Differences between in vitro and in vivo obtained schistosomules

The injection of cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni into the peritoneal cavity of naive mice induces cell adhesion to these larvae, and this adherence sharply decreases when the infecting larva changes to schistosomule. This procedure was used to detect differences between schistosomules obtained in vivo and in vitro. Reinoculation of schistosomules obtained in vivo into the peritoneal cavity of mice did not trigger cell adhesion. In contrast, adherent cells were found in 4 and 24-hour-in vitro schistosomules. Our data on schistosomules obtained in vitro indicate that more than 24 hours are needed for complete remotion of molecules involved in the phenomenon of cell adhesion.

Fractional central differences and derivatives

Journal of Vibration and Control, 14(9–10): 1255–1266, 2008

Efficiency of ISO 9001 in Portugal: a qualitative study from a holistic theoreticalperspective

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the efficiency of ISO 9001 from a holistic theoretical approach where the Contingency theory, the Institutional theory and the Resources-Based View are integrated. The study was carried out in companies of different sectors of activity in Portugal, based on a qualitative methodology (interviews). The fact of the interviews having been undertaken under an ISO 9001 structure made it easier for companies to grasp the issues under investigation. An ISO 9001 characterisation was carried out on a theoretical framework approach and findings point out efficiency gains and revealed that the absence of ISO 9001 would work as a competitive disadvantage. The contribution of this research aims to reinforce the state of art as concerns the theoretical scope of analysis of these issues enriched by the case study achievement.

Diffusion and efficiency of ISO 9001 in Portugal: a qualitative and quantitative study from a holistic theoretical perspective

Purpose – the aim of this paper is to analyse the diffusion and efficiency of ISO 9001 on different sectors of activity Design/methodology/approach – for that purpose, a holistic an integrative theoretical approach was based on the scope of the Contingency theory, the Institutional theory and the Resources-Based View (RBV). This theorethical perspective was used in a broad empirical study, using a qualitative and quantitative methodology, concerning Portuguese companies from different sectors of activity. Findings – according to the findings from both perspectives, a ranked combination of the named theoretical frame was constructed. Research limitations/implications – as to the analysis of the efficiency of ISO 9000, one of the limitations of this study lays in the consideration of just two sectors of activity, and another relates to its domestic geographical placement. Practical implications – this study used the ISO 9001 structure for the interviews and this has revealed very useful for the organizations to grasp the matters inquired. Originality/value – a relevant contribution to the state of art is achieved through the considered theoretical scope of analysis

The role of cultural mega events in the enhancement of city’s image attributes: differences between engaged and attendee participants

In a time of fierce competition between regions, an image serve as a basis to develop a strong sense of community, which fosters trust and cooperation that can be mobilized for regional growth. A positive image and reputation could be used in the promotional activities of the region benefiting all the stakeholders as a whole. Mega cultural events are frequently used to attract tourists and investments to a region, but also to enhance the city’s image. This study adopts a marketing/communication perspective of city’s image, and intends to explain how the image of the city is perceived by their residents. Specifically, we intend to compare the perceptions of residents that effectively participated in the Guimarães European Capital of Culture (ECOC) 2012 (engaged residents), and the residents that only assisted to the event (attendees). Several significant findings are reported and their implications for event managers and public policy administrators presented, along with the limitations of the study

Persistent organic pollutant levels in human visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue in obese individuals - Depot differences and dysmetabolism implications

Background: The role of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with endocrine disrupting activity in the aetiology of obesity and other metabolic dysfunctions has been recently highlighted. Adipose tissue (AT) is a common site of POPs accumulation where they can induce adverse effects on human health. Objectives: To evaluate the presence of POPs in human visceral (vAT) and subcutaneous (scAT) adipose tissue in a sample of Portuguese obese patients that underwent bariatric surgery, and assess their putative association with metabolic disruption preoperatively, as well as with subsequent body mass index (BMI) reduction. Methods: AT samples (n=189) from obese patients (BMI ≥35) were collected and the levels of 13 POPs were determined by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection (GC-ECD). Anthropometric and biochemical data were collected at the time of surgery. BMI variation was evaluated after 12 months and adipocyte size was measured in AT samples. Results: Our data confirm that POPs are pervasive in this obese population (96.3% of detection on both tissues), their abundance increasing with age (RS=0.310, p<0.01) and duration of obesity (RS=0.170, p<0.05). We observed a difference in AT depot POPs storage capability, with higher levels of ΣPOPs in vAT (213.9±204.2 compared to 155.1±147.4 ng/g of fat, p<0.001), extremely relevant when evaluating their metabolic impact. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between POP levels and the presence of metabolic syndrome components, namely dysglycaemia and hypertension, and more importantly with cardiovascular risk (RS=0.277, p<0.01), with relevance for vAT (RS=0.315, p<0.01). Finally, we observed an interesting relation of higher POP levels with lower weight loss in older patients. Conclusion: Our sample of obese subjects allowed us to highlight the importance of POPs stored in AT on the development of metabolic dysfunction in a context of obesity, shifting the focus to their metabolic effects and not only for their recognition as environmental obesogens.

As duas deusas: a partir da obra de vários autores: trabalho de projecto

Trabalho de Projeto submetido à Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Teatro, Artes Performativas – Especialização em Interpretação.

Audiologists’ preferences for patient-centredness: a cross-sectional questionnaire study of cross-cultural differences and similarities among professionals in Portugal, India and Iran

Objective Patient-centredness has become an important aspect of health service delivery; however, there are a limited number of studies that focus on this concept in the domain of hearing healthcare. The objective of this study was to examine and compare audiologists’ preferences for patient-centredness in Portugal, India and Iran. Design The study used a cross-sectional survey design with audiologists recruited from three different countries. Participants A total of 191 fully-completed responses were included in the analysis (55 from Portugal, 78 from India and 58 from Iran). Main outcome measure The Patient–Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS). Results PPOS mean scores suggest that audiologists have a preference for patient-centredness (ie, mean of 3.6 in a 5-point scale). However, marked differences were observed between specific PPOS items suggesting these preferences vary across clinical situations. A significant level of difference (p<0.001) was found between audiologists’ preferences for patient-centredness in three countries. Audiologists in Portugal had a greater preference for patient-centredness when compared to audiologists in India and Iran, although no significant differences were found in terms of age and duration of experience among these sample populations. Conclusions There are differences and similarities in audiologists’ preferences for patient-centredness among countries. These findings may have implications for the training of professionals and also for clinical practice in terms of optimising hearing healthcare across countries.

Histopathology and immunocytochemical study of type 3 and type 4 complement receptors in the liver and spleen of dogs naturally and experimentally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi

The objective of this study was to compare the histopathological changes and expression of CR3 and CR4 in the liver and spleen of dogs naturally and experimentally infected with L. chagasi. The basic histopathological lesions observed mainly in naturally infected dogs were: epithelioid hepatic granulomas, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of Kupffer cells, Malpigui follicles and mononucleated cells of the red pulp of the spleen. Sections from the liver and spleen by immunocytochemistry technique showed the presence of CD11b,c\CD 18 antigens in the control and infected animals and no qualitative or quantitative differences in the liver. Nevertheless, CD18 was always increased in the spleen of naturally and experimentally infected dogs. These results indicate that there is a difference in the activaton of CD 18 in both experimental and natural cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis that should play an important role in the immunological response to Leishmania chagasi infection.

Repercussões crónicas nas vias aéreas da hiperóxia neonatal : modelo experimental

RESUMO: O objectivo deste trabalho foi avaliar se a exposição crónica neonatal à hiperóxia mo-derada induz alterações funcionais e estruturais persistentes nas vias aéreas. Desenvolveu-se um modelo animal, no rato, a partir do qual se retiraram implicações para a compreensão das repercussões crónicas da hiperóxia neonatal sobre as vias aéreas de displasia broncopulmonar (DBP), em duas fases distintas: imediatamente após a exposi-ção neonatal a 50%O2 (grupo 50%O2) e após três semanas de recuperação em ar ambiente (grupo 50%O2+Ar).Compararam-se os resultados da resposta do músculo liso de traqueia (MLT) à esti-mulação in vitro com metacolina e salbutamol e avaliaram-se as alterações quantitativas da área de MLT, bem como as alterações qualitativas da estrutura da traqueia. Demonstrou-se que a exposição a 50% de oxigénio não tinha repercussões imediatas sobre a resposta in vitro do MLT à estimulação colinérgica, mas que induzia um aumento do relaxamento em resposta ao salbutamol. A contractilidade do MLT em resposta à estimula-ção com metacolina no grupo 50%O2+Ar foi significativamente superior à do grupo de con-trolo da mesma idade e também superior à observada no grupo 50%O2, enquanto que a resposta ao salbutamol se voltou a aproximar dos valores de controlo após a recuperação em normóxia. Não se observaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas na área de MLT entre os grupos experimental e de controlo, o que se deve provavelmente ao número reduzido de amostras avaliadas e à variabilidade deste parâmetro no grupo de controlo; contudo, verifi-cou-se um aumento médio de 15% imediatamente após a exposição à hiperóxia que persis-tiu após o período de recuperação.As alterações qualitativas sobre a arquitectura da traqueia, avaliadas por microscopia óptica, revelaram no grupo 50%O2 aumentos da espessura da matriz extracelular e da den-sidade de mastócitos desgranulados na submucosa e adventícia vizinhas do MLT, sem outras alterações relativamente ao grupo de controlo com 15 dias. As alterações da matriz extrace-lular foram reversíveis após a recuperação em ar ambiente. A densidade de mastócitos per-maneceu superior à do grupo de controlo de 36 dias de idade, apresentando-se em maior contiguidade com o MLT relativamente ao grupo 50%O2. Em síntese, demonstrou-se que a hiperóxia neonatal crónica em níveis moderados in-duz alterações da resposta contráctil do MLT e da estrutura da traqueia que podem ter ex-pressão funcional após a exposição ter cessado. Assim, o contributo original do presente trabalho foi o desenvolvimento de um modelo animal que permite avaliar os mecanismos pelos quais a hiperóxia é capaz de induzir, isoladamente, alterações crónicas da contracti-lidade, do relaxamento do ML e da estrutura das vias aéreas que podem ser responsáveis pela HRB persistente em doentes sujeitos a oxigenioterapia neonatal.-------------ABSTRACT: The aim of this work was to evaluate whether chronic neonatal exposure to hyperoxia in-duces persistent structural and functional airway changes. An animal model was developed, using neonatal rats, in order to understand the chronic effects of neonatal hyperoxia on the airways, in bronchopulmonary dysplasia, in two distinct phases: immediately after neonatal exposure to 50%O2 (50%O2 group) and after three weeks of recovery at ambient air (50%O2+Ar group).The results from the tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) response to in vitro stimulation with metacholine and salbutamol were compared and quantitative changes in TSM area, as well as qualitative changes in tracheal structure were evaluated. It was demonstrated that while exposure to 50% oxygen had no immediate effects on in vitro TSM response to cholinergic stimulation, it induced an increase in relaxation as a result of salbutamol administration. TSM contractility as a result of methacholine administration in the 50%O2 + Ar group was significantly higher than that of the same-age control group, and also higher than the one observed in the 50%O2 group, whereas the response to salbutamol admini-stration was once again closer to the control values after recovery in normoxia. There were no statistically significant differences in the TSM area between the experi-mental and control groups, which is most likely due to the reduced number of samples evalu-ated and to the variability of this parameter in the control group. However, there was an aver-age increase of 15% immediately after exposure to hyperoxia, which persisted after the recov-ery period. Qualitative changes in tracheal architecture, evaluated by optic microscopy, revealed that the 50%O2 group suffered an increase in the thickness of the extracellular matrix and degranu-lated mast cell density in the submucosa and adventitia adjacent to the TSM, without further changes when compared with the control group at 15 days of age. The changes in extracellular matrix were reversible after recovery in ambient air. Mast cell density remained higher than that of the control group at 36 days of age, and more contiguous to TSM than the 50%O2 group. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that moderate levels of chronic neonatal hyperoxia in-duce changes in TSM contractile response and tracheal structure, which may be functionally ex-pressed after discontinuation of exposure. Therefore, the original contribution of the present work was the development of an animal model which allows the evaluation of the mechanisms through which hyperoxia alone can induce chronic changes in contractility and relaxation of SM and also in airway structure that can be responsible for the persistent airway hyperrespon-siveness found in patients who were submited to neonatal oxygen therapy.

Paracoccidioides brasilienses isolates obtained from patients with acute and chronic disease exhibit morphological differences after animal passage

The basis for virulence in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is not completely understood. There is a consensus that the sequencial in vitro subcultivation of P. brasiliensis leads to loss of its pathogenicity, which can be reverted by reisolation from animal passage. Attention to morphological and biochemical properties that are regained or demonstrated after animal passage may provide new insights into factors related to the pathogenicity and virulence of P. brasiliensis. We evaluated morphological characters: the percentage of budding cells, number of buds by cell and the diameter of 100 mother cells of yeast-like cells of 30 P. brasiliensis isolates, before and after animal passage. The isolates were obtained from patients with different clinical forms of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM): acute form (group A, n=15) and chronic form (group C, n=15). The measurement of the yeast cell sizes was carried out with the aid of an Olympus CBB microscope coupled with a micrometer disc. We measured the major transverse and longitudinal axes of 100 viable cells of each preparation. The percentage of budding cells as also the number of buds by cell was not influenced by animal passage, regardless of the source of the strain (acute or chronic groups). The size values of P. brasiliensis isolates from groups A and C, measured before the animal passage exhibited the same behavior. After animal passage, there was a statistically significant difference between the cell sizes of P. brasiliensis isolates recovered from testicles inoculated with strains from groups A and C. The maximum diameter of mother cells from group A isolates exhibited a size of 42.1mm in contrast with 32.9mm exhibited by mother cells from group C (p<0.05). The diameter of 1500 mother cells from group A isolates exhibited a medium size of 16.0mm (SD ± 4.0), a value significantly higher than the 14.1mm (SD = ± 3.3) exhibited by 1500 mother cells from group C isolates (p<0.05). Our results reinforce the polymorphism exhibited by P. brasiliensis in biological material and the need for further investigations to elucidate the role of morphological parameters of the fungus in the natural history of the disease.

Diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infections by qualitative and quantitative PCR in HIV infected patients

A high incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections is observed in Brazil. These viruses are causatives of significant morbidity and mortality among patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This work, shows the application of a PCR on determination of CMV load in the buffy coat and plasma. We analyzed the samples of 247 HIV infected patients in order to diagnose CMV infection and disease. We developed a semi-quantitative PCR that amplifies part of the glycoprotein B (gB) gene of CMV. The semi-quantitative PCR was carried out only in positive clinical samples in a qualitative PCR confirmed by a nested-PCR. CD4 lymphocyte count, HIV viral load and CMV disease symptom were correlated with CMV load. CMV genome was detected in the buffy coat of 82 of 237 (34.6%) patients, in 10 of these the CMV load was determined varying between 928 and 332 880 viral copies/mug DNA. None of these 237 patients developed any suggestive manifestation of CMV disease. For the other 10 HIV infected patients selected based on the suspicion of CMV disease, CMV genome was detected in only one case. This patient presented a high CMV load, 8 000 000 copies/mug DNA, and developed a disseminated form of CMV disease including hepatitis and retinitis. Our results were greatly influenced by the impact of the highly active antiretroviral therapy that reduced incidence of CMV viremia and occurrence of CMV disease in the HIV infected patients.

Empreendedorismo feminino em Portugal

Dissertação apresentada ao Instituto Politécnico do Porto para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Gestão das Organizações, Ramo Gestão de Empresas Orientada por Prof. Doutora Maria Clara Dias Pinto Ribeiro

Ensino de contabilidade geral nas instituições de ensino superior

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentado ao Instituto de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Contabilidade e Finanças, sob orientação da Professora Doutora Alcina Augusta de Sena Portugal Dias

Gender differences in internet usage habits: a case study in higher education

The usage of information and communication technologies has been growing among students and teachers. In order to improve the use of the Internet as a tool to support teaching and learning it is necessary to understand the Internet usage habits of students. Thus, a study was conducted with 1397 students from five schools of the Polytechnic of Porto. The data was collected through an online questionnaire abd was analized by age range, gender and scientific field. In this paper,gender differences are analyzed and presented in 3 dimensions: type of Internet usage, communication tools and the role of the Internet tools in education.