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Pleiotropy occurs when a genetic variant influences more than one trait. This is a key property of the genomic architecture of psychiatric disorders and has been observed for rare and common genomic variants. It is reasonable to hypothesize that the microscale genetic overlap (pleiotropy) across psychiatric conditions and cognitive traits may lead to similar overlaps at the macroscale brain level such as large-scale brain functional networks. We took advantage of brain connectivity, measured by resting-state functional MRI to measure the effects of pleiotropy on large-scale brain networks, a putative step from genes to behaviour. We processed nine resting-state functional MRI datasets including 32 726 individuals and computed connectome-wide profiles of seven neuropsychiatric copy-number-variants, five polygenic scores, neuroticism and fluid intelligence as well as four idiopathic psychiatric conditions. Nine out of 19 pairs of conditions and traits showed significant functional connectivity correlations (rFunctional connectivity), which could be explained by previously published levels of genomic (rGenetic) and transcriptomic (rTranscriptomic) correlations with moderate to high concordance: rGenetic—rFunctional connectivity = 0.71 [0.40–0.87] and rTranscriptomic—rFunctional connectivity = 0.83 [0.52; 0.94]. Extending this analysis to functional connectivity profiles associated with rare and common genetic risk showed that 30 out of 136 pairs of connectivity profiles were correlated above chance. These similarities between genetic risks and psychiatric disorders at the connectivity level were mainly driven by the overconnectivity of the thalamus and the somatomotor networks. Our findings suggest a substantial genetic component for shared connectivity profiles across conditions and traits, opening avenues to delineate general mechanisms—amenable to intervention—across psychiatric conditions and genetic risks.

RESUMO A intercompreensão como abordagem plurilíngue pode favorecer o desenvolvimento das multiliteracias4 dos estudantes surdos, integrando-os em um mundo multilíngue e multimodal. Este artigo se apoia na implementação, junto de estudantes surdos de Brasil e Portugal, de um Programa de Intercompreensão em Línguas com foco na leitura, que objetivou desenvolver as suas multiliteracias. O eixo psicológico do referencial que suporta o Programa envolve a abertura às línguas e à diversidade, motivação e confiança para lidar com o novo, a descoberta das relações entre línguas e a vontade de explorá-las. Os dados analisados provêm das videogravações das sessões do Programa; registros no diário da investigadora e atividades dos alunos. Os resultados indicam que construir sentidos em línguas pouco conhecidas pelos estudantes demandou investimento cognitivo e psicológico, no qual autoconfiança, disposição para arriscar e resiliência foram fundamentais. O diálogo, a multimodalidade do Programa e a combinação de modalidades linguísticas na comunicação favoreceram a mobilização e expansão dos repertórios dos participantes e o desenvolvimento das suas multiliteracias. ABSTRACT Intercomprehension as a multilingual approach can favor the development of the multiliteracies of the deaf and their integration in a multilingual and multimodal world. This article is based on the implementation, with deaf students from Brazil and Portugal, of a Language Intercomprehension Program focused on reading, which aimed at the development of their multiliteracies. The psychological axis of the framework that supports the Program involves aspects such as openness to languages and diversity, motivation and confidence to deal with the new, the discovery of the relations between languages, the willingness to explore them. The data analyzed come from video recordings of the sessions; records in the investigator’s journal; students’ activities. The results indicate that meaning-making in languages little known by students required effort and cognitive and psychological investment, in which self-confidence, willingness to risk and resilience were fundamental. Dialogue and valorization of all opinions, the multimodality of the Program and the combination of linguistic modalities in communication have encouraged the mobilization and expansion of the participants’ repertoires and the development of their multiliteracies.

