Browsing by Author "Rodrigues, C."
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- An internet-based course on neural networksPublication . Rodrigues, C.; Ruano, AntonioWeb based instruction is increasingly attracting the interest of Universities. In this paper, an Internet based course on neural networks, developed in the University of Algarve, is discussed. A special attention is given to techniques of student self-assessment. A structure of knowledge, to enable the automatic creation of on-line courses, is proposed.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations' management in Portuguese hospitals – EvaluateCOPDpt, a multicentre, observational, prospective studyPublication . Moita, J.; Brito, U.; Rodrigues, C.; Ferreira, L.; Vieira, J. R.; Catarino, A.; Morais, A.; Hespanhol, V.; Cordeiro, C. R.Introduction and Objectives: In order to improve the quality of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients' care, better knowledge of clinical practice and the factors associated with patient outcomes are needed. This study aimed to evaluate the relation between clinical practice and the outcomes of patients admitted for COPD exacerbations in Portuguese hospitals. Materials and Methods: Observational, multicentre, prospective study with a 60-days follow-up period, in 11 hospitals, including patients aged > 30 years, admitted to hospital for at least 24 hours due to an acute exacerbation of COPD. Demographic and clinical data were collected, symptoms, and treatment. Sixty days after discharge, COPD exacerbations management, outcome measures, and readmission data were evaluated through a structured phone follow-up interview. Results: 196 patients were included (85.7% male, mean age 71.2 years), the majority admitted through the emergency service. Ex-smokers and current smokers accounted for 51% and 36%, respectively. On admission, 72.4% were on LAMA, 54.6% on LABA, and 45.5% were on LABA/ LAMA. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) were used in 37.3% and systemic steroids (SCS) in 10.3%. 35.7 Pulmonology 30 (2024) 522-528 38.3% with non-invasive ventilation. Additionally, 93.4% used SCS and 60.2% ICS. Antibiotics were administered to 85.2%. 95.4% of patients were discharged; 9 died, 5 of whom had a COPD-related death. The median length of stay was 12 days for discharged patients and 33 days for patients who died. At discharge, 79.1% were prescribed with LAMA, 63.6% SCS, 61.5% LABA and 55.6% LAMA+LABA. 26,2% were prescribed with ICS+LABA+LAMA. At follow-up, 44.4% had a scheduled medical appointment within the 60 days after being discharged, and 28.3% were later readmitted due to exacerbation, of whom 52.8% were hospitalised. Conclusions: The severity of COPD, particularly in exacerbations, is directly related to impaired lung function and quality of life, mortality, and significant health system costs. Knowledge about COPD exacerbations' management in acute hospital admissions in Portugal may help stimulate a national discussion and review of existing data to engage clinicians, policymakers, managers, and patients, raising awareness and promoting action on COPD. (c) 2022 Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologia. Published by Elsevier Espa & ntilde;a, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync-nd/4.0/).
- Diastolic dysfunction in liver cirrhosis: prognostic predictor in liver transplantation?Publication . Carvalheiro, F.; Rodrigues, C.; Adrego, T.; Viana, J.; Vieira, H.; Seco, C.; Pereira, L.; Pinto, F.; Eufrásio, Ana; Bento, C.; Furtado, E.Background. Patients with liver cirrhosis may develop cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CC), characterized by blunted contractile responsiveness to stress, diastolic dysfunction (DD), and electrophysiological abnormalities. It may adversely affect the long-term prognosis of these patients.Methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) for cirrhosis from January 2012 to June 2015. We analyzed demographic characteristics, the etiology of cirrhosis, Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores, the corrected QT (QTc) interval in the preoperative period, diastolic and systolic dysfunction, mortality and survival, and duration of mechanical ventilation and vasopressor support in the post-LT period. These variables were compared with diastolic dysfunction and prolongation of QTc, with the use of chi-square, Fisher, and Mann-Whitney U tests.Results. The study included 106 patients, 80.2% male and overall average age 54.83 years. The median MELD score was 16, and Child-Pugh class C in 55.4%. Prolonged QTc interval before LT was present in 19% and DD in 35.8% of patients. QTc before LT or DD did not vary significantly with MELD or Child-Pugh score.Conclusions. The patients in the pre-LT period presented with a significant incidence of DD, which can predispose them to adverse cardiac events. The presence of DD correlates with mortality after LT in patients with hepatic cirrhosis.
