Manufactured Nanomaterials: is there a correlation between toxicological effects and the physicochemical properties?

Toxicological information on nanomaterials (NMs) is of major importance for safety assessment, since they are already used in many consumer products and promise cutting-edge applications in the future. While the number of different NMs increases exponentially, new strategies for risk assessment are needed to cope with the safety issues, keeping pace with innovation. However, recent studies have suggested that even subtle differences in the physicochemical properties of NMs that are closely related may define different nano-bio interactions, thereby determining their toxic potential. Further research in this field is necessary to allow straightforward grouping strategies leading time-effective risk assessment to enable the safe use of the emerging NMs. In this presentation the case study of the in vitro toxicity testing of a set of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in two human cell lines from the respiratory tract will be described. Those MWCNT have been previously characterized in detail, and differ in thickness, length, aspect ratio and morphology. This comprehensive toxicological investigation undertaken in parallel with physicochemical characterization in the cellular moiety showed that the same NM did not display a consistent effect in different cell types, and that, within the same class of NM, different toxic effects could be observed. The correlation of the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects characterized in the two cell lines with their physicochemical properties will be presented and the relevance of considering the NMs properties in the biological context will be discussed. Overall, this case study suggests that nanotoxicity of closely related MWCNTs depends not only on their primary physicochemical properties, or combinations of these properties, but also on the cellular system, and its context. Challenges posed to toxicologists, risk assessors and regulators when addressing the safety assessment of NMs will be highlighted.

Portuguese children exposure to multiple mycotoxins through food consumption: toward a holistic approach for multiple mycotoxins risk assessment

Humans can be exposed to multiple chemicals at once from a variety of sources, and human risk assessment of multiple chemicals poses several challenges to scientists, risk assessors and risk managers. Ingestion of food is considered a major route of exposure to many contaminants, namely mycotoxins, especially for vulnerable population groups, as children. A lack of sufficient data regarding mycotoxins children risk assessment, could contribute to an inaccuracy of the estimated risk. Efforts must be undertaken to develop initiatives that promote a broad overview of multiple mycotoxins risk assessment. The present work, developed within the MYCOMIX project, aims to assess the risk associated to the exposure of Portuguese children (< 3 years old) to multiple mycotoxins through consumption of foods primarily marketed for this age group. A holistic approach was developed applying deterministic and probabilistic tools to the calculation of mycotoxin daily intake values, integrating children food consumption (3-days food diary), mycotoxins occurrence (HPLC-UV, HPLC-FD, LC-MS/MS and GC-MS), bioaccessibility (standardized in vitro digestion model) and toxicological data (in vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and intestinal impact). A case study concerning Portuguese children exposure to patulin (PAT) and ochratoxin A (OTA), two mycotoxins co-occurring in processed cereal-based foods (PCBF) marketed in Portugal, was developed. Main results showed that there is low concern from a public health point of view relatively to PAT and OTA Portuguese children exposure through consumption of PCBF, considering the estimated daily intakes of these two mycotoxins (worst case scenarios, 22.930 ng/kg bw/day and 0.402 ng/kg bw/day, for PAT and OTA, respectively), their bioaccessibility and toxicology results. However, the present case study only concerns the risk associated with the consumption of PCBF and child diet include several other foods. The present work underlines the need to adopt a holistic approach for multiple mycotoxins risk assessment integrating data from exposure, bioacessibility and toxicity domains in order to contribute to a more accurate risk assessment.

Contributos dos coordenadores de departamento curricular e dos delegados de grupo na avaliação de desempenho docente : estudo de caso numa escola básica e secundária no norte da Região Autónoma da Madeira

O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido no âmbito da dissertação de Mestrado em Supervisão Pedagógica e insere-se na linha de investigação de políticas educativas e supervisão pedagógica. Pretendeu-se encontrar, através da investigação que aqui se apresenta, os contributos dos coordenadores de departamento curricular e delegados de grupo com funções de avaliadores internos no processo de avaliação de desempenho docente. Procurou-se ainda encontrar o perfil dos avaliadores para se poder exercer o cargo, assim como apresentar o enquadramento teórico dos autores e legislação que o sustentam. Este estudo focalizou-se no Decreto Regulamentar Regional n.º 26/2012/M, de 8 de outubro que regulamenta as novas regras da avaliação de desempenho docente e a unidade de estudo deste trabalho é uma escola pública do ensino básico e secundário, no concelho de São Vicente, Norte da Madeira. Para dar cumprimento aos eixos de análise do trabalho utilizou-se a metodologia qualitativa estudo de caso e através de uma análise documental, de inquéritos por entrevista dirigidos aos 12 avaliadores internos - coordenadores de departamento e delegados de grupo - e aos 14 docentes avaliados, considerados a amostra da dimensão interna, encontrou-se um perfil de avaliador interno de desempenho docente na prática, assim como os contributos destes na avaliação de desempenho docente, de acordo com a legislação regional da Madeira. Tendo por base os resultados obtidos, concluímos que o novo modelo de avaliação de desempenho de docente é um modelo formativo, privilegia o trabalho colaborativo, promove a reflexão, a partilha e a troca de experiências, bem como a melhoria das práticas pedagógicas e o desenvolvimento profissional, apesar da conjuntura atual não promover a progressão na carreira devido ao congelamento como medida de austeridade, o que desmotiva os docentes avaliados e faz ainda com que estes profissionais encarem a avaliação interna como um trabalho menos sério, que não premeia o desempenho e o mérito.

