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- Acute kidney injury after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in a Portuguese populationPublication . Carias, Eduarda; Ferreira, Hugo; Chuva, Teresa; Paiva, Ana; Maximino, JoseBackground: Acute kidney injury (AKI) after cytoreductive surgery followed by the infusion of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemothera-py (CRS/HIPEC) is associated with a higher rate of major complica-tions, resulting in prolonged hospitalization and increased mortality. Our objective was to evaluate the incidence of AKI and further pro-gression to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients submitted to this procedure and recognize the associated risk factors. Methods: This retrospective study collected demographic, tumor -related, intraoperative, and postoperative data from 182 patients who underwent CRS/HIPEC from January 2016 to December 2019. Re-nal impairment was defined according to Kidney Disease Improv-ing Global Outcomes criteria for AKI. We conducted univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses to assess the association between variables of interest and AKI. Results: Twenty-three patients (12.6%) developed AKI. In the AKI group, the risk for developing CKD was six times higher (odds ra-tio (OR) 6.48, confidence interval (CI) 1.601 -26.255). Multivariate regression identified higher risk of developing AKI in patients who underwent HIPEC with cisplatin (OR 12.21, CI 1.26 -109.70, P = 0.025), in each additional day spent in the intensive care unit (ICU) (OR 2.42, CI 1.07 -5.45, P = 0.033), and an association for each unit increase in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) before HIPEC (OR 0.96, CI 0.94 -0.98, P = 0.037) and AKI development. Conclusion: Patients who are at higher risk of AKI after CRS/HIPEC include those who performed cisplatin HIPEC regimen, had poorer preoperative renal function and had longer ICU stays. Early institu-tion of preventive measures and frequent monitoring should be considered to minimize AKI risk and its associated morbidity, such as CKD progression.
- Exploring the response of a key Mediterranean gorgonian to heat stress across biological and spatial scalesPublication . Gómez-Gras, D.; Bensoussan, N.; Ledoux, J. B.; López-Sendino, P.; Cerrano, C.; Ferretti, E.; Kipson, S.; Bakran-Petricioli, T.; A, Serrão; Paulo, D.; Coelho, Márcio; Pearson, Gareth; Boavida, J.; Montero-Serra, I.; Pagès-Escolà, M.; Medrano, A.; López-Sanz, A.; Milanese, M.; Linares, C.; Garrabou, J.Understanding the factors and processes that shape intra-specific sensitivity to heat stress is fundamental to better predicting the vulnerability of benthic species to climate change. Here, we investigate the response of a habitat-forming Mediterranean octocoral, the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) to thermal stress at multiple biological and geographical scales. Samples from eleven P. clavata populations inhabiting four localities separated by hundreds to more than 1500 km of coast and with contrasting thermal histories were exposed to a critical temperature threshold (25 degrees C) in a common garden experiment in aquaria. Ten of the 11 populations lacked thermotolerance to the experimental conditions provided (25 days at 25 degrees C), with 100% or almost 100% colony mortality by the end of the experiment. Furthermore, we found no significant association between local average thermal regimes nor recent thermal history (i.e., local water temperatures in the 3 months prior to the experiment) and population thermotolerance. Overall, our results suggest that local adaptation and/or acclimation to warmer conditions have a limited role in the response of P. clavata to thermal stress. The study also confirms the sensitivity of this species to warm temperatures across its distributional range and questions its adaptive capacity under ocean warming conditions. However, important inter-individual variation in thermotolerance was found within populations, particularly those exposed to the most severe prior marine heatwaves. These observations suggest that P. clavata could harbor adaptive potential to future warming acting on standing genetic variation (i.e., divergent selection) and/or environmentally-induced phenotypic variation (i.e., intra- and/or intergenerational plasticity).
