Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2021-08"
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- Diversity, distribution, and density of marine mammals along the Saudi waters of the Arabian Gulf: update from a multi-method approachPublication . Rabaoui, Lotfi; Roa-Ureta, Ruben; Yacoubi, Lamia; Lin, Yu-Jia; Maneja, Rommel; Joydas, Thadickal V.; Panickan, Premlal; Gopalan, Jinoy; Loughland, Ronald; Prihartato, Perdana K.; Qassem, Ali; Hikmawan, Tyas I.; Diaz Lopez, Bruno; Qurban, Mohammed A.Despite the important role of marine mammals in marine ecosystems and the imperative for their conservation, there is still a great lack of information on the diversity, distribution, and density of these animals in the Saudi waters of the Arabian Gulf. To fill this gap, an integrative data-collection approach including fishermen’s questionnaires, opportunistic sighting reports, and directed boat-based surveys, was undertaken between 2016 and 2020, leading to the first scientific report of marine mammal diversity, distribution, and density in the region. The results of the different approaches carried out during the study confirmed a high diversity of cetaceans on the west coast of the study area, with bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) and dugongs (Dugong dugon) as the most common species. While the two dolphin species were found to be widely distributed in both coastal and offshore waters, D. dugon appears to occur exclusively in coastal waters in the southern part of the study area, mainly in the Gulf of Salwah. The presence of both species of dolphins increased during the summer months and in the vicinity of the numerous oil and gas facilities in this region. The distribution of the observed dolphins was found mostly within a 10–20 km radius around each facility. Other cetacean species observed less frequently in the area include Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni), killer whale (Orcinus orca), common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides). Regarding the density of marine mammals in the region, boat-based surveys confirmed the results of fishermen’s questionnaires and reports of opportunistic sightings, with bottlenose and humpback dolphins being the most abundant species. These results provide a baseline for policies oriented to the conservation of mammals in the Saudi waters of the Arabian Gulf.
- Imobilização total da coluna em trauma: será que ainda faz sentido?Publication . Vasconcelos, Pedro; Caldeira, PedroA lesão vértebro-medular traumática, para além das consequências clínicas devastadoras que acarreta para o indivíduo, acarreta também pesadas consequências para a sociedade e para a economia. O plano duro e o colar cervical são os instrumentos mais utilizados no sentido de garantir a imobilização de coluna e o transporte da vítima de trauma, apesar de terem sido inicialmente desenhados apenas para procedimentos de extração e desencarceramento. Esta prática tem sido aplicada por várias décadas, não apenas para doentes com suspeita de lesão vértebro-medular traumática mas genericamente para todas as vítimas de trauma. No entanto, nos últimos anos tem sido publicada diversa evidência que questiona a aplicabilidade destes dispositivos na prevenção da lesão secundária e na melhoria do outcome clínico e neurológico da vítima de trauma. Este artigo foca a evidência mais recente, analisando criticamente as práticas atuais de imobilização total de coluna.
- Effect of saffron supplementation on oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized placebo‐controlled trialsPublication . Morvaridzadeh, Mojgan; Agah, Shahram; Estêvão, M. Dulce; Hosseini, Ava Sadat; Heydari, Hafez; Toupchian, Omid; Abdollahi, Shima; Persad, Emma; Abu‐Zaid, Ahmed; Rezamand, Gholamreza; Heshmati, JavadOxidative stress (OS), the absence of equilibrium between prooxidants and antioxi dants in the body, has been shown to play a pivotal role in the initiation and pro gression of many diseases. Saffron has been noted for its antioxidant capacity and can be used to improve OS parameters in unhealthy patients. Our aim was to evalu ate the efficacy of saffron supplementation on OS parameters in unhealthy patients in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We searched Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus, and Web of Science without language restrictions for RCTs up until April 2021. Studies were included if they compared any form of saffron sup plementation to placebo or no supplementation on OS parameters in unhealthy pa tients. Using a random-effects model with calculated standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), we quantitatively synthesized the data. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochrane's I 2 values. Ten randomized controlled trials were eligible for this review. Seven were included in the meta-analysis and indicated an association between saffron intake and a statistically significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (SMD: −0.40; 95% CI: −0.63, −0.17; I 2 = 32.6%) and a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC, SMD: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.42; I 2 = 00.0%). Saffron intake was shown to significantly impact MDA and TAC, indicating its beneficial properties in improving OS in unhealthy patients. However, additional RCTs are required to evaluate the effect on other OS parameters.
