Development of a language and communication screening test and identification of protective and risk factors associated with communication and language disorders

With the present research, we aimed to identify the principal risk and protective factors associated with the occurrence of a developmental language disorder and to develop a specific and sensible screening instrument, easy and rapid to use. We can understand language disorders as a condition that involves poorly developed grammatical patterns, odd conversational patterns, misuse of words with respect with their meaning, difficulty expressing or following ideas and an inability to follow directions (Matson & Neal, 2010). On the other hand, communication disorders refer to a break in the communication chain (Morris, 2005). We know that delays in communication are the most prevalent symptoms in young children with developmental disabilities (Wetherby & Prizant 1996) and speech and language delay affects 5 to 8 percent of preschool children, often persists into the school years, and may be associated with lowered school performance and psychosocial problems (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, 2006). The recent investigation in this field tells us that the early identification and intervention of children with language disorders is a urgent situation, because of the related consequences of this kind of developmental disorder (reading disorders, emotional disorders, academic achievement). Developmental delays in infants and toddlers are significantly under identified, which means that the provision of early intervention is prohibited for many children and families in need of services (Wetherby et al, 2002). In a previous investigation, we concluded that there is a gap between the early concerns of parents and the intervention of 20 months (Peixoto, 2007). The research tells us that we can early identify language disorders trough prelinguistic Predictors of Language Outcomes, and they are: • Joint attention and intentional communication • Language understanding • Play • Phonological development. Early identification of most medical problems is advantageous in that it generally provides better opportunities for successful intervention, Yet, involves several considerations as economical, ethical and methodological However, a major problem in screening for communication and language disorder is that it implies a matter of degree. To implement a screening policy we have to decide on a proper “gold standard” instrument, as well as deciding on cut-off scores (Eriksson et al, 2010). Regarding this we have developed an epidemiological study, with a prospective cohort design, with 431 children between 12 and 36 months old (394 evaluated in kindergarten and 37 evaluated in child placement homes) Children were first assessed between February and July of 2011, and 33% of the children had a second evaluation between January and March of 2012. The children were first assessed with our screening instrument, and their parents completed a questionnaire with information about pregnancy, birth, ESE, development, temperament and occupation. Our screening instrument gathers information about the child's abilities from multiple sources; caregivers participate in the assessment process and measures milestones that provide important information about prelinguistic and early linguistic development. The second evaluation consisted in a gold standard language test. Every participant was informed of the aims and procedures of the study, and everyone agreed to participate. Because of this study, we believe that we will be able to recognize risk groups for developmental language disorders and then propose a screening policy for risk groups for the early identification of developmental language disorder

