Novel particulate BCG-loaded delivery system for mucosal immunization against tuberculosis

Tese de doutoramento, Farmácia (Tecnologia Farmacêutica), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia, 2016

Blood markers and recurrence of stroke in patients with transient ischemic attack

Trabalho Final do Curso de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 2014

Vacina contra a cárie dentária: perspetivas e preocupações: uma opção possível?

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre no Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas Moniz

Recent insights into the mucosal reactions associated with Giardia lamblia infections.

Giardia lamblia is an intestinal protozoan parasite infecting humans and various other mammalian hosts. The most important clinical signs of giardiasis are diarrhoea and malabsorption. Giardia lamblia is able to undergo continuous antigenic variation of its major surface antigen, named VSP (variant surface protein). While intestinal antibodies, and more specifically anti-VSP IgA antibodies, were proven to be involved in modulating antigenic variation of the parasite the participation of the local antibody response in control of the parasite infection is still controversial. Conversely, previous studies based on experimental infections in mice showed that cellular immune mechanisms are essential for elimination of the parasite from its intestinal habitat. Furthermore, recent data indicated that inflammatory mast cells have a potential to directly, or indirectly, interfere in duodenal growth of G. lamblia trophozoites. However, this finding was challenged by other reports, which did not find a correlation between intestinal inflammation and resistance to infection. Since intestinal infiltration of inflammatory cells and/or CD8+T-cells were demonstrated to coincide with villus-shortening and crypt hyperplasia immunological reactions were considered to be a potential factor of pathogenesis in giardiasis. The contribution of physiological factors to pathogenesis was essentially assessed in vitro by co-cultivation of G. lamblia trophozoites with epithelial cell lines. By using this in vitro model, molecular (through surface lectins) and mechanical (through ventral disk) adhesion of trophozoites to the epithelium was shown to be crucial for increased epithelial permeability. This phenomenon as well as other Giardia-induced intestinal abnormalities such as loss of intestinal brush border surface area, villus flattening, inhibition of disaccharidase activities, and eventually also overgrowth of the enteric bacterial flora seem to be involved in the pathophysiology of giardiasis. However, it remains to be elucidated whether at least part of these pathological effects are causatively linked to the clinical manifestation of the disease.

Fábulas.

Mode of access: Internet.

Discursos literarios y notas críticas.

De la lengua castellana como instrumento del arte literario.--A propósito de Moratín.--Cantos de Calixto Oyuela.--Don Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga.--Brasil intelectual.--Impresiones de arte.--Don Marcelino Menéndez y Pelayo.--La Biblioteca nacinal de Chile.--Don Ramón de Campoamor.--Academia chilena.--Reflexiones y notas críticas.

En el pueblo dormido; novela.

Mode of access: Internet.

Jacobi Lopidis Stunicae Itinerarium ab Hispania vsq[ue] ad vrbem Romanã : in quo multa varia ac scitu dignissima cõtinent̃.

T.p. vignette is large woodcut of the author's arms.

Ensayos biográficos,

t.I El jeneral Don José Manuel Borgoño. El coronel español Don José Ordoñez. Don Ignacio Domeyko.--t.II Don Andrés Bello. Don Carlos Bello. Don Francisco Bello. Don Juan Bello.--t.III. Don Manuel Antonio Tocornal i Grez. Don José Joaquín Vallejo.--t.IV. Don Vicente Carvallo i Goyeneche. Don García Hurtado de Mendoza i Don Alonso de Ercilla i Zúñiga. Don Gabriel Cano de Aponte. Don José Rodríguez Ballesteros. Don Rodulfo Amando Philippi. Don José Antonio Torres. Don Simón Rodríguez. Don Francisco Núñez de Pineda i Bascuñán. Don Bernardo de Vera i Pintado. La necrópolis de Don José Miguel Infante.

2007 Illinois suicide prevention strategic plan.

In 2007, an alliance was formed between the Illinois Suicide Prevention Strategic Planning Committee and the Illinois Suicide Prevention Coalition, unifying the strengths of the groups to continue to advance the plan. The joint mission of this alliance is "to reduce suicide and its stigma throughout Illinois by collaboratively working with concerned stakeholders from the public and private sectors to increase awareness and education, provide opportunities to develop individual and organizational capacity in addressing suicide prevention, and advocate for access to treatment."

Anales eclesiásticos y seculares de la muy noble y muy leal ciudad de Sevilla, metrópoli de la Andalucia, que contienen sus mas principales memorias desde el año de 1246, en que emprendió conquistarla del poder de los Moros el gloriosísimo Rey S. Fernando III de Castilla y Leon, hasta el de 1671 en que la Católica Iglesia le concedió el culto y titulo de Bienaventurado /

Spine title: Anales de Sevilla.

Origen del celebre santuario de Nuestra Señora de San Juan del Obispado de Guadalaxara en la América Septentrional, y noticia cierta de los milagrosos favores ... /

Plate signed: Aquera.

The geographical, natural and civil history of Chili.

Appendix has special t.-p.: An appendix to the civil and political history of Chili, consisting of a sketch of the Araucana of Don Alonzo de Ercilla, with copious translations from that poem, by William Hayley, esq. and the Rev. H. Boyd. New York: Published by Alsop, Brannan and Alsop, City-hotel, Broadway, 1808.

Studies of maternal immunisation with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in Papua New Guinea

two studies, pneumococcal polysaccharide (Pnc PS) vaccine was given to more than 400 pregnant Papua New Guinean women. No deleterious effects were found. The vaccine prevented acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) among offspring in utero or aged 1-17 months at the time of maternal immunisation, suggesting protection through breast feeding. Serum IgG antibody titres were higher in vaccinated than unvaccinated groups for 2-4 months after delivery and no immune suppression, evaluated by the response to subsequent Pnc PS vaccination, was detected. Breast milk IgA to four serotypes was 1.1-1.8 times higher in immunised than unimmunised women for 6 months postpartum. Given results from several developing countries, large-scale safety and efficacy trials are now justified. Postpartum maternal immunisation is another intervention under consideration. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Active and passive immunization against oral Candida albicans infection in a murine model

Background/aims: Clinical and laboratory studies are consistent with a major role for cell-mediated immunity in recovery from oral infection with Candida albicans, but the role of humoral immunity remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to establish the relative contributions of cellular and humoral immunity to protection against oral candidiasis in a murine model, and to determine whether host responses could be enhanced by different immunization strategies. Results: Active oral immunization was protective in BALB/c and CBA/CaH mice, reducing both fungal burden and duration of infection after secondary challenge, whereas systemic immunization failed to protect against subsequent oral challenge. Candida-specific IgM was the predominant antibody detected in serum following both primary and secondary oral challenge; however, Candida-specific salivary IgA was not detectable. Immunization by passive transfer of either lymphocytes or immune serum did not confer any significant protection against oral infection in either susceptible or resistant mouse strain. Conclusion: The data demonstrate a possible role for mucosa-associated immunity following active immunization by the oral route, most likely exerted by local T lymphocytes resident in the oral mucosa, but there was no evidence to support a role for humoral immunity in protection against oral candidiasis.