- Galanin and prolactin expression in relation to parental care in two sympatric cichlid species from Lake TanganyikaPublication . Cunha-Saraiva, Filipa; Martins, Rute; Power, Deborah; Balshine, Sigal; Schaedelin, Franziska C.Our understanding of the hormonal mechanisms underlying parental care mainly stems from research on species with uniparental care. Far less is known about the physiological changes underlying motherhood and fatherhood in biparental caring species. Here, using two biparental caring cichlid species (Neolamprologus caudopunctatus and Neolamprologus pulcher), we explored the relative gene-expression levels of two genes implicated in the control of parental care, galanin (gal) and prolactin (prl). We investigated whole brain gene expression levels in both, male and female caring parents, as well as in non-caring individuals of both species. Caring males had higher prl and gal mRNA levels compared to caring females in both fish species. Expression of gal was highest when young were mobile and the need for parental defense was greatest and gal was lowest during the more stationary egg tending phase in N. caudopunctatus. The onset of parenthood was associated with lower expression of prl and higher expression of gal in N. pulcher, but this pattern was not observed in N. caudopunctatus. Our study demonstrates that gal gene expression is correlated with changes in parental care in two biparental cichlid species and extends both knowledge and taxonomic coverage of the possible neurogenetic mechanisms underlying parental care.
- Turbine design dependency to turbulence: an experimental study of three scaled tidal turbinesPublication . Slama, Myriam; Pinon, Grégory; El Hadi, Charifa; Togneri, Michael; Gaurier, Benoît; Germain, Grégory; Facq, Jean-Valéry; Nuño, José; Mansilla, Pablo; Nicolas, Erwann; Marcille, Julie; Pacheco, AndréIn this paper the turbulence effects are studied for three rotors mounted on the same instrumented hub. Two scaled models of industrial turbines and one open-geometry turbine are considered. The turbulence characteristics are obtained from 2D Laser Doppler Velocimeter measurements and the turbine behaviour is analysed from thrust and torque measurements. Three turbulence intensities and a large range of tip speed ratios and flow velocities are considered. The results are anonymised in order to ensure confidentiality. The rotors have different blade profiles, blade numbers and solidity. The rotor design largely modifies the mean power and thrust coefficients. The turbulence intensity only slightly changes these results but has a larger influence on the fluctuating loads than the different rotor designs. The spectral analysis of the rotor torque and thrust shows that, at low frequencies the load variations are correlated to those of the flow velocity with some differences due to the turbulence intensity levels. The coherences between the loads and the velocity seem to be not affected by the rotor type. At high frequencies, the load variations are correlated to the speed control unit of the scaled model and the rotor design has an impact on the rotational speed and loads coherences.
- Meaning-centered group psychotherapy in Portuguese cancer patients: A pilot exploratory trialPublication . da Ponte, Guida; Ouakinin, Sílvia; Santo, Jorge Espírito; Ohunakin, Afolabi; Prata, Domingos; Amorim, Inês; Gameiro, Zita; dos Santos, Estêvão Soares; Breitbart, WilliamSpiritual well-being and a sense of meaning are important influences for quality of life (QoL) in patients with advanced cancer (Field and Cassel, 1997; Sinclair et al., 2006). The importance of the existential care lead to the emergence of meaning-focused interventions (Breitbart, 2002; Chochinov et al., 2005; Puchalski, 2013) in advanced cancer patients or terminally ill (Yalom and Greaves, 1977; Spiegel et al., 1981; Edelman et al., 1999; Edmonds et al., 1999; Classen et al., 2001; Kissane et al., 2003, 2007; Lee et al., 2006; Breitbart et al., 2010; Chochinov et al., 2011). In response to this need, Breitbart and his investigation group developed meaning-centered psychotherapy (MCP) to help patients with advanced cancer sustain or enhance a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives, even as they approach the end of life (Breitbart, 2000, 2002; Greenstein and Breitbart, 2000; Breitbart et al., 2010, 2015; Van der Spek et al., 2013; Applebaum et al., 2015). MCP was first developed in a group format (meaning-centered group psychotherapy — MCGP), which is a manualized eight-week intervention (each session: 1.5 h) that utilizes a combination of didactics, experiential exercises and discussion (Breitbart, 2002). The first randomized control trial (RCT) showed benefits in enhancing spiritual well-being and a sense of meaning (Breitbart et al., 2010). Further studies suggested that more severe forms of despair respond better to existential interventions (Breitbart et al., 2015).