Statistical Analysis of Text Summarization Evaluation

This dissertation applies statistical methods to the evaluation of automatic summarization using data from the Text Analysis Conferences in 2008-2011. Several aspects of the evaluation framework itself are studied, including the statistical testing used to determine significant differences, the assessors, and the design of the experiment. In addition, a family of evaluation metrics is developed to predict the score an automatically generated summary would receive from a human judge and its results are demonstrated at the Text Analysis Conference. Finally, variations on the evaluation framework are studied and their relative merits considered. An over-arching theme of this dissertation is the application of standard statistical methods to data that does not conform to the usual testing assumptions.

Application of Lidocaine Spray for Tracheal Intubation in Neonates - A Clinical Trial Study

Background: Tracheal intubation is extremely distressing, painful, and may influence heart rate and blood pressure. Sedatives, analgesics, and muscle relaxants are not commonly used for intubation in neonates. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of lidocaine spray as a non-intravenous drug before neonatal intubation on blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and time of intubation. Patients and Methods: In a randomized, controlled study each neonate was randomly assigned to one of the two study groups by staffs who were not involved in the infant's care. The allocation concealment was kept in an opaque sealed envelope, and the investigators, the patient care team, and the assessors were blinded to the treatment allocation. The selected setting was NICU unit of a teaching hospital in Ilam city, Iran and participants were 60 neonates with indication of tracheal intubation with gestational age >30 weeks. Patients in the treatment group received lidocaine spray and the placebo group received spray of normal saline prior to intubation. Main outcome measurements were the mean rates of blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, intubation time and lidocaine side effects were measured before and after intubation. Results: Totally 60 newborns including 31 boys and 29 girls were entered into the study (drug group n = 30; placebo group n = 30). Boy/girl ratio in treatment and placebo groups were 1.3 and 0.88, respectively. Mean age ± SD of participants was 34.1 ± 24.8 hours (treatment: 35.3 ± 25.7; placebo: 32.9 ± 24.3; P < 0.0001). Mean weight ± SD of neonates was 2012.5 ± 969 g. Application of lidocaine spray caused a significant reduction of mean intubation time among treatment group compared with placebo group (treatment: 15.03 ± 2.2 seconds; placebo: 18.3 ± 2.3 seconds; P < 0.0001). Mean blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation rate, among neonates in treatment group was reduced after intubation compared with their relevant figures before intubation; however, their differences were not statistically significant except for mean oxygen saturation rate that was reduced significantly in placebo group. No side effects were observed during study. Conclusions: Though the current study revealed some promising results in the application of lidocaine spray during neonatal intubation without any considerable side effects; however, the current investigation could only be considered as a pilot study for further attempts in different locations with higher sample sizes and in different situations.

Introducing a pilot data collection model for real-time evaluation of data redundancy

In order to reduce serious health incidents, individuals with high risks need to be identified as early as possible so that effective intervention and preventive care can be provided. This requires regular and efficient assessments of risk within communities that are the first point of contacts for individuals. Clinical Decision Support Systems CDSSs have been developed to help with the task of risk assessment, however such systems and their underpinning classification models are tailored towards those with clinical expertise. Communities where regular risk assessments are required lack such expertise. This paper presents the continuation of GRiST research team efforts to disseminate clinical expertise to communities. Based on our earlier published findings, this paper introduces the framework and skeleton for a data collection and risk classification model that evaluates data redundancy in real-time, detects the risk-informative data and guides the risk assessors towards collecting those data. By doing so, it enables non-experts within the communities to conduct reliable Mental Health risk triage.

El rigor metodológico en la evaluación curricular

Recibido 19 de mayo de 2011 • Aceptado 26 de agosto de 2011 • Corregido 27 de setiembre de 2011   En el presente ensayo se desarrolla la importancia del rigor metodológico en una evaluación curricular. Se parte de que para su valoración, por parte de los interesados, es exigido que el evaluador muestre el rigor con el que se ha realizado el proceso, de tal manera que sea posible evidenciar elementos que la hacen válida, confiable y creíble. Para ello, se sustenta el rigor de la evaluación con base en la articulación de aspectos significativos, valorativos, teóricos, metodológicos, de participación de los actores y de ética. Estos permiten delimitar y desarrollar el objeto por evaluar. Por lo tanto, cada uno de estos aspectos forman parte esencial del camino a seguir en un proceso evaluativo.