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This document describes the new technological alternatives in personal protection systems and equipment proposed and implemented in industries due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. System developments include devices that employ Machine Vision database connectivity and act as support for controlling workers' industrial safety. Advances in personal protective equipment include modern materials with better performance, strength, and benefits for its users. An exhaustive review of scientific articles was carried out in which current developments in the two themes raised are presented and have been reflected and described in this document. It is concluded that the use of Vision and Artificial Intelligence is more frequent for the control of industrial security and is better adapted and aligned with Industry 4.0, allowing the acquisition of data, transmission, and storage in databases of information.

An Ebook about Collaborative Projects for VET

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are a promising technology of fish production to reduce aquaculture environmental impact. Water recirculation relies on the stability of physical, chemical and biological processes to increase biosecurity. Although, disruptions in RAS systems can cause fish disease outbreaks by opportunistic pathogenic bacteria with an economic impact. The aim of this study was to characterize the water microbiota across the different sectors of a flatfish (Solea senegalensis) RAS unit, and understand its relation with the water quality parameters. Analysis was focused on the beneficial microbial community for a better environmental sustainability, but also on the opportunistic agents that threaten the fish welfare. Water samples were collected from four sectors at different filtration stages. For microbial diversity, DNA was extracted from the water samples, sequenced by Illumina MiSeq® and sequences output analyzed by SilvaNGS. Results show that Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the most abundant phyla, and potential pathogenic bacteria were detected. They also indicate that salinity shifts can affect the structure of the bacterial community.

Akkermansia muciniphila is a Gram-negative intestinal anaerobic bacterium recently proposed as a novel probiotic candidate to be incorporated in food and pharmaceutical forms. Despite its multiple health benefits, the data addressing its antimicrobial susceptibility profile remain scarce. However, the absence of acquired resistance in probiotic strains is a compulsory criterion for its approval in the qualified presumption of safety list. This study aimed at characterizing the A. muciniphila DSM 22959 strain’s antimicrobial susceptibility profile using phenotypic and in silico approaches. To establish the phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility profile of this strain, minimum inhibitory concentrations of eight antimicrobials were determined using broth microdilution and E-test methods. Additionally, the A. muciniphila DSM 22959 genome was screened using available databases and bioinformatics tools to identify putative antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG), virulence factors (VF), genomic islands (GI), and mobile genetic elements (MGE). The same categorization was obtained for both phenotypic methods. Resistance phenotype was observed for gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, and ciprofloxacin, which was supported by the genomic context. No evidence was found of horizontal acquisition or potential transferability of the identified ARG and VF. Thus, this study provides new insights regarding the phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the probiotic candidate A. muciniphila DSM 22959.

In the last years, the scientific community has recognized that specific microbial strains resident in the intestinal ecosystem play a key role in human health, participating in several functions beneficial to the host. Such microorganisms have been termed as next-generation probiotics and they are presently considered as food/nutraceutical supplements and biotherapeutic products. However, most of the next-generation probiotic candidates are nutritionally demanding and highly sensitive to aerobic conditions, which translates into several technological challenges concerning large-scale production and appeals to the development of suitable delivery systems able to promote viability and functionality of such probiotic strains. In this chapter, we will present an overall perspective of next-generation probiotics candidates in terms of their health beneficial effects, the delivery systems developed and employed to protect them, and related regulation framework and risk assessment targeting relevant criteria for commercialization in food and pharmaceutical markets.

In this work a comparative study of the chemical composition and potential biological activity of high molecular weight (HMW) melanoidins isolated from instant soluble coffee (ISC) and instant soluble barley (ISB) was performed. ISB HMW melanoidins were almost exclusively composed by an ethanol soluble (EtSn) melanoidin fraction composed by glucose (76% w/w) partially susceptible to in vitro digestion, whereas ISC was composed mainly by arabinogalactans (~41% w/w) and lower amounts of galactomannans (~14% w/w) presenting a range of ethanol solubilities and resistant to in vitro digestion. Melanoidins from ISC presented a significantly higher content of condensed phenolic compounds (17/100 g) when compared to ISB (8/100 g) showing also a higher in vitro scavenging of ABTS•+ (329 mmol Trolox/100 g vs. 124 mmol Trolox/100 g) and NO radicals (inhibition percentage of 57 and 26%, respectively). Nevertheless, ISB EtSn melanoidins presented, on average a higher inhibitory effect on NO production from LPS-stimulated macrophages. ISB melanoidins, up to 1 mg/mL, did not induce toxicity in Caco-2, HepG2 and RAW 264.7 cell lines while at the highest concentration ISC slightly reduced cell viability. Thus, consumption of a diet rich in ISC and ISB melanoidins may reduce the oxidative stress, the inflammatory levels and increase the protective effects against chronic inflammatory diseases.