- Dietary vitamin K supplementation and expression of proteins involved in skeleton development of senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis)Publication . Richard, Nadège; Gavaia, Paulo J.; Cordeiro, O.; Silva, Tomé S.; Rodrigues, C.; Rodrigues, Pedro; Conceição, L. E. C.In aquaculture, skeleton deformities are a serious problem as they affect growth, morphology, survival of fish and also increase productions costs and decrease market value of the final products. Since vitamin K is known for playing and important role in bone metabolism, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary vitamin K1 supplementation on skeleton deformities and on the expression of proteins involved involved in skeleton development of Senegalese sole.
- New palynostratigraphic data of the Irati (Assistencia Member) and the Corumbatai formations, Parana Basin, Brazil, and correlation with other south American basinsPublication . Rocha, H., V; Mendes, M.; Pereira, Z.; Rodrigues, C.; Manuel Carvalho Fernandes, Paulo; Lopes, Gilda; Sant'Anna, L. G.; Tassinari, C. C. G.; Lemos de Sousa, M. J.This research presents the palynostratigraphy of organic-rich shales from the Irati and the Corumbatai formations, Parana Basin (PB), Southeastern Brazil, as part of an unconventional hydrocarbon source rock and CO2 reservoir assessment study. Thirty-four samples from the Corumbatai Formation and the Assistencia Member of the Irati Formation were collected in the states of Goias (northern border of the PB), Sao Paulo and Parana (eastern and southern border of the PB, respectively). The acquired data allowed to establish a comprehensive palynostratigraphic study across the basin where a total of 18 pollen genera (34 pollen species), seven spore genera, four microplankton genera (1 species), and Chlorophyceae algae species where identified. The palynostratigraphic analysis also reveals a clear dominance of bisaccate pollen grains such as Corisaccites alutas, Lueckisporites virkkiae, and Weylandites lucifer. The Lueckisporites virkkiae zone was identified in the upper part of the Irati Formation (Assistencia Member) and the lowermost part of the Corumbatai Formation, indicating a Kungurian to Roadian age for this part of the succession. Differences in the Guttulapollenites hannonicus and Tornopollenites toreutos biostratigraphic ranges, recovered in the Corumbatai Formation, suggest an earlier development of these species in the Parana Basin during the middle Permian. Therefore, to evaluate the differences in the first occurrences of key species within the Parana Basin, a close palynostratigraphic correlation between the main Guadalupian-Lopingian South American Gondwana basins is tentatively established.
- New palynostratigraphic data of the irati (Assistência Member) and the corumbataí formations, Paraná Basin, Brazil, and correlation with other south American basinsPublication . Rocha, H. V.; Mendes, M.; Pereira, Z.; Rodrigues, C.; Fernandes, Paulo; Lopes, Gilda; Sant’Anna, L. G.; Tassinari, C.C.G.; Lemos de Sousa, M.J.This research presents the palynostratigraphy of organic-rich shales from the Irati and the Corumbataí formations, Paraná Basin (PB), Southeastern Brazil, as part of an unconventional hydrocarbon source rock and CO2 reservoir assessment study. Thirty-four samples from the Corumbataí Formation and the Assistência Member of the Irati Formation were collected in the states of Goiás (northern border of the PB), São Paulo and Paraná (eastern and southern border of the PB, respectively). The acquired data allowed to establish a comprehensive palynostratigraphic study across the basin where a total of 18 pollen genera (34 pollen species), seven spore genera, four microplankton genera (1 species), and Chlorophyceae algae species where identified. The palynostratigraphic analysis also reveals a clear dominance of bisaccate pollen grains such as Corisaccites alutas, Lueckisporites virkkiae, and Weylandites lucifer. The Lueckisporites virkkiae zone was identified in the upper part of the Irati Formation (Assistência Member) and the lowermost part of the Corumbataí Formation, indicating a Kungurian to Roadian age for this part of the succession. Differences in the Guttulapollenites hannonicus and Tornopollenites toreutos biostratigraphic ranges, recovered in the Corumbataí Formation, suggest an earlier development of these species in the Paraná Basin during the middle Permian. Therefore, to evaluate the differences in the first occurrences of key species within the Paraná Basin, a close palynostratigraphic correlation between the main Guadalupian-Lopingian South American Gondwana basins is tentatively established.
- On the Way to the Identification of a Downy Mildew Resistance Gene in Brassica oleracea L.Publication . Carlier, Jorge; Alabaca, C; Rodrigues, C.; Leitão, JoséWe have recently mapped the dominant and monogenically inherited downy mildew resistance locus Pp523 to the chromosome C8 of Brassica oleracea L. and constructed a physical-map of the genomic region of this locus. Presently, we are constructing a BAC genomic library of a downy mildew resistant S4 line derived from the broccoli accession originally found to harbor the Pp523 locus and using STS markers derived from the previously constructed physical map in order to identify a contig of BAC clones which sequencing could allow the isolation and cloning of this resistance locus. The new BAC library contains 17280 clones with an average insert size of 125 Kbp, which represent approximately 3.5 equivalents of the broccoli genome. To date, 18 clones from this new library were selected and assembled in a contig (with two small gaps) that covers the major part of the previously physically mapped region. The overlapping between BAC clones has been identified by PCR and confirmed by sequencing of the PCR products. The precise positioning of BAC clones in the genome has been made possible through the alignment of the BAC-end sequences with the genomic sequences of B. oleracea available at the Brassica database (BRAD).
- Palynology of Bonito and Barro Branco coal seams from Rio Bonito Formation (Lower Permian of Parana Basin) in the Criciuma coal region, southernmost BrazilPublication . Pereira, Z.; Mendes, M.; Souza, P. A.; Rodrigues, C.; Fernandes, Paulo; Ade, M.; Araujo, C.; Almeida, J. R. L.; Santos, E. M.; Rocha, H., V; Santos, V. E. S.; Araujo, B. P.; Garavaglia, L.; Lemos de Sousa, M. J.Seven coal seams were sampled from several mines and outcrops of the Rio Bonito Formation, Bonito and Barro Branco coal seams, in the coal mining region of Criciuma, Parana Basin, Santa Catarina State (Brazil), for a detailed palynostratigraphic study. The coal seams sampled yield abundant, diverse and moderately to well preserved palynological assemblages. A total of twenty-seven spore species, fourteen pollen species and four microplanktonic or clorophyceae algae and fungi species were identified. The palyno-assemblages recovered in the Bonito and Barro Branco coal seams are assigned to the Vittatina costabilis Interval Zone, Protohaploxypinus goraiensis Subzone of the Parana Basin, of Asselian? to Artinskian age (Lower Permian). The microflora assemblages identified in these coal seams are very similar in composition, presenting a dominance of arborescent and herbaceous lycophytes. The Barro Branco coal seam shows a relatively higher frequency of algae like composition than in the Bonito coal seam, suggesting a possible fluvial or lagoonal facies influence.
- A WWW-based learning environment to complement a university course on neural networksPublication . Martins, L.; Silva, C.; Rodrigues, C.; Ruano, AntonioWeb Based Learning is increasingly attracting the interest of several teaching Institutions. It provides mechanisms for improving the conventional learning process, and also allows the opportunity for reaching new students, throughout the world, by just using an Internet connection. This paper describes a tool that is being built in the University of Algarve, to complement an optional course on Neural Networks. This tool incorporates multimedia material to explain visually important concepts, integrates Matlab, and will allow self-assessment and automatic student marking.