BACKGROUND: Polygenicity and genetic heterogeneity pose great challenges for studying psychiatric conditions. Genetically informed approaches have been implemented in neuroimaging studies to address this issue. However, the effects on functional connectivity of rare and common genetic risks for psychiatric disorders are largely unknown. Our objectives were to estimate and compare the effect sizes on brain connectivity of psychiatric genomic risk factors with various levels of complexity: oligogenic copy number variants (CNVs), multigenic CNVs, and polygenic risk scores (PRSs) as well as idiopathic psychiatric conditions and traits.METHODS: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were processed using the same pipeline across 9 datasets. Twenty-nine connectome-wide association studies were performed to characterize the effects of 15 CNVs (1003 carriers), 7 PRSs, 4 idiopathic psychiatric conditions (1022 individuals with autism, schizophrenia, bipolar conditions, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), and 2 traits (31,424 unaffected control subjects).RESULTS: Effect sizes on connectivity were largest for psychiatric CNVs (estimates: 0.2-0.65 z score), followed by psychiatric conditions (0.15-0.42), neuroticism and fluid intelligence (0.02-0.03), and PRSs (0.01-0.02). Effect sizes of CNVs on connectivity were correlated to their effects on cognition and risk for disease (r = 0.9, p = 5.93 × 10-6). However, effect sizes of CNVs adjusted for the number of genes significantly decreased from small oligogenic to large multigenic CNVs (r = -0.88, p = 8.78 × 10-6). PRSs had disproportionately low effect sizes on connectivity compared with CNVs conferring similar risk for disease.CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity and polygenicity affect our ability to detect brain connectivity alterations underlying psychiatric manifestations.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease and anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis are the main causes of pulmonary-renal syndrome (PRS). The concurrence of both ANCA - myeloperoxidase (MPO) and proteinase 3 (PR3) - and anti-GBM antibodies has been described, although positivity for all three antibodies has rarely been reported. The natural history of triple-positive patients as well as the best therapeutic approach remains unknown. We describe a case of an 80-year-old woman that presented to the emergency department with a 3-month history of progressive fatigue, malaise and anorexia, and 5 weeks of cough with blood-streaked sputum and progressive peripheral edema. Through the complementary study, a rare diagnosis of PRS with triple-seropositive for both ANCA (MPO and PR3) and anti-GBM antibodies was made in a patient with untreated chronic hepatitis B virus infection. She was treated with glucocorticoid, cyclophosphamide, plasma exchange and entecavir, with pulmonary recovery. Renal function did not improve. After 2 years, the patient is still in dialysis, but did not have relapse of alveolar hemorrhage and ANCA and anti-GBM antibody titers remain negative. The authors intend to warn to PRS, in particular this rare cause, since delaying diagnosis can lead to significant morbidity and mortality for patients. J Med Cases. 2021;12(10):405-410 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc3742

Tese de doutoramento em Ciências da Saúde, O processo de regeneração da pele é bastante complexo e ordenado e, quando não progride adequadamente, leva ao aparecimento de feridas crónicas. As feridas crónicas são referidas como uma "epidemia silenciosa", afetando significativamente a qualidade de vida dos pacientes e implicando enormes custos financeiros. Existe, portanto, uma necessidade premente no tratamento eficaz de feridas crónicas, especialmente as infetadas. Embora os antibióticos sejam fundamentais no tratamento de infeção, a sua administração convencional, na maioria sistémica, apresenta sérias limitações como a reduzida difusão na ferida e, por conseguinte, reduzida eficácia, e os efeitos adversos sistémicos. Os sistemas de libertação de fármacos podem ajudar a ultrapassar estas limitações, sendo uma alternativa às terapias convencionais. Neste trabalho, foram desenvolvidas duas formulações de sistemas poliméricos para a libertação tópica e controlada de antibióticos no tratamento de feridas crónicas infetadas de diferente etiologia, nomeadamente a infeção oportunista de feridas diabéticas por Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina (MRSA), e a infeção primária por Mycobacterium ulcerans que causa a úlcera de Buruli. No modelo de infeção oportunista, a vancomicina e a clindamicina foram incorporadas em hidrogéis esponjosos de goma gelana (GG), enquanto no modelo de infeção primária, a rifampicina foi encapsulada em partículas de poli(hidroxibutirato-co-valerato), posteriormente incorporadas num hidrogel esponjoso de GG contendo estreptomicina. Ambas as formulações mostraram uma matriz porosa e interligada pela qual os antibióticos difundiram de forma controlada. A libertação controlada não afetou a atividade antibacteriana dos antibióticos, mas reduziu significativamente os efeitos citotóxicos dos antibióticos. Foi ainda otimizado um modelo de ratinho de feridas diabéticas infetadas por MRSA que apresentou características semelhantes à patofisiologia humana, através do qual foi testada a eficácia terapêutica dos hidrogéis esponjosos de GG contendo VAN e CLD. O tratamento com uma dose única destes hidrogéis permitiu reduzir a carga bacteriana das feridas, sem exacerbar a resposta inflamatória do hospedeiro. Embora seja ainda necessário otimizar as doses de antibióticos incorporados nas formulações poliméricas, bem como os modelos animais, as formulações desenvolvidas representam uma abordagem promissora para melhorar o tratamento de feridas crónicas infetadas., Skin wound healing is a complex and orchestrated process, that when fails to progress at an orderly and timely fashion leads to chronic wounds. Chronic wounds have been referred as the “silent epidemic” given the significant impairment on patients’ quality of life and the major financial costs that they represent. Effectively addressing chronic wounds is urgent, even more when infection is present. Antibiotics are crucial for treating infected chronic wounds, but conventional therapies, often administered systemically, present several drawbacks, such as poor biodistribution, limited effectiveness and undesirable adverse effects. In this regard, drug delivery systems (DDS) have emerged as an alternative strategy allowing to circumvent the limitations of conventional therapy. In this work, we developed two polymeric DDS for the topical and controlled delivery of antibiotics targeting infected chronic skin wounds of different etiology, namely opportunistic methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-infected diabetic wounds and primary wounds caused by infection by Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of Buruli ulcer. For the opportunistic model, vancomycin (VAN) and clindamycin (CLD) were incorporated in a gellan gum (GG)-based spongy-like hydrogel, while for the primary infection by M. ulcerans, rifampicin was first encapsulated in poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) microparticles and then embedded in a streptomycin-loaded hydrogel of GG. Both formulations showed a porous and crosslinked network from which antibiotics were released by diffusion, in a controlled pattern. Importantly, the in vitro antibacterial activity of antibiotics was not compromised by the incorporation in the DDS, but their in vitro cytotoxicity was significantly reduced through the controlled release. We also optimized a diabetic mouse model of MRSA-infected wounds that resembled human pathophysiology, which was employed to test the in vivo therapeutic potential of VAN/CLD-loaded GG-based spongy-like hydrogels. A single treatment with these hydrogels not only led to a significant reduction in bacterial burden of wounds, as also did not exacerbate the host inflammatory response. Although further optimization is still required regarding the antibiotic dose in the polymeric DDS as well as the in vivo models of disease, the results herein obtained showed that the developed formulations represent a promising approach to improve localized treatment of chronic wound infections., Financial support was provided by a grant UMINHO/BD/53/2017, through the project NORTE-08- 5369-FSE-000041 financed by the Operational Program NORTE 2020 and co-financed by the European Social Fund; and by National funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) - project UIDB/50026/2020 and UIDP/50026/2020.

