutation on the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene, with hyperhomocysteinaemia, were the three well-known prothrombotic conditions identified in this patient. HRT was discontinued, the patient started anticoagulation with warfarin and folic acid supplementation and was discharged, 10 days after admission, complaining of a mild vertigo. After six months of therapy the patient had vertigo improvement and maintained a positive lupus anticoagulant. The head MRI and MRI-venography showed a thrombus reduction.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Iliac artery false aneurysm twelve years after allograft nephrectomy

We report a case of a non-infected right external iliac artery false aneurysm. The patient was a 44 year-old woman on chronic peritoneal dialysis had had an allograft nephrectomy 12 years before and who presented with acute abdominal pain. Ultrasound and CT-scan showed a saccular aneurysm arising from the right external iliac artery. A large false aneurysm was identified during surgery, from donor arterial vessel remaining in situ after graft nephrectomy. Resection of the false aneurysm, with ligation of the right external iliac artery and interposition of a femorofemoral graft was successfully performed, with an uneventful post-operative recovery. False aneurysms after renal allograft nephrectomy are very rare. To our knowledge, this is the longest reported period of time between na nephrectomy and clinical evidence of a false aneurysm.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Algumas considerações acerca do modelo cognitivo e dos seus correlatos epistémicos em psicopatologia

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