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a resident anaerobic bacterium commonly found in healthy gut microbiota, has been proposed as a next generation probiotic with high potential for application in food matrices and pharmaceutical formulations. Despite its recognized health benefits, detailed information regarding its antimicrobial susceptibility profile is still lacking. However, this information is crucial to determine its safety, since the absence of acquired antimicrobial resistance is required to qualify a probiotic candidate as safe for human and animal consumption. Herein, the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of F. prausnitzii DSM 17677 strain was evaluated by integrating both phenotypic and in silico data. Phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated by determining minimum inhibitory concentrations of 9 antimicrobials using broth microdilution and E-test® methods. Also, the whole genome of F. prausnitzii DSM 17677 was analysed, using several databases and bioinformatics tools, to identify possible antibiotic resistance genes (ARG), genomic islands (GI) and mobile genetic elements (MGE). With exception of erythromycin, the same classification (susceptible or resistant) was obtained in both broth microdilution and E-test® methods. Phenotypic resistance to ampicillin, gentamycin, kanamycin and streptomycin were detected, which was supported by the genomic context. Other ARG were also identified but they seem not to be expressed under the tested conditions. F. prausnitzii DSM 17677 genome contains 24 annotated genes putatively involved in resistance against the following classes of antimicrobials: aminoglycosides (such as gentamycin, kanamycin and streptomycin), macrolides (such as erythromycin), tetracyclines and lincosamides. The presence of putative ARG conferring resistance to β-lactams could only be detected using a broader homology search. The majority of these genes are not encoded within GI or MGE and no plasmids were reported for this strain. Despite the fact that most genes are related with general resistance mechanisms, a streptomycin-specific ARG poses the only potential concern identified. This specific ARG is encoded within a GI and a MGE, meaning that it could have been laterally acquired and might be transferred to other bacteria present in the same environment. Thus, our findings provide relevant insights regarding the phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance profiles of the probiotic candidate F. prausnitzii DSM 17677.

Nanotechnology is a fast-rising industry not defined by a single field of research, but as the convergence of disciplines, such as chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, and engineering, which exploits the benefits of nanoscale dimensions and characteristics for application in the macroworld. Current applications vary widely from nanorobotic industry to simple household items. However, the combination of such phenomena with probiotic science, another emerging and potentially promising area for the prevention and treatment of several human gastrointestinal and extraintestinal disorders using beneficial microorganisms, gives birth to “nanoprobiotics,” a field that focuses on the application of nanoscience into the probiotic-related world. In this chapter, we will navigate through the basic nanotech and probiotic knowledge and the current technologies employed with success for probiotic delivery and, ultimately, discuss what possibilities lie ahead in the nanoprobiotic future.

The integration of studies from fields, such as geomorphology, palynology, history, archaeology and phytogeography, enables assessing the genesis and evolution of the most prominent Portuguese sand spit—the Troia Peninsula. Data suggests that the spit has formed from Grimaldian dunes converted into barrier islands during the Holocene transgression, and coalesced by the accumulation of sediments transported by the northbound longshore drift. The Troia Peninsula is integrated in one of the most important Portuguese natural protected areas. It holds a set of flora and vegetation of paramount relevance towards protection and conservation in accordance with the Natura 2000 Network. Its position acts as a barrier against the Atlantic Ocean, having allowed the development of the Sado estuary lagoon, which contains mud flats and salt marsh ecosystems, habitats for a wide range of flora and fauna, some of which with special protection status. The Troia Peninsula forms indeed a natural protective barrier for the Natural Reserve of the Sado Estuary. The genesis of the peninsula, discussed in the present work, combined with the fact that it is made up exclusively of sand, make it very vulnerable to environmental changes, including sea level rise.

Uterine leiomyosarcoma is a rare malignant neoplasm, with a very poor prognosis and higher prevalence in pre- and peri-menopause. It accounts for only 1-2% of uterine malignancies. We report the case of a 75-year-old postmenopausal woman, who presented a large abdominal mass, compatible with uterine leiomyoma. She underwent total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy obtaining a surgical piece weighing 9820g. The diagnosis of Uterine leiomyosarcoma is made by histopathological examination after surgery. This clinical case demonstrates that it is essential to bear in mind a possible diagnosis of malignancy to reduce the prevalence of occult Uterine leiomyosarcoma.

The present study reports for the first time the identification and quantification of phenolic compounds, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities as well as the in vitro radical scavenging activity and intestinal cell effects of A. arguta leaves extracts. Extractions were carried out under water, water:ethanol (50:50) and ethanol. The highest antioxidant activity were obtained in alcoholic extract (IC50 = 53.95 ± 3.09 μg/mL for DPPH; 6628.42 ± 382.49 µmol/mg dry weight basis for FRAP) while the phenolic profile confirmed by HPLC analysis revealed highest amounts of phenolic acids (hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives) and flavonoids (flavan-3-ol and flavonols derivatives). An excellent scavenging activity against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species were determined for all extracts as well as no adverse effects on Caco-2 and HT29-MTX cells in concentrations below 100 μg/mL and 1000 μg/mL, respectively. These results highlight the potentialities of hardy kiwi leaves valorization.

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.

The interest on salt marsh recovery and habitat restoration started to be associated with rapid changes in erosion and accretion rates endangering the human communities that live in the borderline salt marsh (Boorman et al., 2002; Doody, 2013). Lowlying areas left by successive embankments and land reclamation over centuries fail in the absorption of wave energy and in the capacity to accommodate flooding. These aspects started to be valued in a context of climate change, particularly rising sea levels, and these concerns, in the first phase, have led to the construction of breakwater structures (Elliot et al., 2007; Doody, 2013). Nevertheless, these hard measures started to degrade and sustainability issues arose whenever breakwaters and groins needed repairing or reconstruction (Esteves, 2013). info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Rubber ( Hevea brasiliensis ) growing in Latin America is severely limited by South American Leaf Blight, a disease caused by the Ascomycete fungus Microcyclus ulei , recently renamed Pseudocercospora ulei . Sustainable ways of controlling it may be genetic, using resistant cultivars, or may consist in seeking so-called “escape zones”, where disease incidence is low thanks to climatic conditions unsuitable for the fungus. After identifying one such zone on the Pacific coast of Ecuador, between 2006 and 2014 we used an 8.2 ha trial to compare the agronomic performance of ten rubber clones originating from Asia and Africa. The study focused on tree growth, susceptibility to the disease and clone phenology. For most of the assessed clones, the results obtained over 8 months showed good adaptability and a good agronomic performance during the immature period, so that tapping could begin on the earliest trees at 6½ years. An examination of the monthly values for climatic factors such as rainfall, relative humidity, minimum temperature and dew point temperature, showed that conditions during the dry season, which lasted 5 months, were detrimental to P. ulei fungus development, even though the mean relative humidity of the driest months did not fall below 75%. In addition, between September and December, the minimum temperature remained above the dew point temperature, preventing dew formation on the leaf surface. These conditions enabled the trees to complete their natural refoliation without any risk of parasite pressure, and to conserve a foliar density over 90% up to natural defoliation the following year. The results obtained during the early growing phase, i.e. the immature phase, confirmed the suitability of this zone for rubber growing, especially for materials with a high yield potential, despite their known susceptibility to the disease. These escape zones consequently offer an undeniable alternative for developing rubber, due to a low phytosanitary risk arising from P. ulei .

In recent years, scientific community has been gathering increasingly more insight on the dynamics that are at play in metabolic and inflammatory disorders. These rapidly growing conditions are reaching epidemic proportions, bringing clinicians and researcher’s new challenges. The specific roles and modulating properties that beneficial/probiotic bacteria hold in the context of the gut ecosystem seem to be key to avert these inflammatory and diet-related disorders. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Akkermansia muciniphila and Eubacterium hallii have been identified as candidates for next generation probiotics (NGPs) with exciting potential for the prevention and treatment of such of dysbiosis-associated diseases. The challenges of these non-conventional native gut bacteria lie mainly on their extreme sensitivity to O2 traces. If these strains are to be used successfully in food, supplements or drugs they need to be stable and active in humans. In the present review, we present an overall perspective of the most updated scientific literature on the newly called NGPs through the 5W1H (What, Why, Who, Where, When, and How) method, an innovative and attractive problem-solving approach that provides the reader an effective understanding of the issue at hand.

Estuaries and coastal lagoons are naturally stressed and highly variable ecosystems, and are also frequently exposed to strong anthropogenic pressures. Such pressures can be particularly pronounced in small systems such as the Ria de Alvor, a small tidal lagoon in southern Portugal. The Ria de Alvor is a priority area for conservation, being a RAMSAR wetland of international importance since 1996 and is part of the European Ecological Network, Natura 2000 . Nevertheless, intensive anthropogenic uses exert increasing pressures on its ecological features, causing stresses and challenges which are addressed in this paper. The resources that the Ria de Alvor provides are both marine and terrestrial in nature, and are subject to various kinds of exploitation. Urban, industrial and tourist developments, as well as agriculture and animal rearing, have resulted in habitat loss and change, altered morphology and hydrodynamics, and the discharge of effluents into the system. This paper reviews the key features and issues existing in the Ria and highlights the need for more research into this and other small estuaries and their management.

Em O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo, Jose Saramago se propoe a recontar a historia mais arquiconhecida da sociedade ocidental: a vida de Cristo.E criada uma parodia dos Evangelhos canonicos e constroi-se uma critica nao so a Igreja, mas a toda tradicao crista. A parodia religiosa e dos pontos crucias da narrativa, nosso artigo volta-se para analise da figura responsavel por conduzir o leitor por essa nova historia de Cristo: o narrador. Nosso objetivo e tracar o perfil do narrador de O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo e para isso iremos nos basear nas teorias Gerard Genette. Tambem exploraremos suas caracteristicas baseados em conceitos teoricos como a parodia e ironia, norteados pelos estudos de Linda Hutcheon sobre a parodia moderna.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Background: High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) remains essential to improve the outcome of patients in sudden cardiorespiratory arrest. Feedback on performance is a crucial component of the learning processes associated with simulation and has been shown to improve CPR quality during simulated cardiac arrest on mannequins. This study aims to evaluate skills acquisition using a new low-cost feedback device for CPR self-training when compared to standard training methods. Methods: Thirty-nine pregraduated medical and biomedical engineering students were recruited for a longitudinal double-blinded randomized control study. For training Basic Life Support skills, the control group used a standard task-trainer and received feedback from an instructor. The intervention group used the same standard task-trainer, instrumented with the CPR Personal Trainer that provided automated performance feedback (with no instructor) on compression-related parameters. Students’ knowledge and skills were assessed before and after training, through a theoretical knowledge test and 2 minutes of CPR practical performance. Results: The theoretical tests showed an improvement both in the intervention and in the control group. For each compression-related parameters (hands position, recoil, rate, and depth), significant increase in scores is observed, between the pre- and the post-test, in both groups. The intervention and control groups presented identical mean differences for the total score (0.72 vs 0.72), with no statistical difference (P = 0.754). Conclusions: The proposed tool proved to be effective in the acquisition of compression-related skills, with similar outcomes as the traditional instructor-based method, corroborating the hypothesis that a low-cost tool with feedback for CPR self-training can provide an alternative or a complementary extension to traditional training methods. The system can also be considered cost-efficient as it reduces the permanent presence of an instructor for the chest compressions training, promoting regular training outside formal training courses.

Submitted by Isabel Gomes (itg@lisboa.ucp.pt) on 2018-11-05T12:04:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DianaSilva_152116190_MasterThesisFinalDocument.pdf: 3128696 bytes, checksum: c19e15931c37595a8fed69944ae60970 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-05T12:04:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DianaSilva_152116190_MasterThesisFinalDocument.pdf: 3128696 bytes, checksum: c19e15931c37595a8fed69944ae60970 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-10-22

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Dysmenorrhea or pain during menstruation is the most common gynaecological complaint among adolescents and college students. A good majority of patients with dysmenorrhea also experience pre - menstrual symptoms ( PMS ) . The objective of this cross s ectional study was to assess prevalence of dysmennorhea , PMS , college absenteeism and knowledge attitudes and practices relating to the same among college going students between the age of 18 to 26 years. METHODS: A cross s ectional analysis of a total of 420 students using questionnaires related to dysmenorrhea was done . The questionnaire dealt with the regularity of menstrual cycles , occurrence of dysmenorrhea , college absenteeism , premenstrual symptoms and lifestyle attributes of the students. RESULTS: The prevalence of dysmenorrhea of varying degrees was found to be as high as 97 percent . Dysmennorhea was seen in 45.8 percent of students with regular cycles and 97.7 percent of students with irregular cycles. 47.5 percentage of students missed their college working days due to menstruation related complaints. Among the students who had pre - menstrual syndrome , majority of them revealed life style attributes like eating fast food and also consuming over the counter pain medicines. Also psychological and emotional changes were commonly seen during the premenstrual phase. CONCLUSION: This study showed that though dysmennorhea of varying degrees is widely prevalent among college going students , the prevalence of pre - menstrual syndrome was higher. The study suggests that adequate counseling and education about menstrual symptoms and abuse of OTC analgesics if made a part of college curriculum as well as lifestyle modifications could come a long way in helping to alleviate the problems college students face due to dysmennorhea and PMS.

Reliable estimation of gestational age is important in providing appropriate obstetric care. The objective of the study was to compare the gestational age estimated by mean fetal kidney length and multiple biometric parameters (BPD, HC, AC & FL) with the a ctual gestational age derived from reliable last menstrual period. METHODS: A single third trimester ultrasound examination was done in a total of 100 well dated patients. Gestational age assessment was done by measuring multiple biometric parameters and m ean fetal kidney length. RESULTS : Comparison of linear coefficient of mean fetal kidney length with gestational age demonstrated kidney length has high degree of correlation with a n Intra class correlation coefficient of 0.860, which is the best of all the parameters in the overall third trimester. In the 38 - 41 weeks group, MKL (mean 38.27  2.523 ) in weeks) was close to actual period of gestation (39.26  0.867 ) in weeks. The other parameters in this sub group were more deviant and MKL had the best correlation . A very strong correlation was seen when mean fetal kidney length was added with multiple parameters ( correlation co e f ficient r= . 830 ) . CONCLUSION: This study showed that ultrasonographic measurement of mean fetal kidney length is a reliable indicator of gestational age, in third trimester. Where there is discrepancy between the dates and the uterine size, it is better to include mean fetal kidney length in the multiple biometric parameters.

Analyses of saltmarsh ecosystem services have been particularly focused on the capacity of mitigating climate change effects to cope with rising sea levels and concerning flood management. Nevertheless, ecosystem stability is vital for accurate service delivery, but land-use changes and coastal erosion are affecting saltmarshes. This provides the background for one of the primary arguments for protecting saltmarshes. Landscape metrics were selected according to shape, complexity, and connectivity parameters, and added to average elevation and distance to the coast, for two years - 1972 and 2010. We developed an equation that measures coastal protection, taking into account the results of PCA and the percentage of explained variation of each component (coastal defence index: ES_CoastDef). Three saltmarshes located in the Algarve region, Portugal, were selected to apply the coastal defence index. Individual patches were analysed according to saltmarsh typologies. Results revealed that every saltmarsh decreased its coastal defence from 1972 to 2010; changes in shape and connectivity metrics affect mostly the index performance. In 1972, natural saltmarshes offered a better coastal defence than the other typologies, but in 2010 formerly reclaimed saltmarshes comprised higher values of coastal defence. Positive evolutions in terms of reclaimed saltmarshes have enabled them to provide coastal defence ecosystem services. Thus, through this index it is possible to outline target coastal defence parameters and design strategies for their conservation and consider ecological restoration.