Halocinas e lantipéptidos de Haloferax mediterranei

The study of archaea's secondary metabolites, including archaeocins, is still limited. These antimicrobial peptides are poorly studied, especially when compared to the numerous studies on antibiotic production by other microorganisms. Only two types of archaeocins are known: i) halocins, produced by halophilic archaea and ii) sulfolobicins, produced by the extremely thermophilic Sulfolobus spp. There are also promising reports of archaeocins endowed with anticancer properties. Halophilic archaea have recently been found to be present in the human gut, thus showing that they are not confined to high salt environments alone. Halocins were firstly discovered in the 80’s and most of their characterization was solely based on supernatant-based assays. In fact, only a few halocins were successfully purified and sequenced, and even fewer have a proposed biosynthetic mechanism. Also, their mode of action, ecological role and biotechnological potential are still little explored. H. mediterranei ATCC 33500 has antiarchaeal activity. Studies determined that these strains produced the HalH4 halocin. However, over the last years, it was shown that strains lacking the halH4 gene retained their antiarchaeal ability. So, the molecule(s) responsible for its microbial activity is still unknown. This strain encodes in its genome three class II lanthipeptide synthetases (MedM1, MedM2 and MedM3) and some putative lanthipeptide precursor peptides. A high percentage of the lanthipeptides produced by Bacteria has antimicrobial activity. This study aimed to summarize the information available so far on haloarcheocins (the halocins produced by Archaea) at two levels: bibliographical and by analysing the gene clusters known so far using comparative genomics. For the haloarcheocin, HalC8, it was possible to determine the putative biosynthetic clusters involved in the production of HalC8 and HalC8-related peptides by Haloarchaea, which includes a protein of unknown function (HalU), two membrane-located peptides (HalP1 and HalP2) and a transcriptional regulator (HalR). Other aim of this study was to determine if the lanthipeptides of H. mediterranei ATCC 33500 were haloarcheocins contributing to its antimicrobial profile. To achieve this, knock-out mutants without medM1, medM2 and medM3 genes were obtained by employing the pop-in and pop-out strategy. It was found that approximately 20 days and 6 months are required to obtain a single or a triple knock-out strains, respectively. The bioactivity of the triple knock-out (ΔM1M2M3) was tested against other halobacteria. However, no differences were observed in the halos produced by the ΔM1M2M3 strain and its parental strain (WR510). These results prove that the putative class II lanthipeptides of H. mediterranei are not involved in its antiarchaeal profile. Thus, their function in haloarchaea is still to be unravelled.O estudo dos metabolitos secundários produzidos por Arquea, incluindo as arqueocinas, péptidos com atividade antimicrobiana, é ainda muito limitado, especialmente quando comparado com os estudos existentes relacionados com a produção destes compostos por outros microrganismos. Apenas dois tipos de arqueocinas são conhecidos: i) halocinas produzidas por arqueas halofílicas e ii) sulfolobicinas, produzidas por um extremófilo do género Sulfolobus spp.. Também foram reportadas, arqueocinas promissoras com possíveis caraterísticas anticancerígenas. Arquea halofílicas foram recentemente encontradas no intestino humano, mostrando que a sua presença não se restringe apenas a ambientes hipersalinos. A descoberta das halocinas é recente e grande parte da sua caracterização baseia-se em ensaios feitos com sobrenadantes de culturas. Apenas algumas halocinas foram purificadas e sequenciadas com sucesso, e só para um grupo mais restrito é que existe uma proposta de modelo biossintético. H. mediterranei ATCC 33500 tem atividade anti-arquea. Estudos determinaram que esta estirpe produz a halocina HalH4. No entanto, ao longo dos últimos anos, foi demonstrado que mesmo na ausência do gene halH4 esta estirpe manteve a sua capacidade anti-arquea. Assim, a(s) molécula(s) responsável(eis) por tal atividade ainda é desconhecida. H. mediterranei codifica no seu genoma três enzimas modificadoras de lantipéptidos de classe II (MedM1, MedM2 e MedM3) e alguns péptidos precursores. Uma elevada percentagem dos lantipéptidos produzidos por bactérias tem actividade antimicrobiana. Este estudo teve como objectivo resumir a informação disponível até agora sobre as haloarqueocinas (as halocinas produzidas por Archaea) a dois níveis: bibliográfico e através da análise dos clusters biossintéticos conhecidos até agora utilizando genómica comparativa. Para a haloarqueocina HalC8, foi possível determinar os possíveis genes biossintéticos envolvidos na sua produção. Estes genes codificam uma proteína de função desconhecida (halU), dois péptidos localizados na membrana (halP1 e halP2) e um regulador transcricional (halR). Outro objetivo foi determinar se os lantipéptidos de H. mediterranei ATCC 33500 eram haloarqueocinas. Para tal, mutantes knock-out sem os genes medM1, medM2 e medM3 foram obtidos utilizando a estratégia pop-in e pop-out. Verificou-se que são necessários aproximadamente 20 dias e 6 meses para obter uma única ou tripla estirpe knock-out, respetivamente. A bioatividade do knock-out triplo (ΔM1M2M3) foi testada contra outras haloarqueas. No entanto, não foram observadas diferenças nos halos produzidos pela estirpe ΔM1M2M3 e pela sua estirpe parental (WR510). Estes resultados provam que os supostos lantipéptidos de classe II de H. mediterranei não estão envolvidos no seu perfil anti-arquea. Assim, a sua função em haloarquea continua desconhecida.Mestrado em Microbiologi