Methamphetamine (Meth) is a powerful illicit psychostimulant, widely used for recreational purposes. Besides disrupting the monoaminergic system and promoting oxidative brain damage, Meth also causes neuroinflammation, contributing to synaptic dysfunction and behavioral deficits. Aberrant activation of microglia, the largest myeloid cell population in the brain, is a common feature in neurological disorders triggered by neuroinflammation. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the aberrant activation of microglia elicited by Meth in the adult mouse brain. We found that binge Meth exposure caused microgliosis and disrupted risk assessment behavior (a feature that usually occurs in individuals who abuse Meth), both of which required astrocyte-to-microglia crosstalk. Mechanistically, Meth triggered a detrimental increase of glutamate exocytosis from astrocytes (in a process dependent on TNF production and calcium mobilization), promoting microglial expansion and reactivity. Ablating TNF production, or suppressing astrocytic calcium mobilization, prevented Meth-elicited microglia reactivity and re-established risk assessment behavior as tested by elevated plus maze (EPM). Overall, our data indicate that glial crosstalk is critical to relay alterations caused by acute Meth exposure. This work was financed by FEDER—Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020 - Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT— Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência (FCT), Tecnologia e Ensino Superior in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030647 (PTDC/ SAU-TOX/30647/2017) in TS lab. FEDER Portugal (Norte-01-0145-FEDER000008000008—Porto Neurosciences and Neurologic Disease Research Initiative at I3S, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-021333). CCP and RS hold employment contracts financed by national funds through FCT –in the context of the program-contract described in paragraphs 4, 5, and 6 of art. 23 of Law no. 57/ 2016, of August 29, as amended by Law no. 57/2017 of July 2019. TC, TOA, AFT, JB, AIS and AM were supported by FCT (SFRH/BD/117148/2016, SFRH/BD/147981/2019, 2020.07188.BD, PD/BD/135450/2017, SFRH/BD/144324/2019, and IF/00753/2014). Work in JBR lab was supported by the FCT project PTDC/ MED-NEU/31318/2017. JFO was also supported by FCT projects PTDC/MED-NEU/31417/2017 and POCI-01- 0145-FEDER-016818; Bial Foundation Grants 207/14 and 037/18, by National funds, through FCT - project UIDB/50026/2020; and by the projects NORTE-01-0145-FEDER000013 and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000023, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Funding of i3S Scientific Platforms: Advanced Light Microscopy (ALM), a member of the national infrastructure PPBI-Portuguese Platform of BioImaging (POCI-01–0145-FEDER022122); and Genomics through GenomePT project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022184), supported by COMPETE 2020—Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization (POCI), Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa2020), Algarve Portugal Regional Operational Programme (CRESC Algarve2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by FCT.

To evaluate whether critical SARS-CoV-2 infection is more frequently associated with signs of corticospinal tract dysfunction and other neurological signs, symptoms, and syndromes, than other infectious pathogens.This was a prospective cohort study with consecutive inclusion of patients admitted to intensive care units due to primary infectious acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring invasive mechanical ventilation48 hours. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to three investigators for clinical evaluation, which encompassed the examination of signs of corticospinal tract dysfunction. Clinical data, including other neurological complications and possible predictors, were independently obtained from clinical records.We consecutively included 54 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, 27 due to SARS-CoV-2 and 27 due to other infectious pathogens. The groups were comparable in most characteristics. COVID-19 patients presented a significantly higher risk of neurological complications (RR = 1.98; 95%CI 1.23 - 3.26). Signs of corticospinal tract dysfunction tended to be more prevalent in COVID-19 patients (RR = 1.62; 95%CI 0.72 - 3.44).Our study is the first comparative analysis between SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious pathogens, in an intensive care unit setting, assessing neurological dysfunction. We report a significantly higher risk of neurological dysfunction among COVID-19 patients. As such, we suggest systematic screening for neurological complications in severe COVID-19 patients.Avaliar se a infecção grave pelo SARS-CoV-2 está mais comumente associada a sinais de disfunção do trato corticoespinhal e outros sinais, sintomas e síndromes neurológicas, em comparação com outros agentes infecciosos.Este foi um estudo de coorte prospectivo com inclusão consecutiva de doentes admitidos a unidades de cuidados intensivos devido a síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo infeccioso primário, com necessidade de ventilação mecânica invasiva por48 horas. Os doentes incluídos foram atribuídos aleatoriamente a três investigadores para a avaliação clínica, a qual incluía a pesquisa de sinais de disfunção do trato corticoespinhal. Os dados clínicos, incluindo outras complicações neurológicas e possíveis preditores, foram obtidos independentemente a partir dos registros clínicos.Foram incluídos consecutivamente 54 doentes com síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo, 27 devido a SARS-CoV-2 e 27 devido a outros agentes infecciosos. Os grupos eram comparáveis na maioria das características. Os doentes com COVID-19 apresentavam risco significativamente superior de complicações neurológicas (RR = 1,98; IC95% 1,23 - 3,26). Os sinais de disfunção do trato corticoespinhal tendiam a ser mais prevalentes em doentes com COVID-19 (RR = 1,62; IC95% 0,72 - 3,44).Este estudo foi a primeira análise comparativa visando avaliar disfunção neurológica, entre doentes com infecção SARS-CoV-2 e outros agentes infecciosos, em um contexto de unidade de cuidados intensivos. Reportamos um risco significativamente superior de disfunção neurológica em doentes com COVID-19. Como tal, sugere-se o rastreio sistemático de complicações neurológicas em doentes com COVID-19 crítico.

We aimed to evaluate the effect of previous cerebrovascular disease (CVD) on mortality rates of critically ill COVID-19 patients.A prospective cohort study was performed between May/2020 and May/2021, at a tertiary-care-center. We consecutively included adult patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) having as primary diagnosis Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome due to SARS-CoV-2, requiring invasive mechanical ventilation for48 h. We considered as exposure the diagnosis of previous CVD and as main outcome the in-ICU mortality.The study sample included 178 patients: 74.2% were males, with a mean age of 63 ± 12.4 years-old(yo). Previous CVD was documented in 17 patients (9.6%). During the study period, the mortality rate at ICU was of 33.1% (n = 59). The proportion of mortality at ICU was higher in patients with prior CVD (58.8% vs 30.4%; p = 0.02). Also, older patients (66 ± 11.4 yo vs. 62 ± 12.7 yo, p = 0.04) and those with higher score at SAPSII at ICU admission (47.8 ± 15.4 vs. 40.7 ± 15.9; p = 0.01) had a higher ICU deathrate. Patients with previous CVD had a 2.70 (95%CI = 1.36-5.39) higher likelihood of dying compared to those who had no previous CVD. After adjustment (for gender, age, SAPSII and total length of stay), multivariate Cox analysis revealed that previous CVD remained a strong predictor for in-ICU death in critically ill COVID-19 patients (HR = 2.51; 95%CI = 1.15-5.51).Previous CVD was significantly associated to higher mortality in critical COVID-19 patients. We suggest that, in patients with previous CVD, prioritization of vaccination strategies should be implemented alongst with higher surveillance when infected with SARS-CoV-2.

The pollen beetle Brassicogethes aeneus is a serious pest of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) in Europe. Management of this pest has grown difficult due to B. aeneus’s development of resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, as well as the pressure to establish control strategies that minimise the impact on nontarget organisms. RNA interference represents a nucleotide sequence-based, and thus potentially species-specific, approach to agricultural pest control. The present study examined the efficacy of targeting the coatomer gene coatomer subunit alpha (αCOP), via both microinjection and dietary exposure to exogenous complementary dsRNA, on αCOP-silencing and subsequent mortality in B. aeneus. Beetles injected with dsRNA targeting αCOP (at 0.14 µg/mg) showed 88% and 100% mortality at 6 and 10 days post-injection, respectively; where by the same time after dietary exposure, 43%–89% mortality was observed in the 3 µg dsRNA/µL treatment, though the effect was concentration-dependent. Thus, the effect was significant for both delivery routes. In working towards RNA-based management of B. aeneus, future studies should include αCOP as a target of interest.

The biosafety aspect of applying double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in crop pest management is rooted in dsRNA's mode of action, which displays nucleotide sequence-specificity to a particular region of a messenger RNA (mRNA), against which the insecticidal dsRNA is designed. This prominent and promising class of insecticides therefore has the potential to target a single pest species while conferring negligible effect on non-target organisms. Recent studies examining the effect of target-specific dsRNA in adults of the pollen beetle Brassicogethes aeneus, a major pest of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) crops in Europe, suggest the potential for developing a gene-silencing approach within integrated B. aeneus management. The present study examines the efficacy of target-specific dsRNA on target-mRNA silencing, and subsequent gene-silencing-induced mortality, in B. aeneus larvae, as this life stage represents a critical target for achieving optimal integrated B. aeneus control. Treatment applications occurred via feeding on dsRNA-treated anthers for 3 d. We observed variable gene-silencing efficacy, all target treatments having a significant or marginally significant effect after 3 d of dsRNA feeding, with greater variability at 6 d. These results further validated significant gene-silencing-induced mortality observed for one of the target treatments. Moreover, gene-silencing-induced mortality occurred at a quicker rate in B. aeneus larvae compared to what has been previously observed in B. aeneus adults. Finally, we consider refinements that must be made to B. aeneus larval bioassay setups to promote and strengthen future larval studies regarding this important crop pest species.

Objetivo: Avaliar a eficacia dos corticoides sistemicos (CS) no tratamento da artrite gotosa aguda (AGA) e os seus beneficios face as terapeuticas classicas nomeadamente a colchicina e os anti-inflamatorios nao esteroides (AINEs). Fontes de dados: MEDLINE e sitios de medicina baseada na evidencia. Metodos de revisao: Pesquisa de normas de orientacao clinica (NOC), revisoes sistematicas (RS), ensaios clinicos aleatorizados e controlados (ECAC) e meta-analises (MA), publicados entre junho/2007 e junho/2017, utilizando os termos MeSH glucocorticoids , gout suppressants , adrenal cortex hormones , acute disease , gout e hyperuricemia . Para avaliar o nivel de evidencia, foi aplicada a escala Strenght of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT), da American Family Physician. Resultados: Foram obtidos 731 artigos, selecionando-se oito NOC, quatro RS e tres ECAC. As NOC referem melhoria da sintomatologia da AGA com o uso de CS, AINEs ou colchicina, divergindo nas recomendacoes relativamente a terapeutica de primeira linha mais adequada. Se por um lado alguns estudos mencionam uma melhoria mais significativa da sintomatologia com o uso de CS, principalmente nos primeiros dias de tratamento, por outro lado citam-nos como tao efetivos quanto o tratamento classico. De uma forma geral, todos referem mais efeitos secundarios nos doentes tratados com AINEs em comparacao com os CS. Conclusoes: Os CS, os AINEs e a colchicina sao todos efetivos na gestao terapeutica da AGA. No entanto, os CS apresentam superioridade relativamente aos AINES no que respeita a seguranca. Desta forma, a escolha do agente para o tratamento da AGA deve ser determinada com base no perfil do doente.

Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) represent a promising class of biosafe insecticidal compounds. We examined the ability to induce RNA interference (RNAi) in the pollen beetle Brassicogethes aeneus via anther feeding, and compared short-term (3 d) to chronic (17 d) feeding of various concentrations of dsRNA targeting αCOP (dsαCOP). In short-term dsαCOP feeding, only the highest concentration resulted in significant reductions in B. aeneus survival; whereas in chronic dsαCOP feeding, all three concentrations resulted in significant mortality. Chronic dsαCOP feeding also resulted in significantly greater mortality compared to short-term feeding of equivalent dsαCOP concentrations. Our results have implications for the economics and development of dsRNA spray approaches for managing crop pests, in that multiple lower-concentration dsRNA spray treatments across crop growth stages may result in greater pest management efficacy, compared to single treatments using higher dsRNA concentrations. Furthermore, our results highlight the need for research into the development of RNAi cultivars for oilseed rape protection, given the enhanced RNAi efficacy resulting from chronic, compared to short-term, dsRNA feeding in B. aeneus., Jonathan Willow et al. use dsαCOP-treated anthers to examine RNAi efficacy against pollen beetle, a major pest of oilseed rape. The authors found that chronic feeding resulted in significantly greater mortality compared to short-term feeding; and significant silencing of αCOP was detected only in beetles chronically exposed to dsαCOP.

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia e Gestão Industrial, Com a crescente competitividade do mercado, todas as indústrias têm sentido a necessidade de se adaptarem, reduzindo os seus prazos de entrega e aumentando o grau de personalização dos seus artigos. Assim, cada vez mais se tornam comuns ambientes de grande diversidade de artigos e de customização em massa. Estes são caracterizados pelo elevado grau de diversidade de artigos, resultando numa elevada quantidade de informação que as empresas têm de processar em tempos diminutos. É aqui que se foca o principal problema do projeto: como processar e disponibilizar a informação dos artigos, das listas de materiais e dos roteiros de fabrico de forma adequada, bem como reduzir o esforço por parte do utilizador na introdução e controlo de dados. A gestão de informação de artigos (do inglês Product Data Managment), normalmente é responsável por gerar e disponibilizar dados aos sistemas de planeamento e controlo da produção que permitem uma maior eficiência nos processos de planeamento de necessidades de materiais e capacidades, garantindo uma resposta atempada às encomendas dos clientes e correspondente às previsões realizadas. Estas áreas funcionais ganham uma importância acrescida com a necessidade de gerir a informação relativa à crescente quantidade e diversidade de artigos. O trabalho desenvolvido neste projeto de dissertação teve como objetivo analisar e propor melhorias aos fluxos de informação na gestão de encomendas no planeamento da produção de uma empresa do setor têxtil, focada no vestuário técnico-profissional. Inicialmente, foi analisado o fluxo de informação entre as diferentes funções na gestão de uma encomenda. De seguida, foram analisados os procedimentos e a forma como as funções de gestão de informação de artigos e de planeamento e controlo da produção são executadas na empresa em conjunto com o software informático. Os pontos de melhoria sugeridos têm em vista reduzir os tempos e os erros no processamento e manipulação da informação. Foram propostas alterações no fluxo de informação entre departamentos, sugeridas regras de codificação de artigos, alterações nas listas de materiais do produto acabado e a criação de um modelo de gama operatória com o intuito de apoiar e melhorar os processos já existentes., With the increasing competitiveness of the market, all industries have felt the need to adapt, reducing their delivery times and increasing the degree of customization of their items. Thus, more and more mass customization environments become common. These are characterized by the high degree of diversity of articles, resulting in a high amount of information that companies must process in short periods. That is where the main problem of the project focuses: how to process and transmit the information about the articles adequately, as well as to reduce the user's effort in entering and controlling data. Product Data Management is usually responsible for generating and making data available to production planning and control systems that enable greater efficiency in material and capacity requirements planning processes, ensuring timely response to customer orders and corresponding to forecasts. These functional areas gain increased importance with the need to manage information on the growing number and diversity of articles. The work developed in this dissertation project aimed to improve the order management process of a company in the textile sector focused on technical-professional clothing. Initially, the information flow between the different areas was analysed when managing an order. Secondly, the procedures and the way in which the article information management and planning and control functions were analysed together with the applicability of the computer software used. The suggested improvement points are to reduce the times and errors in the processing and manipulation of information. Changes have been advanced, in the flow of information between departments, suggested product codification rules, changes to the bills of materials of the finished product and the creation of a bill of operations model plan to support and improve existing processes.

