Utilização de Ultrafiltração para reutilização de águas residuais – Caso de Estudo ETAR Alfa

Com o aumento da população mundial e da urbanização, a pressão sobre os recursos hídricos intensificou os fenómenos de escassez hídrica corroborando a necessidade de explorar origens de água alternativas para produção de água. A reutilização de águas residuais tem vindo a afirmar-se como um contributo alternativo a esta procura, nomeadamente para fins não potáveis como rega agrícola, usos industriais e usos domésticos. A aplicação de tecnologias de membranas como a Ultrafiltração (UF) tem emergido nos últimos anos na recuperação/reutilização de água residual face ao tratamento convencional, pela sua capacidade em separar microrganismos como bactérias e vírus, sem a necessidade de usar produtos químicos na água tratada (permeado). Desta tecnologia obtém-se uma água residual tratada com níveis de qualidade que permitam a sua utilização adequada aos usos a que se destina. Esta dissertação teve como principal objetivo demonstrar a viabilidade de um sistema de UF para reutilização de água na ETAR Alfa - objeto de estudo. Para isso foram avaliadas as características da ETAR através dos registos diários dos caudais afluentes e da recolha e análise de amostras do afluente à ETAR e do efluente tratado. Desta forma, foi possível avaliar as concentrações do afluente e do efluente tratado, percentagens de redução da carga poluente após a desinfeção por ultravioletas (UV) e da concentração de Sólidos Suspensos Totais (SST) e Coliformes Fecais (CF) após a UF. Bem como avaliar a qualidade do efluente tratado face aos requisitos de descarga no meio recetor natural, pelo D.L nº 152/97 e de utilização para rega dirigido pelo Anexo XVI do D.L nº 236/98

Assessment of harbour porpoise bycatch along the Portuguese and Galician Coast: insights from strandings over two decades

The Iberian harbour porpoise population is small and fisheries bycatch has been described as one of its most important threats. Data on harbour porpoise strandings collected by the Portuguese and Galician stranding networks between 2000 and 2020 are indicative of a recent mortality increase in the western Iberian coast (particularly in northern Portugal). Overall, in Portugal and Galicia, individuals stranded due to confirmed fishery interaction represented 46.98% of all analysed porpoises, and individuals stranded due to probable fishery interaction represented another 10.99% of all analysed porpoises. Considering the Portuguese annual abundance estimates available between 2011 and 2015, it was possible to calculate that an annual average of 207 individuals was removed from the population in Portuguese waters alone, which largely surpasses the potential biological removal (PBR) estimates (22 porpoises, CI: 12–43) for the same period. These results are conservative and bycatch values from strandings are likely underestimated. A structured action plan accounting for new activities at sea is needed to limit the Iberian porpoise population decline. Meanwhile, there is an urgent need for a fishing effort reorganization to directly decrease porpoise mortality.LA/P/0094/2020; LA/P/0101/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Diagnóstico das Doenças Mitocondriais por Sequenciação de Nova Geração

Introdução e objetivos: As doenças mitocondriais constituem um importante grupo de doenças metabólicas de expressão clínica heterogénea, para as quais não existe uma terapia eficaz. Estas patologias podem ser causadas por defeitos genéticos quer no genoma mitocondrial, quer no nuclear. A sequenciação de nova geração (NGS) revolucionou o diagnóstico molecular destas doenças, uma vez que tem capacidade de gerar uma enorme quantidade de dados num curto espaço de tempo a um custo acessível. O objetivo deste estudo [Financiado pela FCT (PTDC/DTP-PIC/2220/2014) e pelo Norte 2020 (NORTE-01-0246-FEDER-000014)] é desenvolver uma estratégia de NGS para permitir o diagnóstico genético de doentes suspeitos de doenças mitocondriais.info:eu-repo/semantics/draf

Lenalidomide in combination with dexamethasone at first relapse in comparison with its use as later salvage therapy in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma

This subset analysis of data from two phase III studies in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM) evaluated the benefit of initiating lenalidomide plus dexamethasone at first relapse. Multivariate analysis showed that fewer prior therapies, along with β2-microglobulin (≤2.5 mg/L), predicted a better time to progression (TTP; study end-point) with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone treatment. Patients with one prior therapy showed a significant improvement in benefit after first relapse compared with those who received two or more therapies. Patients with one prior therapy had significantly prolonged median TTP (17.1 vs. 10.6 months; P=0.026) and progression-free survival (14.1 vs. 9.5 months, P=0.047) compared with patients treated in later lines. Overall response rates were higher (66.9% vs. 56.8%, P=0.06), and the complete response plus very good partial response rate was significantly higher in first relapse (39.8% vs. 27.7%, P=0.025). Importantly, overall survival was significantly prolonged for patients treated with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone with one prior therapy, compared with patients treated later in salvage (median of 42.0 vs. 35.8 months, P=0.041), with no differences in toxicity, dose reductions, or discontinuations despite longer treatment. Therefore, lenalidomide plus dexamethasone is both effective and tolerable for second-line MM therapy and the data suggest that the greatest benefit occurs with earlier use

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Harbour Porpoise Abundance in Portugal over a 5-Year Period and Estimates of Potential Distribution

The Iberian porpoise population is small and under potentially unsustainable removal by fisheries bycatch. Recently, a marine Site of Community Importance (SCI) was legally approved in Portugal, but no measures ensued to promote porpoise conservation. Information about porpoise abundance and distribution is fundamental to guide any future conservation measures. Annual aerial surveys conducted between 2011 and 2015 show a low overall porpoise abundance and density (2254 individuals; 0.090 ind/km2, CV = 21.99%) in the Portuguese coast. The highest annual porpoise estimates were registered in 2013 (3207 individuals, 0.128 ind/km2), followed by a sharp decrease in 2014 (1653 individuals, 0.066 ind/km2). The porpoise density and abundance estimated in 2015 remained lower than the 2013 estimates. A potential distribution analysis of the Iberian porpoise population was performed using ensembles of small models (ESMs) with MaxEnt and showed that the overall habitat suitability is particularly high in the Portuguese northern area. The analysis also suggested a different pattern in porpoise potential distribution across the study period. These results emphasize the importance of further porpoise population assessments to fully understand the spatial and temporal porpoise habitat use in the Iberian Peninsula as well as the urgent need for on-site threat mitigation measures

MAMÍFEROS. Livro Vermelho dos Vertebrados de Portugal.

Atribui o estatutao de ameaça da UICN para Portugal, a todas as espécies de mamíferos ocorrentes no nosso país

Targeted next generation sequencing identifies novel pathogenic variants and provides molecular diagnoses in a cohort of pediatric and adult patients with unexplained mitochondrial dysfunction

Mitochondrial diseases (MD) are a group of rare inherited disorders, characterized by phenotypic heterogeneity, with hitherto no effective therapeutic options. The aim of this study was to develop a next generation sequencing (NGS) strategy, by using a custom gene panel and whole mitochondrial genome, to identify the disease causing pathogenic variants in 146 patients suspicious of MD. The molecular analysis of this cohort revealed six novel and 15 described pathogenic variants, as well as 26 variants of unknown significance. Our findings are expanding the mutational landscape of these disorders and support the use of a NGS strategy for a higher diagnostic yield.This work was supported by FCT (PTDC/DTP-PIC/2220/2014) and NORTE2020 (NORTE-01-0246-FEDER-000014). Silvia Vilarinho is supported by the National Institute Of Diabetes And Digestive And Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K08DK113109. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Next Generation Sequencing Improves Mitochondrial Diseases Diagnosis

Abstract publicado em: Journal of Inborn Errors of Metabolism and Screening (Special Supplement), 2017.Objectives: The overall aim of our research project was to develop a Next Generation Sequencing strategy to identify nuclear disease causing-mutations in patients suspicious of mitochondrial disorders but without molecular etiology.This Research Project is support by FCT (Fundação da Ciência e Tecnologia) (PTDC/DTP-PIC/2220/2014). MiSeq Illumina instrument - This Research Project is support by NORTE2020 (NORTE-01-0246-FEDER-000014 DESVENDAR “DEScobrir, VENcer as Doenc¸as rARas”).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio