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This review explores the potential health benefits and applications of phenolic secoiridoids derived from olive oil by-products in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As reviewed herein, polyphenols, such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate, epicatechin, and resveratrol, show in vitro and in vivo antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties, and are particularly relevant in the context of AD, a leading cause of dementia globally. The olive oil industry, particularly in the Mediterranean region, produces significant amounts of waste, including leaves, pomace, and wastewater, which pose environmental challenges but also offer an untapped source of bioactive compounds. Despite promising in vitro and in vivo studies indicating that olive-derived polyphenols, such as oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, may mitigate AD pathology, human clinical trials remain limited. The variability in extraction methods and the complex nature of AD further complicate research. Future studies should focus on standardizing the protocols and conducting robust clinical trials to fully assess the therapeutic potential of these compounds. This approach not only supports the development of new treatments for AD but also promotes environmental sustainability by valorizing olive oil industry waste.

Neurodegenerative diseases are a significant challenge to global healthcare, and oxidative stress plays a crucial role in their development. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the neuroprotective potential of olive oil, with a primary focus on its antioxidant properties. The chemical composition of olive oil, including key antioxidants, such as oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and oleocanthal, is systematically examined. The mechanisms by which these compounds provide neuroprotection, including counteracting oxidative damage and modulating neuroprotective pathways, are explored. The neuroprotective efficacy of olive oil is evaluated by synthesizing findings from various sources, including in vitro studies, animal models, and clinical trials. The integration of olive oil into dietary patterns, particularly its role in the Mediterranean diet, and its broader implications in neurodegenerative disease prevention are also discussed. The challenges in translating preclinical findings to clinical applications are acknowledged and future research directions are proposed to better understand the potential of olive oil in mitigating the risk of neurodegenerative conditions. This review highlights olive oil not only as a dietary component, but also as a promising candidate in preventive neurology, advocating for further investigation in the context of neurodegenerative diseases.

This review explores the critical role of advanced metabolomic methodologies in interpreting the complex relationship between the bioactive compounds in olive oil and their health benefits. Olive oil, the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, is renowned for its numerous health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cardioprotective properties. This review begins with an overview of the importance of olive oil for nutrition and health, followed by a detailed discussion of the key metabolites that contribute to its therapeutic potential. It further explores the evolution of analytical techniques in metabolomics from traditional methods to cutting-edge technologies, such as mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which have enhanced our understanding of the complex composition of olive oil. This review highlights how these advanced analytical findings correlate with the known health properties of olive oil and presents case studies in which these methodologies have led to new insights. Finally, we address the challenges in standardizing these techniques and discuss future research directions, underscoring the significance of metabolomics in nutritional science and public health. This comprehensive analysis aims to provide a deeper understanding of the health benefits of olive oil, informed by the latest advancements in analytical methodologies.

Food insecurity (FI) indicates a situation in which there is no regular access to food in satisfactory quantity and quality. To characterize FI in students from Portuguese higher education institutions, a study was conducted in a non-random sample of students, with an online questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic questions and the Portuguese version of the IF scale. There were 200 valid questionnaires and 27.5% of the participants were classified as having some degree of FI. Participants with FI reported fewer visits to the family’s home (p = 0.024) and less financial resources (p < 0.001). The results indicate that interventions are needed in this area.

Abstract Colloids are essential materials for modern inkjet printing and coating technology. For printing and coating, it is desirable to have a high density of colloids with uniformity. Binary colloids, which consist of different size colloidal particles, have the potential to achieve high coating density and uniformity from size effects. We report a strategy to attain high-density deposits of binary colloids with uniform, crack-free, and symmetric deposits through droplet evaporation on micropillar arrays. We modify surfaces of micropillar arrays with plasma treatment to control their surface energy and investigate how binary colloidal fluids turn into well-controlled deposits during evaporation with X-ray microscopic and tomographic characterizations. We attribute temporary surface energy modification of micropillar arrays to the well-controlled high-density final deposits. This simple, low-cost, and scalable strategy would provide a viable way to get high-quality, high-density deposits of colloids for various applications.

