Estudo da influência do material de enchimento na remoção de matéria orgânica, azoto e sólidos em leitos de macrófitas do tipo ESSH

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Sanitária

Simple laccase-based biosensor for formetanate hydrochloride quantification in fruits

This work describes the development of an electrochemical enzymatic biosensor for quantification of the pesticide formetanate hydrochloride (FMT). It is based on a gold electrode modified with electrodeposited gold nanoparticles and laccase. The principle behind its development relies on FMT's capacity to inhibit the laccase catalytic reaction that occurs in the presence of phenolic substrates. The optimum values for the relevant experimental variables such as gold nanoparticles electrochemical deposition (at − 0.2 V for 100 s), laccase immobilization (via glutaraldehyde cross-linking), laccase concentration (12.4 mg/mL), substrate selection and concentration (5.83×10−5 M of aminophenol), pH (5.0), buffer (Britton–Robinson), and square-wave voltammetric parameters were determined. The developed biosensor was successfully applied to FMT determination in mango and grapes. The attained limit of detection was 9.5×10−8 ± 9.5×10−10 M (0.02 ± 2.6×10−4 mg/kg on a fresh fruit weight basis). Recoveries for the five tested spiking levels ranged from 95.5 ± 2.9 (grapes) to 108.6 ± 2.5% (mango). The results indicated that the proposed device presents suitable characteristics in terms of sensitivity (20.58 ± 0.49 A/μM), linearity (9.43×10−7 to 1.13×10−5 M), accuracy, repeatability (RSD of 1.4%), reproducibility (RSD of 1.8%) and stability (19 days) for testing of compliance with established maximum residue limits of FMT in fruits and vegetables.

Trace metals in size-fractionated particulate matter in a Portuguese hospital: exposure risks assessment and comparisons with other countries

Hospitals are considered as a special and important type of indoor public place where air quality has significant impacts on potential health outcomes. Information on indoor air quality of these environments, concerning exposures to particulate matter (PM) and related toxicity, is limited though. This work aims to evaluate risks associated with inhalation exposure to ten toxic metals and chlorine (As, Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, Mn, Se, Ba, Al, Si, and Cl) in coarse (PM2.5–10) and fine (PM2.5) particles in a Portuguese hospital in comparison with studies representative of other countries. Samples were collected during 1 month in one urban hospital; elemental PM characterization was determined by proton-induced X-ray emission. Noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were assessed according to the methodology provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA; Region III Risk-Based Concentration Table) for three different age categories of hospital personnel (adults, >20, and <65 years) and patients (considering nine different age groups, i.e., children of 1–3 years to seniors of >65 years). The estimated noncarcinogenic risks due to occupational inhalation exposure to PM2.5-bound metals ranged from 5.88×10−6 for Se (adults, 55–64 years) to 9.35×10−1 for As (adults, 20–24 years) with total noncarcinogenic risks (sum of all metals) above the safe level for all three age categories. As and Cl (the latter due to its high abundances) were the most important contributors (approximately 90 %) to noncarcinogenic risks. For PM2.5–10, noncarcinogenic risks of all metals were acceptable to all age groups. Concerning carcinogenic risks, for Ni and Pb, they were negligible (<1×10−6) in both PM fractions for all age groups of hospital personnel; potential risks were observed for As and Cr with values in PM2.5 exceeding (up to 62 and 5 times, respectively) USEPA guideline across all age groups; for PM2.5–10, increased excess risks of As and Cr were observed particularly for long-term exposures (adults, 55–64 years). Total carcinogenic risks highly (up to 67 times) exceeded the recommended level for all age groups, thus clearly showing that occupational exposure to metals in fine particles pose significant risks. If the extensive working hours of hospital medical staff were considered, the respective noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were increased, the latter for PM2.5 exceeding the USEPA cumulative guideline of 10−4. For adult patients, the estimated noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were approximately three times higher than for personnel, with particular concerns observed for children and adolescents.

Projecto e realização de sensores de temperatura analógicos e digitais

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e Computadores

Asymptomatic infections by diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in children from Misiones, Argentina, during the first twenty months of their lives

Diarrheagenics Escherichia coli are the major agents involved in diarrheal disease in developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the time of appearance of the first asymptomatic infection by the different categories of diarrheagenic E. coli in 44 children since their birth and during the first 20 months of their lives. In all of the children studied, we detected at least one category of diarrheagenic E. coli through the 20 months of the study. 510 diarrheagenic E. coli (33.5%) were obtained from the 1,524 samples collected from the 44 children during the time of the study (31.4% EAggEC, 28.8% EPEC, 27.1% DAEC, and 12.7% ETEC). Neither EHEC nor EIEC were identified. The median age for diarrheagenic E. coli colonization was 7.5 months. The mean weaning period was 12.8 months and the mean age for introduction of mixed feeding (breast fed supplemented) was 3.8 months. A significantly lower incidence of diarrheal disease and asymptomatic infections was recorded among the exclusively breast-fed rather than in the supplemented and non breast-fed infants. For ETEC, EPEC and EAggEC the introduction of weaning foods and complete termination of breast-feeding were associated with an increase of asymptomatic infections.

Occurrence of influenza B/Hong Kong-Like strains in Brazil, during 2002

Through the influenza virus surveillance from January to October 2002, influenza B/Hong Kong-like strains circulating in the Southeast and Centre East regions of Brazil have been demonstrated. This strain is a variant from B/Victoria/02/88 whose since 1991 and until recently have been isolated relatively infrequently and have been limited to South-Eastern Asia. A total of 510 respiratory secretions were collected from patients 0 to 60 years of age, with acute respiratory illness, living in the Southeast and Centre East regions of Brazil, of which 86 (17.13%) were positive for influenza virus. Among them 12 (13.95%) were characterized as B/Hong Kong/330/2001; 3 (3.49%) as B/Hong Kong/1351/2002 a variant from B/Hong Kong/330/2001; 1 (1.16%) as B/Sichuan/379/99; 1 (1.16%) as B/Shizuoka/5/2001, until now. The percentages of cases notified during the surveillance period were 34.88%, 15.12%, 15.12%, 4.65%, 15.12%, 13.95%, in the age groups of 0-4, 5-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-30, 31-50, respectively. The highest proportion of isolates was observed among children younger than 4 years but serious morbidity and mortality has not been observed among people older than 65 years, although B influenza virus component for vaccination campaign 2002 was B/Sichuan/379/99 strain. This was probably due to the elderly protection acquired against B/Victoria/02/88. In addition, in influenza A/Panama/2007/99-like (H3N2) strains 22 (25.58%) were also detected, but influenza A(H1N1) has not been detected yet.

The potential of molecular imprinting as a biosensing devices for monitoring the CEA cancer biomarker

6th Graduate Student Symposium on Molecular Imprinting

Encerramento Percutâneo de Shunts Interauriculares: Experiência de uma Década de um Centro Terciário

INTRODUCTION: Atrial septal defects (ASD) are among the most common congenital anomalies and account for 10% of congenital heart disease in the pediatric age-group and 30% in adults. Closure is indicated when there is evidence of hemodynamic significance or after a paradoxical embolic event. Ten years ago, percutaneous closure became the treatment of choice in our center for all patients with a clear indication and favorable anatomy. In this paper we report the experience of this first decade. OBJECTIVE: To assess the short- and long-term results of our ten-year experience with percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects. METHODS: We studied retrospectively all patients with ASD treated with a percutaneous approach between November 1998 and December 2008. The pediatric age-group consisted of patients younger than 19 years old. Demographic data, clinical indications, minor and major complication rates, success rate and long-term outcome were assessed. RESULTS: In the first ten years of experience 510 patients, of whom 166 were in the pediatric group, were treated in our center by a team of adult and pediatric cardiologists. The overall success rate of the procedure was 98% (97.5% in ASD and 99.5% in patent foramen ovale (PFO). The minor complication rate was 3% (3.4% in ASD and 2% in PFO). The most frequent complication was supraventricular tachycardia. The major complication rate was 1.2% (0.6% in ASD and 2% in PFO). Two patients developed cardiac tamponade due to hemopericardium that was resolved by pericardiocentesis, without need for surgery. One patient had an arterial pseudoaneurysm corrected by vascular surgery. There was no device embolization and no need for urgent surgery in this population. During follow-up two patients had recurrence of ischemic stroke, one had a transient ischemic attack and another had a hemorrhagic stroke. Mortality was 0.6% (0.6% in ASD and 0.5% in PFO). There were no in-hospital deaths. During follow-up there were two deaths, both in the adult group. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In this population the success rate was high and most of the complications were minor. The results of this collaboration between adult and pediatric cardiologists in the first ten years of activity confirm the safety and efficacy of percutaneous closure of septal defects, when there is careful patient selection and a standardized technique.

Volume da Aurícula Esquerda: um "Velho" Cálculo Ecocardiográfico com uma Importância Prognóstica Renovada. Um Estudo em Doentes com Miocardiopatia Dilatada

Recentemente, surgiram alguns trabalhos que ressaltaram a importância do cálculo do volume da aurícula esquerda (VAE) como um marcador de eventos cardíacos adversos. Foi objectivo deste estudo avaliar a importância prognóstica deste parâmetro em doentes (dts) com deficiente função ventricular esquerda e correlacioná-lo com outros parâmetros clássicos de prognóstico – consumo de O2 (VO2 max) e pro-BNP (pBNP). Métodos: Analisou-se o volume da aurícula esquerda (VAE) por método de Simpson, numa população de 35 dts com cardiopatia dilatada (idiopática e isquémica) com fracção de ejecção (FE) 31±9,6% doentes (dts) eram de sexo masculino e a média de idades foi de 50,5±10,5 anos. Toda a população efectuou estudos de ecocardiografia convencional (incluindo avaliação por M-mode, bidimensional e Doppler), prova cardiorespiratória (VO2max) e doseamento de pro-BNP. O tempo médio de seguimento foi de 24 ± 4 meses, tendo-se considerado como eventos cardíacos (EC): internamento por insuficiência cardíaca, transplante e morte. Resultados: Dos parâmetros da ecocardiografia - o diâmetro da AE foi de 46,6±5,7mm, as dimensões do VE em diástole – 73,5±10mm e em sístole -58,9±11mm, a média da fracção de ejecção foi de 31±9,6%, o VAE foi de 78,6±33 ml, os volumes do VE foram de 214±82ml em diástole e de 153±75ml em sístole, 15 dts tinham padrão restritivo de enchimento ventricular (E/A>2), a média da área (Doppler cor) da insuficiência mitral foi de 4±3,3cm2, 14 dts tinham E/E’>15. O VO2 max médio foi de 20±5,8ml/kg/min e o pro-BNP de 3146±4629pg/mL. Para além da correlação de outros parâmetros clássicos ecocardiográficos com o prognóstico (volumes VE, FE e E/E’), o VAE e o volume indexado da AE (VAE/SC) mostraram uma correlação com o prognóstico (EC) com r=0,4 (p=0,02) que não se verificou para o diâmetro da AE (p=ns). Em relação à tolerância ao esforço, houve uma correlação inversa entre o diâmetro, o volume e o volume indexado da AE e o VO2max, com maior significado estatístico para o VAE e VAE/SC com r=-0,48, p=0,008. Quanto ao pro-BNP, quer o diâmetro, quer o VAE (ou volume indexado) tiverem o mesmo nível de significado estatístico (r=0,43; p=0,02). O valor predictivo de eventos (curvas ROC) para o VAE foi de 70ml e de 37ml/m2 para o VAE/m2. Conclusão: O volume da aurícula esquerda/volume indexado é um parâmetro ecocardiográfico com significado prognóstico em dts com deficiente função ventricular esquerda, correlacionando-se com a tolerância ao esforço e pro-BNP.

Cúpulas Acetabulares em Próteses Totais da Anca Não Cimentadas (Dez Anos de Experiência)

Os autores apresentam um estudo baseado na revisão clínica e radiográfica das artroplastias da anca não cimentadas, efectuadas no Serviço entre 1981 e 1991. Foram revistos 295 casos, em doentes com idades compreendidas entre os vinte e sete e os setenta e quatro anos, sendo a coxartrose a patologia que mais frequentemente levou à intervenção cirúrgica. Da análise realizada concluímos: 1 - As cúpulas em titânio (Ti - A1 - Va) revestidas com hidroxiapatite, de forma semi-esférica, são preferíveis às cúpulas tronco-elipso-cónicas; 2 - As próteses auto-roscantes têm uma melhor fixação primária quando comparadas com as roscadas; 3 - É útil a fixação das cúpulas acetabulares com parafusos, usando-se neste momento no Serviço acetábulos auto-roscantes, que também podem ser aparafusados, permitindo uma melhor fixação secundária.

“Green Electrodes” Modified with Au Nanoparticles Synthesized in Glycerol, as Electrochemical Nitrite Sensor

A new environmentally friendly Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) synthesis in glycerol by using ultraviolet irradiation and without extra-added stabilizers is described. The synthesis proposed in this work may impact on the non-polluting production of noble nanoparticles with simple chemicals normally found in standard laboratories. These Au NPs were used to modify a carbon paste electrode (CPE) without having to separate them from the reaction medium. This green electrode was used as an electrochemical sensor for the nitrite detection in water. At the optimum conditions the green sensor presented a linear response in the 2.0×10−7–1.5×10−5 M concentration range, a good detection sensitivity (0.268 A L mol−1), and a low detection limit of 2.0×10−7 M of nitrite. The proposed modified green CPE was used to determine nitrite in tap water samples.

Characterization of green zero-valent iron nanoparticles produced with tree leaf extracts

In the last decades nanotechnology has become increasingly important because it offers indisputable advantages to almost every area of expertise, including environmental remediation. In this area the synthesis of highly reactive nanomaterials (e.g. zero-valent iron nanoparticles, nZVI) is gaining the attention of the scientific community, service providers and other stakeholders. The synthesis of nZVI by the recently developed green bottom-up method is extremely promising. However, the lack of information about the characteristics of the synthetized particles hinders a wider and more extensive application. This work aims to evaluate the characteristics of nZVI synthesized through the green method using leaves from different trees. Considering the requirements of a product for environmental remediation the following characteristics were studied: size, shape, reactivity and agglomeration tendency. The mulberry and pomegranate leaf extracts produced the smallest nZVIs (5–10 nm), the peach, pear and vine leaf extracts produced the most reactive nZVIs while the ones produced with passion fruit, medlar and cherry extracts did not settle at high nZVI concentrations (931 and 266 ppm). Considering all tests, the nZVIs obtained from medlar and vine leaf extracts are the ones that could present better performances in the environmental remediation. The information gathered in this paper will be useful to choose the most appropriate leaf extracts and operational conditions for the application of the green nZVIs in environmental remediation.

Impact of Supplier Management Strategies on the Organizational Performance of ISO 9001 Certified Organizations

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to discuss the impact of Supplier orientation and the resulting Supply Chain Management (SCM) approach, on the organizational performance of ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems certified organizations. Methodology/Approach: Following a literature review, a full structural conceptual model was proposed. An online survey was administered to managers of Portuguese organizations with certified ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems. Descriptive Statistics and Structural Model Equations were used to validate the proposed conceptual model. Findings: There are positive relationships between Organization Strategy and Supplier Orientation, between Supplier Orientation and Stakeholders Satisfaction, and between Stakeholders Satisfaction and Organizational Performance Orientation, supporting ISO 9001:2015. These findings provide insights that supplier orientation, mediated by stakeholder satisfaction, is an essential tool for organizational competitive sustainable advantage. Research Limitation/implication: The analysis was based on managers of ISO 9001 certified organizations perceptions, so additional studies with actual data and longitudinal studies should be useful for further validation. Originality/Value of paper: The importance of the overall organizational ecosystem is highlighted with potential impact on the more than 1 Million ISO 9001 organizations certified worldwide and in their suppliers.

Novos Padrões versus Velhos Hábitos de Prescrição de Albumina num Hospital Central

O presente estudo teve como objectivo aferir a adequação da prescrição de albumina humana num hospital central à evidência científica nesta área actualmente disponível. O estudo foi retrospectivo e analisou os pedidos de albumina aos serviços farmacêuticos entre Setembro de 2007 e Agosto de 2008. Analisadas 761 requisições de 619 doentes com idade média de 58,1 +/- 14,7 anos, 510 (77%) dos quais do sexo masculino. Foram avaliados parâmetros analíticos globais (proteínas totais, albumina sérica, creatinina e INR) à data da requisição de albumina, grandes grupos nosológicos e os motivos de prescrição. Dos 556.831 frascos de albumina requisitados, foram efectivamente administrados 5.033 (0,9%). Os doentes com patologia hepática foram o grupo nosológico mais representado (60%). Verificou-se que 36% dos pedidos correspondiam aos critérios científicos com suporte de evidência, sendo a hipoalbuminémia o motivo mais frequente de pedido (53%). Concluímos que é necessário um maior cuidado no fundamento dos pedidos de albumina, de forma a adequá-los à evidência científica. Normas restritivas dos serviços farmacêuticos para o fornecimento de albumina encontram-se justificadas.

Longshore Transport Estimation on Ofir Beach in Northwest Portugal: Sand-Tracer Experiment

This work aims to shed some light on longshore sediment transport (LST) in the highly energetic northwest coast of Portugal. Data achieved through a sand-tracer experiment are compared with data obtained from the original and the new re-evaluated longshore sediment transport formulas (USACE Waterways Experiment Station’s Coastal Engineering and Research Center, Kamphuis, and Bayram bulk formulas) to assess their performance. The field experiment with dyed sand was held at Ofir Beach during one tidal cycle under medium wave-energy conditions. Local hydrodynamic conditions and beach topography were recorded. The tracer was driven southward in response to the local swell and wind- and wave-induced currents (Hsb=0.75mHsb=0.75m, Tp=11.5sTp=11.5s, θb=8−12°θb=8−12°). The LST was estimated by using a linear sediment transport flux approach. The obtained value (2.3×10−3m3⋅s−12.3×10−3m3⋅s−1) approached the estimation provided by the original Bayram formula (2.5×10−3m3⋅s−12.5×10−3m3⋅s−1). The other formulas overestimated the transport, but the estimations resulting from the new re-evaluated formulas also yield approximate results. Therefore, the results of this work indicated that the Bayram formula may give satisfactory results for predicting the longshore sediment transport on Ofir Beach.