Simple SummaryAn ecologically sustainable strategy for managing the pollen beetle Brassicogethes aeneus, a key pest of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) in Europe, is greatly needed. Gene silencing via RNA interference, through sprayed applications of target-specific double-stranded RNA, represents a potential alternative to conventional insecticides. We used dsRNA designed to target a vital gene in this pollen beetle species and allowed the beetles to feed on dsRNA-coated oilseed rape buds. We observed a significant silencing of the target gene; and this was followed by a significant, albeit delayed, reduction in pollen beetle survival rate. Further experiments are necessary in order to better understand the potential for developing a dsRNA-spray approach to pollen beetle management.Spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) is a potential strategy for agricultural pest management, whereby nucleotide sequence-specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) can be sprayed onto a crop; the desired effect being a consumption of dsRNA by the target pest, and subsequent gene silencing-induced mortality. Nucleotide sequence-specificity is the basis for dsRNA's perceived biosafety. A biosafe approach to pollen beetle (Brassicogethes aeneus) management in oilseed rape (Brassica napus) agroecosystems is needed. We examined the potential for SIGS in B. aeneus, via bud feeding, a field-relevant dsRNA exposure route. Oilseed rape buds were uniformly treated with dsRNA designed to target alpha COP in B. aeneus. Our model control dsRNA (dsGFP) remained detectable on buds throughout the entire 3 d exposure period. When applied at 5 mu g/mu L, ds alpha COP induced significant alpha COP silencing 3 d after dietary exposure to buds treated with this ds alpha COP concentration. We also observed a trend of increased alpha COP silencing with increasing concentrations of ds alpha COP at both 3 and 6 d. Furthermore, we observed a marginally significant and significant reduction in B. aeneus survival at 10 and 15 d, respectively. Our results suggest potential for developing a SIGS approach to B. aeneus management-though further experiments are needed to more fully understand this potential.

Invasive ventilation is often necessary for the treatment of newborn infants with respiratory insufficiency. The neonatal patient has unique physiological characteristics such as small airway caliber, few collateral airways, compliant chest wall, poor airway stability, and low functional residual capacity. Pathologies affecting the newborn’s lung are also different from many others observed later in life. Several different ventilation modes and strategies are available to optimize mechanical ventilation and to prevent ventilator-induced lung injury. Important aspects to be considered in ventilating neonates include the use of correct sized endotracheal tube to minimize airway resistance and work of breathing, positioning of the patient, the nursing care, respiratory kinesiotherapy, sedation and analgesia, and infection prevention, namely, the ventilator-associated pneumonia and nosocomial infection, as well as prevention and treatment of complications such as air leaks and pulmonary hemorrhage. Aspects of ventilation in patients under ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) and in palliative care are of increasing interest nowadays. Online pulmonary mechanics and function testing as well as capnography are becoming more commonly used. Echocardiography is now a routine in most neonatal units. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is an attractive tool potentially helping in preventing intraventricular hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia. Lung ultrasound is an emerging tool of diagnosis and can be of added value in helping monitoring the ventilated neonate. The aim of this scientific literature review is to address relevant aspects concerning the respiratory care and monitoring of the invasively ventilated newborn in order to help physicians to optimize the efficacy of care.

Submitted by Paulo Moreira (paulomoreira@esmae.ipp.pt) on 2019-12-10T14:51:09Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Ana_Teixeira_MEM_2019.pdf: 1112368 bytes, checksum: 816c4a381d99148d0902d45da9a11966 (MD5) Ana_Teixeira_MEM_2019_Anexos.pdf: 9362073 bytes, checksum: dc90717a61082de800362d03fdb6f505 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2019-12-10T14:51:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Ana_Teixeira_MEM_2019.pdf: 1112368 bytes, checksum: 816c4a381d99148d0902d45da9a11966 (MD5) Ana_Teixeira_MEM_2019_Anexos.pdf: 9362073 bytes, checksum: dc90717a61082de800362d03fdb6f505 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-11-27 Restored into DSpace on 2021-10-06T13:17:32Z (GMT).

Relatório de Estágio apresentado ao Instituto Politécnico do Porto para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Gestão das Organizações, Ramo de Gestão de Empresas Submitted by Iolanda Valente (ivalente@iscap.ipp.pt) on 2019-03-29T15:36:07Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana_Costa_MGO_2018_Gestão de empresas.pdf: 2143877 bytes, checksum: 8851da07ee06db791490c97eaf622e71 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2019-03-29T15:36:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana_Costa_MGO_2018_Gestão de empresas.pdf: 2143877 bytes, checksum: 8851da07ee06db791490c97eaf622e71 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-02-13