This study estimates wave energy for the Moroccan Atlantic coast using SWAN, a third-generation wave model, covering a period of 30 years, from 1991 to 2020. The model is forced by the wind from the ERA-5 reanalysis dataset and uses boundary conditions generated by the WAVEWATCH III model. The significant wave height and period are used to obtain wave energy, which is analyzed at a regional scale. The mean wave energy density within the domain is assessed to be about 20 kW/m. Five specific locations are evaluated along the coast in order to determine the most energetic ones. The most energetic area of the Moroccan Atlantic coast is located at the center, between the cities of Agadir and Essaouira. Finally, the performance of six different wave energy converters is assessed through their power matrix for each of the five locations.

Abstract Droplet evaporation on porous materials is a complex dynamic that occurs with spontaneous liquid imbibition through pores by capillary action. Here, we explore water dynamics on a porous fabric substrate with in-situ observations of X-ray and optical imaging techniques. We show how spreading and wicking lead to water imbibition through a porous substrate, enhancing the wetted surface area and consequently promoting evaporation. These sequential dynamics offer a framework to understand the alterations in the evaporation due to porosity for the particular case of fabric materials and a clue of how face masks interact with respiratory droplets.

Objective: To describe sleep-wake patterns in young children, based on sleep characteristics in early infancy and preschool ages, identifying their main sociodemographic characteristics, and to assess the association between different sleep characteristics at both ages. Method: We included 1092 children from the Generation XXI birth cohort, evaluated at six months and four years of age, by face-to-face interviews. Sleep patterns were constructed through latent class analysis and structured equation modeling, including data on wake-up time and bedtime, afternoon naps, locale of nighttime sleep and night awakenings. To estimate the association between sociodemographic characteristics and sleep patterns, odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were computed using logistic regression. Results: Two sleep patterns were identified through latent class analysis: pattern 1 was characterized by earlier bedtime and wake-up times, while pattern 2 was defined by later times. When compared with pattern 1, pattern 2 was more frequent among children whose mothers had changed from partnered to not partnered until preschool age and those who did not stay at the kindergarten, and was less common among those with siblings. Through structured equation modeling, an aggregating factor was identified at preschool age, which was mainly correlated with bedtime and wake-up time. A positive association between sleep characteristics evaluated in early infancy and in preschool ages was observed. Conclusions: Sleep patterns and circadian sleep preferences seem to be developed early in life, which highlight the importance of promoting an adequate sleep hygiene from infancy, assuming its impact on sleep quality during the life course. Resumen: Objetivo: Describir los patrones de sueño en niños, a partir de las características del sueño en la primera infancia y preescolar, identificando sus características sociodemográficas, y evaluar la asociación entre las características del sueño en ambas edades. Método: Se incluyeron 1092 niños de la cohorte Generación XXI, evaluados a los 6 meses y los 4 años de edad, mediante entrevistas en persona. Los patrones de sueño se identificaron mediante análisis de clases latentes y modelos de ecuaciones estructuradas, utilizando datos sobre la hora de despertarse y acostarse, las siestas de la tarde, el lugar del sueño nocturno y los despertares nocturnos. Para estimar la asociación entre las características sociodemográficas y los patrones de sueño se calcularon odds ratio con intervalos de confianza del 95% mediante regresión logística. Resultados: Se identificaron dos patrones de sueño: el patrón 1 se caracterizó por acostarse y levantarse más temprano; el patrón 2, por tiempos más tardíos. El patrón 2 fue más frecuente entre los niños con madres que cambiaron de pareja a no pareja y que no permanecieron en el jardín de infancia, y menos común entre aquellos con hermanos. Se identificó un factor agregante en la edad preescolar, correlacionado con la hora de acostarse y despertarse. Se observó una asociación positiva entre las características del sueño evaluadas en la primera infancia y en edades preescolares. Conclusiones: Los patrones del sueño parecen desarrollarse temprano en la vida, lo que destaca la importancia de promover una adecuada higiene del sueño desde la infancia.

A long-standing human lifespan debate is revival, and the consensus is yet to come on whether the maximum human lifespan is reaching a limit or not. This study discusses how mathematical constraints inherent in survival curves indicate a limit on maximum lifespans, implying that humans would have inevitable limits to lifespan growth.

Abstract Water droplets sitting between wires are ubiquitous in nature and industry, often showing irregular (non-spherical) droplet shapes. To understand their topological singularity and evaporation mechanism, measuring volume changes of irregular water droplets is essential but highly challenging for small-volume water droplets. Here we experimentally explore topological heterogeneity and evaporation dynamics for irregular water droplets between wires with four-dimensional X-ray microtomography that directly provides images in three spatial dimensions as a function of time, enabling us to get three-dimensional structural and geometric information changes with time. We find that the topological heterogeneity of an irregular droplet is due to the local contact lines and the evaporation dynamics of an irregular droplet is governed by the effective contact radius. This study may offer an opportunity to understand how the topological heterogeneity contributes to the evaporation dynamics of irregular water droplets.

Abstract Colloidal droplets on flat solid substrates commonly leave symmetric ring-like deposits due to coffee-ring flows during evaporation. On inclined substrates, droplet shapes may become asymmetric by gravity. On this basis, it is not clear how their evaporation dynamics and final deposits are changed depending on inclination. Here we explore evaporation and deposition dynamics of colloidal droplets on inclined substrates, mainly by controlling colloidal particle size, substrate inclination, and relative humidity, which are crucial to gravitational intervention and evaporation dynamics. We experimentally investigate two different flows with opposite directions: downward sedimentation flows by gravity ( $$v_s$$ v s ) and upward capillary flows by evaporation ( $$v_c$$ v c ). We find that the competition of two flows determines the formation of final deposits with a flow speed ratio of $$\alpha = v_s/v_c$$ α = v s / v c . Notably, for $$\alpha$$ α $$\ll$$ ≪ 1, evaporation-driven upward flows overwhelm sedimentation-driven downward flows, resulting in accentuated particle movement towards the top ring, which seems to defy gravitational intervention. We suggest a possible explanation for the flow speed dependence of final deposits in evaporating colloidal droplets. This study offers a framework to understand the intervention of inclination to the formation of final deposits and how to overcome the deposit pattern radial asymmetry, achieving symmetric deposit widths from inclined colloidal droplets.

Apple and pear crops are very important to the rural economy of Portugal. Despite significant improvements in productivity and quality, due to the introduction of new management techniques, model-based decision support may further increase the revenue of the growers. Available simulation models of orchard growth and production are scarce and are often highly empirical. This study presents a mechanistic model for the simulation of productivity and fruit grade of apple and pear orchards under potential and water-limited conditions. The effects of temperature extremes and rain on fruit set are addressed. The model was validated on apple and pear datasets derived from extensive experiments conducted in Central and Southern Portugal. Model performance is high and depicts the effect of crop load on productivity and fruit-size grade and the distribution of both crops. A simulation example shows the relationship between productivity and average fruit size for a hypothetical six-year-olc apple orchard. The model herewith presented is a tool that can be used to estimate optimal crop load for maximum revenue and productivity, fruit size distribution, water use, and other variables relevant for pome fruit production.

Clean foams tend to age with time through sequential coalescence events. This study evaluates aging dynamics in clean foams by measuring bubble populations from coalescence simulation experiments and adopting biological population dynamics analysis. The population dynamics of bubbles in clean foams during coalescence show that the mortality rates of individual bubbles change exponentially with time, regardless of initial simulation conditions, consistent with the Gompertz mortality law commonly observed in biological aging. This result would be beneficial in understanding the aging dynamics of clean foams.

INTRODUÇÃO: Esta é uma reflexão que combina o olhar integrado da Psiquiatria, da Psicologia Clínica e da Neuropsicologia sobre o impacto psicossocial da pandemia por COVID-19. As secções seguintes abordam algumas das dimensões da existência humana mais afetadas pela pandemia, através de um diálogo entre duas perspetivas: o existencialismo e a ciência. [...]

BackgroundRare pathogenic variants in either the ITGA2B or ITGB3 genes have been linked to autosomal dominant macrothrombocytopenia associated with abnormal platelet production and function, deserving the designation of Glanzmann Thrombasthenia-Like Syndrome (GTLS) or ITGA2B/ITGB3-related thrombocytopenia.ObjectivesTo describe a series of patients with familial macrothrombocytopenia and decreased expression of αIIbβ3 integrin due to defects in the ITGA2B or ITGB3 genes.MethodsWe reviewed the clinical and laboratory records of 10 Portuguese families with GTLS (33 patients and 11 unaffected relatives), including the functional and genetic defects.ResultsPatients had absent to moderate bleeding, macrothrombocytopenia, low αIIbβ3 expression, impaired platelet aggregation/ATP release to physiological agonists and low expression of activation-induced binding sites on αIIbβ3 (PAC-1) and receptor-induced binding sites on its ligand (bound fibrinogen), upon stimulation with TRAP-6 and ADP. Evidence for constitutive αIIbβ3 activation, occurred in 2 out of 9 patients from 8 families studied, but also in 2 out of 12 healthy controls. We identified 7 missense variants: 3 in ITGA2B (5 families), and 4 in ITGB3 (5 families). Three variants (αIIb: p.Arg1026Trp and p.Arg1026Gln and β3: p.Asp749His) were previously reported. The remaining (αIIb: p.Gly1007Val and β3: p.Thr746Pro, p.His748Pro and p.Arg760Cys) are new, expanding the αIIbβ3 defects associated with GTLS. The integration of the clinical and laboratory data allowed the identification of two GTLS subgroups, with distinct disease severity.ConclusionsPreviously reported ITGA2B and ITGB3 variants related to thrombocytopenia were clustered in a confined region of the membrane-proximal cytoplasmic domains, the inner membrane clasp. For the first time, variants are reported at the outer membrane clasp, at the transmembrane domain of αIIb, and at the membrane distal cytoplasmic domains of β3. This is the largest single-center series of inherited macrothrombocytopenia associated with αIIbβ3 variants published to date.

In Europe it is estimated that one fifth of the population suffer from chronic pain. However, it seems that society is not yet prepared to understand the people who suffer from chronic pain. To live twenty-four hours with pain and project the day according to pain is still often associated with laziness or no willing to work. In order to start in Europe a process of destigmatisation of chronic pain and better access to specialized units for this, this paper intends to discuss the potential of creating a ten-minute video about the experience of living with chronic pain. For the construction of the video "intergenerational living with chronic pain" there is a need to conduct focus groups with various informants as patients of different ages, family members, health professionals, education professionals and human resource managers. This video could be a reliable tool for further testing and use, not only in clinical practice and training of professionals, as well as of lay people.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to present an intervention that enables people to continue participating in social, economic, cultural, spiritual and civil matters avoiding isolation and passivity by acting at various levels of human development. Methods: In this paper we will discuss a Psychosocial Preparation for Retirement within the different ecosystems of human development: micro, meso, exo, macro and chrono. Results: This intervention may reduce costs in terms of health, education and social services. Conclusion: To have a happy, comfortable, secure, productive life after stopping working, people need to save enough money and to have developed other interests in order that self-esteem and identity is not only connected with the professional life with specific structure, rhythm and relationships.

A avaliação da percepção que se tem da família é fundamental para saber quanto os jovens estão satisfeitos com essa instituição social, sendo que em Portugal não existe uma escala com essa função. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as semelhanças psicométricas do conjunto inicial de 136 itens que foi utilizado na construção do Inventário de Percepção do Suporte Familiar (IPSF) no Brasil, tendo sua versão final com 42 itens e comparar os resultados em uma amostra portuguesa de jovens adultos (N=248). Para o tratamento dos dados, recorreu-se à mesma análise realizada no Brasil, de componentes principais com rotação Oblimin. Os resultados demonstraram um número de itens e distribuição nas três categorias iniciais (afetivo-consistente, adaptação e autonomia) muito próximos aos encontrados na amostra de normatização brasileira, o que sugere semelhança tanto no número quanto na constituição dos componentes nas duas culturas

INTRODUCTION: Language acquisition and development require an understanding of physical and psychosocial aspects during diagnosis and treatment. At this point, a partnership between phoniatric physicians and other health professionals is often a determinant for favorable prognosis.OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of a pediatric population attending a phoniatric clinical practice.METHODS: Study design: Cross-sectional cohort. Retrospective, epidemiological study of 297 children, seen in phoniatric appointments between 1976 and 2005. Outcome variables were referral origin, gender, age, mean age, diagnosis, and treatment approach.RESULTS: 66% were male and 34% were female, with a mean age of 6.4 years. The largest number of referrals for phoniatric treatments came from speech therapists (38%). The predominant complaint was alteration in speech (35%); the diagnostics in speech, language, and fluency (49.5%) are noteworthy. Considering the total of the patients analyzed, 28.2% were referred for speech therapy and 11.8% for psychotherapy.CONCLUSION: The studied population is predominantly male, the diagnosis points to a higher incidence in cases of impairment in speech, language, and fluency; the most common treatment was speech therapy.

O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar os efeitos do exercício moderado contínuo sobre a contagem total e diferencial de leucócitos, as concentrações de glicose sérica e os teores lipídicos de ratos suplementados e não suplementados com solução carboidratada. Para tanto, 35 ratos Wistar, machos foram distribuídos em quatro grupos: sedentários não suplementado (n = 10) e suplementado (n = 8); treinados em exercício aeróbio moderado contínuo não suplementado (n = 9) e suplementado (n = 8). O período de treinamento foi de seis semanas de natação em padrão contínuo com sobrecarga correspondente a 3% do peso corporal. Durante cinco dias os animais foram suplementados com uma dose diária de 0,48 g.kg-1 de maltodextrina dissolvida em água ou receberam água pura. O exercício moderado causou uma diminuição significativa na glicemia (p < 0,001) e no número de linfócitos sanguíneos (p < 0,01), entretanto, a maltodextrina proporcionou um aumento significativo nos linfócitos dos animais treinados (p < 0,03). Não houve efeito do treinamento e da maltodextrina no perfil lipídico. Conclui-se que com seis semanas de treinamento foi possível causar queda no número de linfócitos e concentração de glicose sérica, mas com cinco dias de suplementação o declínio na contagem de linfócitos foi atenuado sem, no entanto, causar elevações no perfil lipídico.The objective of this study was to determine the effects of continuous moderate exercise on the differential and total count leukocyte, serum glucose concentration and lipid levels of rats supplemented and not supplemented with carbohydrate solution. To this purpose, thirty-five male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: sedentary non-supplemented (n = 10) and supplemented (n = 8), trained in continuous moderate aerobic exercise non-supplemented (n = 9) and supplemented (n = 8). The training of continuous swimming was developed during six week with 3% body weight overload. For five days the animals were supplemented with 0.48 g.kg-1 maltodextrin daily dose dissolved in water or pure water. Moderate exercise caused a significant decrease in blood glucose (p < 0.001) and in the number of blood lymphocytes (p < 0.01). Additionally, the maltodextrin significantly increased the number of lymphocytes of trained animals (p < 0.03). There was no effect of training and maltodextrin on the lipid profile. The results allowed to conclude that with six weeks of training it was possible to cause a drop in the number of lymphocytes and in the concentration of serum glucose, but with five days of supplementation the decline in the lymphocyte count was attenuated without, however, cause elevations in the lipid profile.