Refletindo e investigando enquanto educadora e professora - Brincadeiras e interações entre crianças no contexto de Jardim de Infância

O presente relatório foi elaborado no âmbito do Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, estando organizado em duas dimensões. A primeira dimensão, a reflexiva, consiste na apresentação do percurso que realizei ao longo das práticas pedagógicas nos diferentes contextos, evidenciando as experiências mais significativas, algumas propostas educativas implementadas, as dificuldades e os desafios que surgiram e as aprendizagens realizadas. Na dimensão investigativa dou a conhecer o estudo de carácter qualitativo, na forma de estudos de caso, desenvolvido com três crianças de três anos, no contexto de Jardim de Infância. Esta investigação procurou conhecer as brincadeiras desenvolvidas por três crianças no momento de brincadeira livre, permitindo-me descrever as interações estabelecidas com os pares e identificar a tipologia das brincadeiras, tanto pelo seu conteúdo, como pela sua dimensão social. Os dados revelaram a envolvência das crianças em todos os tipos de brincadeira, evidenciando-se a predominância das brincadeiras faz-de-conta e cooperativa

Avaliação biomecânica do movimento humano : estágio curricular realizado no laboratório de biomecânica da Universidade do Porto

Este documento tem como objetivo apresentar o relatório concernente ao estágio curricular do 2º semestre do 2º ano em Engenharia Biomédica, realizado no Laboratório de Biomecânica da Universidade do Porto - LABIOMEP, localizado na Faculdade de Desporto da Universidade do Porto – FADEUP. Ao longo deste relatório serão descritos os trabalhos executados no âmbito do estágio, assim como o seu enquadramento, objetivos e respetiva explicação. O desejo de estagiar no laboratório surgiu no decorrer do meu percurso académico, na disciplina de biomecânica. Durante a lecionação da disciplina são dados diversos exemplos de projetos que são desenvolvidos no laboratório, o que me suscitou curiosidade e vontade de aprender sobre uma temática que possui uma potencialidade imensa. Como tal, o meu objetivo de estagiar no LABIOMEP não era apenas de aprender a trabalhar com os equipamentos de forma isolada, mas sim intervir e auxiliar no máximo de projetos em curso, de modo a rentabilizar a aquisição de novos conhecimentos. Efetivamente, este estágio permitiu-me obter uma elevada autonomia na maioria dos equipamentos, softwares de recolha e tratamento de dados biomecânicos. O estágio assinala uma etapa fulcral no reconhecimento do percurso académico uma vez que, quando aliado com os conhecimentos da área de formação, permite o desenvolvimento de competências que mais tarde serão aplicadas no mercado de trabalho.This document aims to present the report concerning the curricular internship of the 2nd semester of the 2nd year in Biomedical Engineering. The internship was hold at the Biomechanics Laboratory of the University of Porto – LABIOMEP, located at the Faculty of Sports of the University of Porto – FADEUP. This report contains a profound documentation of the various tasks which were completed within the scope of the internship. The documentation describes the multiple objectives of the tasks, as well as its framework. The desire to do an internship in the LABIOMEP arose during my academic career. While I was attending the class of “Biomechanics”, several examples of projects which were developed in this laboratory were given. Thanks to this introduction, my curiosity and my willingness to learn more about biomechanics were piqued. As such, my objective of interning at LABIOMEP consisted not only in learning how to work with the equipment in isolation, but also how to intervene and assist in the maximum of ongoing projects. Consequently, this gave me the possibility to profit from the acquisition of new knowledge. In fact, I can conclude that this internship allowed me to obtain a high autonomy in most equipment and software regarding the collection and treatment of biomechanical data. The internship marks a crucial stage in the recognition of the academic path since, when combined with the knowledge of the training area, it allows the development of skills that will later be applied in the job market