Em Portugal, a motivação para a leitura no Ensino Básico concilia o compromisso com a literatura, aliança plasmada nos documentos curriculares em vigor, no domínio “Educação Literária”. Para tal, contribui o modo como os futuros professores planificam as atividades relativas a esse domínio. Assim, o nosso estudo tem como objetivo compreender: i) que repercussões poderão ter tais planificações na reconstrução do perfil de leitor do seu futuro público; ii) que aspetos da sua formação merecem atenção, à luz da operacionalização de tais práticas de leitura; iii) qual o papel que atribuem à “Educação Literária”, em contexto de sala de aula. Participaram 4 futuros professores inscritos na unidade curricular de Prática de Ensino Supervisionada, integrada no plano de estudos do Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico. Optamos por uma abordagem de natureza qualitativa, tendo como referencial metodológico o estudo de caso múltiplo. Os instrumentos a que recorremos foram 24 planificações individuais elaboradas pelos futuros professores, destinadas ao 2.º ano de escolaridade. Concluímos que concedem relevo à literatura em contexto educativo, tendo dificuldades em selecionar e em implementar algumas estratégias de desenvolvimento de compreensão na leitura que contribuam para uma maior fruição dos textos literários. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Objective To access the benefits or harms of an exercise program, based on the current American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines, on the mode of delivery, duration and onset of labor. Methods A study performed at the Hospital Senhora da Oliveira between October 2015 and February 2017. This was a quasi-experimental study involving 255 women divided into two groups: an intervention group engaged in a controlled and supervised exercise program during pregnancy (n ¼ 99), and a control group that did not participate in the exercise program (n ¼ 156). Data were collected in two stages: during the 1st trimester biochemical screening (before the beginning of the program), through a written questionnaire, and after delivery, from the medical files of the patients. The significance level in the present study was 5% (p ¼ 0.05). Results The control group had higher odds of induced labor (odds ratio [OR] 2.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.42–5.17; p ¼ 0.003), when compared with women who underwent the intervention. No differences were found between the groups in instrumental vaginal deliveries, cesarean rate, time until the beginning of the active phase, duration of the active phase, and duration of the second stage of labor. Conclusion The implementation of a controlled and supervised exercise program in pregnancy was associated with significantly lower odds of induced deliveries. Objetivo Avaliar o efeito de um programa de exercícios na gravidez (baseado nas recomendações do American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) na via, duração e início do trabalho de parto. Métodos Estudo realizado no Hospital Senhora da Oliveira entre outubro de 2015 e fevereiro de 2017. Trata-se de um estudo quasi-experimental com 255 grávidas, divididas em dois grupos: grupo de intervenção, constituído por mulheres que, Objetivo Avaliar o efeito de um programa de exercícios na gravidez (baseado nas recomendações do American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) na via, duração e início do trabalho de parto. Métodos Estudo realizado no Hospital Senhora da Oliveira entre outubro de 2015 e fevereiro de 2017. Trata-se de um estudo quasi-experimental com 255 grávidas, divididas em dois grupos: grupo de intervenção, constituído por mulheres que participaram de um programa controlado e supervisionado de exercícios físicos (n ¼ 99), e um grupo de controle, formado por grávidas que não participaram do programa de exercícios (n ¼ 156). Os dados foram colhidos em dois momentos: durante o rastreio bioquímico do primeiro trimestre (antes do início do programa), através de um questionário escrito, e após o parto, através da consulta do processo clínico da paciente. O nível de significância estatística adotado neste projeto foi de 5% (p ¼ 0,05). Resultados O grupo controle apresentou maior probabilidade de indução do trabalho de parto (razão de chances [RC] 2,71; intervalo de confiança [IC] 95%: 1,42–5,17; p ¼ 0,003) quando comparado com o grupo de intervenção. Não foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os dois grupos em relação à via de parto, tempo até início da fase ativa, duração da fase ativa e duração do segundo estadio do trabalho de parto. Conclusão A implementação de um programa de exercícios controlado e supervisionado na gravidez foi associada a uma probabilidade significativamente menor de indução do trabalho de parto., Este trabalho foi financiado por Fundos Nacionais através da FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) e cofinanciado pelo Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) através do COMPETE 2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) no âmbito do CIEC (Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança da Universidade do Minho) com a referência POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007562., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The Portuguese Railway Infrastructure Manager Company (IP) has a long tradition in inspection, maintenance and rehabilitation of railway bridges and tunnels in Portugal.The origin of the construction of most of the Tunnels is associated to the date of execution of the railway lines, reason why the great majority of the tunnels existing in the network are centenarian structures. On the other hand, the majority of the bridges in exploration are more than 100 years old. These situations require permanent monitoring, as well as the development of preventive and corrective actions.Only an adequate maintenance strategy has ensured normal service conditions in centenary structures, maintaining them at the expected capacity level and ensuring that rail traffic operates unrestrictedly and in expected comfort and speeds.The existence of a well-founded Asset Management Plan is extremely important for the infrastructure management activity. The ability to develop an articulated set of actions and costs based on the actual needs of the assets, with the corresponding programming and expected performances with their realization, is fundamental for the infrastructure manager.The main objective of this paper is to describe the maintenance strategy followed by IP, and to present some experience in rehabilitation and maintenance works.