Protein factors have been identified in the seminal plasmaof fish and mammal species and, in some situations, associatedto sperm quality indicators. However, for jundiá fish (Rhamdiaquelen), such factors and those potential associations remainunknown. In the present study, we aimed to identify some proteinfactors present in the seminal plasma of jundiá fish and to evaluatetheir association to sperm motility. SDS-PAGE was used to identify14 bands, with molecular weight ranging from 217.1 to 7.1 kDa.Sperm motility was evaluated for 21 males. Four protein bands(81.5; 60.4; 33.6; and 25.5 kDa) were present in all seminal plasmasamples. One protein band with molecular weight of 38.3 kDa wasassociated to reduced sperm motility of jundiá (P

Migrant and ethnic minorities youth find themselves in a situation of greater difficulty in terms of access to mental health care. The main objective of this study was therefore to explore possible barriers to access to professional assistance in mental health from the perspective of immigrant families. The methodology included both a qualitative study in which semi-structured interviews (N = 170 people from 62 families) and focus groups with health and education professionals (N = 31) were conducted as well as a quantitative survey (N = 887 youths, 417 mothers and 310 fathers). This paper presents a case study based on the qualitative phase and selected results of the quantitative phase of the project. The results indicate the involvement of the patient's perspective as one of the most valuable sources of information for improving access to mental health care. Overall, the results suggest several trends for intervention projects in order to improve access to mental health care.

Studies of chemokine receptors (CKR) in natural killer- (NK-) cells have already been published, but only a few gave detailed information on its differential expression on blood NK-cell subsets. We report on the expression of the inflammatory and homeostatic CKR on normal blood CD56+low CD16+ and CD56+high CD16-/+low NK-cells. Conventional CD56+low and CD56+high NK-cells present in the normal PB do express CKR for inflammatory cytokines, although with different patterns CD56+low NK-cells are mainly CXCR1/CXCR2+ and CXCR3/CCR5−/+, whereas mostly CD56+high NK-cells are CXCR1/CXCR2− and CXCR3/CCR5+. Both NK-cell subsets have variable CXCR4 expression and are CCR4− and CCR6−. The CKR repertoire of the CD56+low NK-cells approaches to that of neutrophils, whereas the CKR repertoire of the CD56+high NK-cells mimics that of Th1+ T cells, suggesting that these cells are prepared to migrate into inflamed tissues at different phases of the immune response. In addition, we describe a subpopulation of NK-cells with intermediate levels of CD56 expression, which we named CD56+int NK-cells. These NK-cells are CXCR3/CCR5+, they have intermediate levels of expression of CD16, CD62L, CD94, and CD122, and they are CD57− and CD158a−. In view of their phenotypic features, we hypothesize that they correspond to a transitional stage, between the well-known CD56+high and CD56+low NK-cells populations.

Abnormally low CD8+ T-lymphocyte numbers is characteristic of some patients with hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), a MHC-linked disorder of iron overload. Both environmental and genetic components are known to influence CD8+ T-lymphocyte homeostasis but the role of the HH associated protein HFE is still insufficiently understood. Genome-wide expression profiling was performed in peripheral blood CD8+ T lymphocytes from HH patients selected according to CD8+ T-lymphocyte numbers and from Hfe-/- mice maintained either under normal or high iron diet conditions. In addition, T-lymphocyte apoptosis and cell cycle progression were analyzed by flow cytometry in HH patients. HH patients with low CD8+ T-lymphocyte numbers show a differential expression of genes related to lymphocyte differentiation and maturation namely CCR7, LEF1, ACTN1, NAA50, P2RY8 and FOSL2, whose expression correlates with the relative proportions of naïve, central and effector memory subsets. In addition, expression levels of LEF1 and P2RY8 in memory cells as well as the proportions of CD8+ T cells in G2/M cell cycle phase are significantly different in HH patients compared to controls. Hfe-/- mice do not show alterations in CD8+ T-lymphocyte numbers but differential gene response patterns. We found an increased expression of S100a8 and S100a9 that is most pronounced in high iron diet conditions. Similarly, CD8+ T lymphocytes from HH patients display higher S100a9 expression both at the mRNA and protein level. Altogether, our results support a role for HFE as a negative regulator of CD8+ T-lymphocyte activation. While the activation markers S100a8 and S100a9 are strongly increased in CD8+ T cells from both, Hfe-/- mice and HH patients, a differential profile of genes related to differentiation/maturation of CD8+ T memory cells is evident in HH patients only. This supports the notion that HFE contributes, at least in part, to the generation of low peripheral blood CD8+ T lymphocytes in HH.

Heteroduplex mobility assay, single-stranded conformation polymorphism and nucleotide sequencing were utilised to genotype human parvovirus B19 samples from Brazil and Paraguay. Ninety-seven serum samples were collected from individuals presenting with abortion or erythema infectiosum, arthropathies, severe anaemia and transient aplastic crisis; two additional skin samples were collected by biopsy. After the procedure, all clinical samples were classified as genotype 1.

Objectivos: O presente estudo piloto debruça-se sobre a situação psicossocial de famílias com um membro com o síndrome de Williams, realçando como as famílias lidam com este síndrome no seu quotidiano. Métodos: Três famílias participaram no estudo de natureza qualitativa. Cada membro da família (mãe, pai, membro com o síndrome de Williams e irmão) foi entrevistado usando um guião especialmente desenvolvido para o projecto. As entrevistas foram documentadas em forma de relatório e interpretadas com referência ao modelo de stress de Schneewind e ao modelo ecológico de Brofenbrenner. Resultados: Os membros da família demonstraram diferentes modos de coping dependendo dos seus recursos pessoais e familiares, dos factores stressores e da percepção subjectiva do stressor. Contudo, verificou-se uma tendência comum de coping dentro de cada grupo de membros da família (grupo das mães, pais, membros com o síndrome de Williams e irmãos). Conclusões: Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de uma melhor compreensão das famílias com um membro com o síndrome de Williams, nomeadamente da perspectiva de cada membro da família incluindo o afectado pelo síndrome.

Fatores proteicos tem sido indentificados no plasma seminal de peixes e mamíferos e, em algumas situações, associados com indicadores de qualidade espermática. Entretanto, para o jundiá (Rhamdia quelen), tais fatores como aqueles com potenciais associações ainda não foram descritos. Os objetivos deste estudo foram de identificar alguns fatores proteicos presentes no plasma seminal do jundiá e avaliar suas associações com a motilidade espermática. Através de eletroforese do tipo SDS-PAGE foram identificadas 14 bandas proteicas com peso molecular entre 217.1 e 7.1 kDa. A motilidade espermática foi avaliada em 21 machos. Quatro bandas proteicas (81.5; 60.4; 33.6 e 25.5 kDa) foram detectadas em todas as amostras de plasma seminal analisadas. Uma banda proteica com peso molecular de 38.3 kDa foi associada com a baixa motilidade espermática no jundiá (P< 0,01), uma vez que foi detectada em 91.4% das amostras com motilidade menor que 80%. Estes resultados sugerem que esta banda proteica seminal associada com a baixa motilidade espermática poderá ser considerada como um potencial marcador bioquímico de qualidade seminal. Palavras-chaveS: Motilidade espermática, plasma seminal, proteínas, Rhamdia quelen, SDS-PAGE.