In vitro culture of Coriandrum sativum

Coriander (coriandrum sativumL.) is a plant from the Umbellifera family. In Portugal, the use of coriander plants in gastronomy is very common, like in all the countries in the Mediterranean area. This plant species has also several other applications than as an aromatic plant, such as medicinal, being recommended for dyspeptic complaints, loss of appetite, convulsion, insomnia and anxiety. Moreover, the essential oils and various extracts from coriander have been shown to possess antibacterial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancerous and antimutagenic activities among others, it has also been used as a flavoring agent in food products, perfumes and cosmetics. To study the potential use of this plant all over the year it is Necessary to establish an in vitro system production and to evaluate the better conditions for its growth. In vitro coriander cultures were started from seeds of Coriandrum sativum from a commercial origin. Seeds were inoculated in MS medium containing different concentration Of IBA and BAP. After 6 months of in vitro culture, the plants were separated in two lots named Lot A and B differentiated by their pigmentation (clones with differentiation in flavonoids accumulation), being lot B the less pigmented and lot A the one who presented an higher purple coloration, under the same in vitro growth conditions(nutrition, temperature and light). The growth rates of both lots were determined through fresh and dried weights and evaluating how pigmentation affects these parameters. The mdedium with better growth rates was MS with 0,1mg/L BA and 0,1mg/L BAP; The B lot grew better but have the stationary phase after 3 weeks while the A lot was still growing after 4 weeks but grew slower comparing wit lot B. These results will be used in further studies concerning the essential oils production in each lot

A inclusão da dança como componente curricular para pessoas com deficiência do primeiro segmento da Educação de Jovens e Adultos - EJA

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (especialização)—Universidade de Brasília, Universidade Aberta do Brasil, Faculdade de Educação, II Curso de Especialização em Educação na Diversidade e Cidadania, com Ênfase em EJA, 2014.Este trabalho descreve a proposta e aplicação do projeto de intervenção que visa incluir a dança como componente curricular para pessoas com deficiência intelectual do primeiro segmento da Educação de Jovens e Adultos- EJA na Escola Agrovila de São Sebastião. Sua importância parte do princípio de que esta arte não é aplicada nas atividades regulares da EJA, devido ao desconhecimento dos professores sobre os benefícios promovidos aos alunos com a experiência em dança e a falta de uma metodologia específica que proporcione uma dança que atenda suas limitações. Dessa forma, busca-se inserir um conceito de dança amplo nas escolas, que possibilite sua aplicação como arte para a vida e não apenas restrito às comemorações festivas e eventos esporádicos, visto que a dança como componente curricular permitirá a construção do conhecimento dentro do processo criativo. Na prática escolar, o professor habilitado em dança, com carga horária de 20 horas, poderá planejar e desenvolver o trabalho da arte da dança com os alunos, a fim de instigar seu conhecimento sensível e contribuir para a construção holística do sujeito. O intuito principal do projeto é demonstrar, através de embasamentos teórico-práticos, a incorporação da prática da dança no ensino escolar para alunos com deficiência, a fim de desenvolver o potencial criativo, a percepção corporal e valorizar a expressão dos movimentos como um meio de compreender o mundo e dar significado às suas ações, promovendo, por conseguinte, o respeito à diversidade humana e cidadania.This paper describes the proposal and implementation of the intervention project to include dance as a curriculum component for people with intellectual disabilities in the first segment of Education of Youth and Adults at Agrovila San Sebastian School . Its importance assumes that this art is not applied in the regular activities of the Education of Youth and Adults, due to teachers do not have knowledge about benefits provided to students with dance experience, and the lack of a specific methodology that provides a dance that meets its limitations . Thus, we seek to enter a broad concept of dance in schools, which enables its application as art for life, not just restricted to festive celebrations and sporadic events, visa that dance as a curriculum component will allow the construction of knowledge within the creative process. In school's practice, enabled teacher of dance, with a workload of 20 hours, can plan and develop the work of the art of dance with students, in order to instigate their sensitive knowledge and contribute to the holistic construction of the subject. The main goal of our project is to demonstrate dance practice in school education for students with disabilities, through theoretical and practical emplacements, in order to develop the creative potential, the body awareness and enhance the expression of the movement as a means of understanding the world and give meaning to their actions, therefore promoting respect for human diversity and citizenship