- The Late Permian in the Muarádzi Sub-basin, Moatize-Minjova Basin, Mozambique – multidisciplinary palaeoenvironmental characterizationPublication . Lopes, Gilda; Pereira, Z.; Fernandes, Paulo; Mendes, M.; Marques, J.; Jorge, R.C.G.S.A study involving lithofacies, palynofacies, and palynological analysis is presented for the Muarádzi Sub-basin. This sub-basin is part of the Moatize-Minjova Basin (MMB), a crucial Karoo aged coalfield in Mozambique previously situated in the southern-central part of Gondwana.
- Análise comparativa entre a atualização das guidelines da American Heart Association de 2020 para a reanimação cardiodiopulmonar neonatal e as guidelines da European Resuscitation Council 2021Publication . Bota, M.; Madeira, M.; Marcelino, R.A European Resuscitation Council (ERC) emitiu, em Março de 2021, novas e atualizadas guidelines de suporte à vida do recém-nascido (RN) que à semelhança das guidelines da American Heart Association (AHA) 2020, são baseadas na Internacional Liasion Commitee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) 2020 Consensus on Science e na Treatment Recommendations for Neonatal Life Support. Pretende-se com o presente artigo estabelecer uma análise comparativa entre as atualizações das guidelines da reanimação cardiopulmonar neonatal, com especial destaque para os elementos diferenciativos entre ambas.
- Generation and cardiac differentiation of a human induced pluripotent stem cell line UALGi002-A from a female patient with Left-Ventricular Noncompaction CardiomyopathyPublication . Calado, Sofia; Bento, Dina; Marques, Nuno; Bragança, JoséLeft Ventricular Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy (LVNC) is characterized by abnormal number and prominence of trabeculations of the left ventricle of the heart. Although LVNC has been associated with mutations in several genes encoding for transcriptional regulators, ion channels, sarcomeric and mitochondrial proteins, approximately 60% of LVNC patients do not present these genetic alterations. Here, we describe an induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line (UALGi002-A) originated from a LVNC female patient (LVNC-hiPSC) who does not present any previously known mutations associated to LVNC. The LVNC-hiPSC exhibited full pluripotency and differentiation potential and retained a normal karyotype after reprogramming. Moreover, the LVNC-hiPSC differentiated into contracting cardiomyocytes. This cellular model will be useful to study the molecular, genetic and functional aspects of LVNC in vitro.
- Abordagem a queimaduras na idade pediátrica: ABCDE+FPublication . Pereira, Mafalda João; Oliveira, Iris Rocha e; Fernandes, AndreiaAs queimaduras são acidentes frequentes em pediatria, cuja abordagem não difere da realizada em ambiente pré-hospitalar de um politraumatizado, com potencial de rápida deterioração das lesões e do estado geral. A estabilização do doente deve seguir a sigla de reanimação ABCDE+F. As queimaduras conduzem a vários tipos de resposta fisiopatológica, necessitando de uma correta classificação da profundidade e estimativa da área de superfície corporal queimada (ASCQ). A analgesia e fluidoterapia devem ser instituídas o mais rapidamente possível a fim de melhorar o prognóstico. A abordagem deve ainda permitir recolher o máximo de informação possível das circunstâncias, sempre sem prejuízo dos cuidados. Apresentamos o caso de uma criança de 23 meses trazida à urgência pediátrica com cerca 16% de ASCQ, a sua abordagem e encaminhamento.