- Effect of synbiotic bread containing lactic acid on blood lipids and apolipoproteins in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trialPublication . Ghafouri, Atie; Heshmati, Javad; Heydari, Iraj; Shokouhi Shoormasti, Raheleh; Estêvão, M. Dulce; Hoseini, Ava Sadat; Morvaridzadeh, Mojgan; Akbari‐Fakhrabadi, Maryam; Farsi, Farnaz; Zarrati, Mitra; Pizarro, Ana Beatriz; Shidfar, Farzad; Ziaei, SomayehRecently, the use of synbiotics for managing various diseases has dramatically increased. Synbiotics have been shown to be a good approach to influence the composition of the gut microbiota with positive health effects. Management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complications is one of the reasons for the ingestion of synbiotics and so the aim of the current study was to determine the effects of synbiotic bread intake on markers of lipid profile in T2DM patients. One hundred T2DM patients (age between 20 and 60 years) were randomly assigned to four groups to consume different types of synbiotic bread, three times/day, for 8 weeks: "synbiotic + lactic acid" (n = 25; IV), "synbiotic" (n = 25; III), "lactic acid brad" (n = 25; II), or "control" (a = 25; I). The measured outcomes included anthropometric characteristics, glycemic control parameters, blood lipids, and apolipoproteins. The consumption of "synbiotic + lactic acid bread" (group IV) and "lactic acid bread" (group II) led to a significant decrease in total cholesterol (TC) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) compared to the "control bread." The HbA1c levels were also significantly lower when compared to group II. Additionally, apolipoprotein A (Apo A1) levels were significantly decreased in group IV, compared to control and other groups (post hoc analysis). No significant differences between groups were observed for triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and apolipoprotein B100 (Apo B100) levels. The observed results show that the synbiotic bread (with or without lactic acid) promoted a decrease in total cholesterol (TC) and Apo A1 in diabetic patients when consumed daily for 8 weeks.
- Record of the first Pleonexes species (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Ampithoidae) in Moroccan waters: Pleonexes gammaroides Spence Bate, 1857Publication . Kaid, Soukaina; Chaouti, Abdellatif; Mateus, M.; Belattmania, Zahira; Serrao, Ester; Engelen, Aschwin H.; Reani, Abdeltif; Sabour, BrahimThe ampithoid amphipod crustacean Pleonexes gammaroides Spence Bate, 1857 is reported from Morocco (northeastern Atlantic Ocean) for the first time, where it is the only representative of the genus Pleonexes Spence Bate, 1857 so far. Specimens were collected from the upper fringe of the infralittoral zone (including low intertidal) of El Jadida coastline associated with the holdfasts of the kelp Saccorhiza polyschides (Lightfoot) Batters (Phaeophyceae), colonising the sublittoral fringe in the southernmost distribution limit (Morocco). This finding updates the known geographical distribution of P. gammaroides in northern Africa and northeastern Atlantic. Some ecological and distributional details of this amphipod species are briefly discussed here.
- Legal regulation of ventilation rates in homes in Europe 2010–2022: Evolution and comparison study regarding Covid-19 recommendationsPublication . González-Sancha, Rafael; Marín-García, David; Duarte-Pinheiro, Manuel; Oliveira, Miguel JoséThe airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease, has been recognized as an essential route of contagion, so adequate ventilation is vital indoors. For this reason, the research goal focuses on carrying out the study and evolutionary and comparison analysis of the regulation of ventilation rates in dwellings in Europe (2010-2022) and on determining whether modifications are necessary for the said regu-lation based on the recommendations of competent international organizations. To do this, the methodology followed initially starts from the study carried out in 2010 by Christine Dimitroulopoulou, in which the existing regulation in various European countries regarding ventilation in dwellings was studied. Once this study has been analysed, it continues to update and compare the regulation of the different European countries cited in the said work, detecting during the process if a modification is necessary based on the recommendations indicated by international organizations such as the WHO or ECDC. The results and conclusions indicate that few countries have significantly changed their ventilation rates. Although the existing ones may be admissible, requiring controlled ventilation in the different regulations would be convenient.
- Fingolimod treatment modulates PPARγ and CD36 gene expression in women with multiple sclerosisPublication . Ferret-Sena, Véronique; Capela, Carlos; Macedo, Ana; Salgado, António Vasco; Derudas, Bruno; Staels, Bart; Sena, ArmandoFingolimod is an oral immunomodulatory drug used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) that may change lipid metabolism. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) are transcription factors that regulate lipoprotein metabolism and immune functions and have been implicated in the pathophysiology of MS. CD36 is a scavenger receptor whose transcription is PPAR regulated. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether fingolimod treatment modifies PPAR and CD36 gene expression as part of its action mechanisms. Serum lipoprotein profiles and PPAR and CD36 gene expression levels in peripheral leukocytes were analysed in 17 female MS patients before and at 6 and 12 months after fingolimod treatment initiation. Clinical data during the follow-up period of treatment were obtained. We found that fingolimod treatment increased HDL-Cholesterol and Apolipoprotein E levels and leukocyte PPAR gamma and CD36 gene expression. No correlations were found between lipid levels and variations in PPAR gamma and CD36 gene expression. PPAR gamma and CD36 variations were significantly correlated during therapy and in patients free of relapse and stable disease. Our results suggest that PPAR gamma and CD36-mediated processes may contribute to the mechanisms of action of fingolimod in MS. Further studies are required to explore the relation of the PPAR gamma/CD36 pathway to the clinical efficacy of the drug and its involvement in the pathogenesis of the disease.
- Determinants of health-related quality of life in spondyloarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis - data from the COMOSPA and COMORA studiesPublication . Carvalho, Pedro David; Vieira-Sousa, Elsa; Hmamouchi, Ihsane; Marreiros, Ana; Machado, Pedro MObjectives: To assess the hierarchy of outcomes contributing to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in spondyloarthritis (SpA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Data from the international cross-sectional COMOSPA and COMORA studies were used. HRQoL was assessed using the EuroQOL 5-dimension 3-level (EQ-5D-3 L). First, multivariable linear regression models were used to identify associations between EQ-5D-3 L (dependent variable) and several demographic and clinical variables (independent variables). Second, a decision tree was built using Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector, a method of unbiased hierarchical multivariable analysis (dependent variable: EQ-5D-3 L). Results: In total, 3984 patients with SpA and 3920 patients with RA were included. In SpA, HRQoL was associated with BASFI (adjusted B=-0.006; 95%CI=-0.007 to -0.005), ASDAS (-0.052; -0.071 to -0.033), work productivity loss score (-0.002; -0.003 to -0.002), NSAID treatment (-0.052; -0.083 to -0.020), bDMARD treatment (-0.051; -0.082 to -0.021), university education (-0.051; -0.075 to -0.027) and radiographic sacroiliitis (0.035; 0.004 to 0.030). In RA, HRQoL was associated with modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (MHAQ) (-0.220, -0.253 to -0.188), DAS28-CRP-3v (-0.027, -0.036 to -0.018), work productivity loss score (-0.003, -0.003 to -0.002), presence of erosions (-0.042, -0.065 to -0.020), alcohol consumption >= 3 units/day (0.012, 0.001 to 0.024)) and csDMARD treatment (0.034, 0.001 to 0.066). The decision tree revealed BASFI and MHAQ as first variables with the most discriminative power on EQ-5D-3 L, followed by work productivity loss and disease activity, in both SpA and RA cohorts. Conclusion: In SpA and RA, physical function is the main contributor to HRQoL measured by EQ-5D-3 L, followed by disease activity and work productivity loss.
- Unveiling molecular details behind improved activity at neutral to alkaline pH of an engineered DyP-type peroxidasePublication . Borges, Patrícia T.; Silva, Diogo; Silva, Tomás F.D.; Brissos, Vânia; Cañellas, Marina; Lucas, Maria Fátima; Masgrau, Laura; Melo, Eduardo; Machuqueiro, Miguel; Frazão, Carlos; Martins, Lígia O.DyP-type peroxidases (DyPs) are microbial enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of a wide range of substrates, including synthetic dyes, lignin-derived compounds, and metals, such as Mn2+ and Fe2+, and have enormous biotechnological potential in biorefineries. However, many questions on the molecular basis of enzyme function and stability remain unanswered. In this work, high-resolution structures of PpDyP wild-type and two engineered variants (6E10 and 29E4) generated by directed evolution were obtained. The X-ray crystal structures revealed the typical ferredoxin-like folds, with three heme access pathways, two tunnels, and one cavity, limited by three long loops including catalytic residues. Variant 6E10 displays significantly increased loops' flexibility that favors function over stability: despite the considerably higher catalytic efficiency, this variant shows poorer protein stability compared to wild-type and 29E4 variants. Constant-pH MD simulations revealed a more positively charged microenvironment near the heme pocket of variant 6E10, particularly in the neutral to alkaline pH range. This microenvironment affects enzyme activity by modulating the pK(a) of essential residues in the heme vicinity and should account for variant 6E10 improved activity at pH 7-8 compared to the wild-type and 29E4 that show optimal enzymatic activity close to pH 4. Our findings shed light on the structure-function relationships of DyPs at the molecular level, including their pH-dependent conformational plasticity. These are essential for understanding and engineering the catalytic properties of DyPs for future biotechnological applications. (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Research Network of Computational and Structural Biotechnology.
- Manual de goniometriaPublication . Felício, João; Fontes, Ana Paula; Cintra, RuiO Manual de Goniometria tem como principal objetivo fornecer de uma forma sistemática e organizada os princípios da técnica de Goniometria, assim como todos os conhecimentos teórico-práticos fundamentais na avaliação das amplitudes articulares das principais articulações humanas do membro superior, coluna vertebral e membro inferior.
- Manual de tranferênciasPublication . Felício, João; Fontes, Ana Paula; CINTRA, RUIO Manual de Transferências tem como principal objetivo fornecer de uma forma sistemática e organizada os princípios das técnicas e estratégias, assim como todos os conhecimentos teórico-práticos, fundamentais para transferir um doente de uma superfície para outra, de forma segura e económica do ponto de vista ergonómico.