Enhanced 3T3-L1 differentiation into adipocytes by pioglitazone pharmacological activation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma)

Despite the primary function of pioglitazone in antidiabetic treatment, this drug is a potent inducer of PPAR-γ, a crucial receptor that is involved in adipocyte differentiation. In this work, we propose an optimized methodology to enhance the differentiation of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts into adipocytes. This process is crucial for adipocyte secretome release, which is fundamental for understanding the molecular mechanisms that are involved in obesity for in vitro studies. To achieve this, a pioglitazone dose-response assay was determined over a range varying from 0 to 10 µM. Lipid accumulation was evaluated using Oil-Red-O. The results showed that 10 µM pioglitazone enhanced differentiation and increased secretome production. This secretome was then added into two cell lines: PC3 and RAW264.7. In the PC3 cells, an increase of aggressiveness was observed in terms of viability and proliferation, with the increase of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Conversely, in RAW264.7 cells, a reduction of viability and proliferation was observed, with a decrease in the overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Overall, the present work constitutes an improved method for adipocyte secretome production that is suitable for experimental biology studies and that could help with our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying adiposity influence in other cells.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Reflection on the Use of Enoxaparin Based on Three Case Reports

Enoxaparin is indicated for the treatment or prevention of many clinical disorders including deep vein thromboembolism, atrial fibrillation and mechanical valve thrombosis. It is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in hospitals. However, haemorrhagic complications can occur, particularly in the elderly, patients with renal function impairment and patients with a very high or very low body weight. The authors describe the cases of three patients who had one or more risk factors for haemorrhagic complications, such as abdominal haematomas. The clinical presentation was similar in all three cases, with sudden-onset abdominal pain, an altered state of consciousness and hypotension. In all cases, investigation showed acute anaemia and large abdominal haematomas on imaging studies. A conservative approach was taken in the three patients, with suspension and reversal of anticoagulation, fluid resuscitation and red blood cell transfusion. Haemodynamic stability was achieved in two of the patients, but the third patient died. The authors consider it is important to present these case reports because of the widespread use of enoxaparin, and the need for rigorous dose adjustment for renal function variations and body weight. We hope this article raises awareness of haemorrhagic complications in high-risk groups and propose protocols are introduced for dose adjustment and monitoring the efficacy of enoxaparin

Clinical diagnostic criteria have a high impact on the frequency of dementia in late-stage Parkinson's disease

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.Background: Cognitive impairment is a potential late feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, studies in patients with late-stage PD are lacking due to the particular characteristics of this population.Objectives: To evaluate the frequency of dementia in late-stage PD patients and to assess the impact of using different diagnostic criteria.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the frequency of dementia in late-stage PD patients using the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society (MDS) (Level II) clinical diagnostic criteria as the primary outcome. We also applied other diagnostic criteria [MDS (Level I), DSM-IV, and DSM-5 criteria] to determine their applicability and impact on dementia frequency.Results: 93 participants with a mean age of 75.8 years (SD 6.8) and 16.5 years (SD 7.5) of disease duration were included. 64.3% were classified as demented using the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society (MDS) (Level II) clinical diagnostic criteria. We observed a high discrepancy on the frequency of dementia depending on the criteria applied [6.2% with MDS (Level I), 58.8% with DSM-IV, and 72.0% with DSM-5 criteria].Conclusions: We found a frequency of dementia below what was observed in similar populations. The particular characteristics of our sample may have contributed as protective factors for late-stage dementia. Dementia frequency varied depending on the criteria used mainly due to the presence of major depression.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio