Evolutive pattern of schistosomiasis and life-span of S. mansoni in patients living in non-endemic area in Brazil

Out of 2484 patients harboring S. mansoni seen in Rio de Janeiro, 1197 had been living permanently out of endemic area frorn one to 30 years, without any possibility of reinfection; 90.1% of these 1197 patients were first seen with, hepato-intestinal schistosomiasis and only 9.9% with hepatosplenic form. 55% of thern still had S. mansoni active infection 6 years or more after they had left the endemic area and 26.5% remained infected for more than 10 years. The patients with intestinal or hepato-intestinal schistosomiasis did not develop the most severe form whether they had been treated or not, and the hepatosplenic patients had a long time to deteriorate.

Printed electronics for ubiquitous computing applications

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Química

Preparation of gas-filled porous microparticles (GPPs) and microbubbles (MBs) by PGSS method

Dissertation to obtain the Master Degree in Biotechnology

Cutaneous Infection by Different Alternaria Species in a Liver Transplant Recipient

Fungal invasive infections are rare in general population but are an emergent cause of infection in the immunocompromized population, especially in the solid organ transplant recipients. Herein the authors report a clinical case of a liver transplanted patient suffering a cutaneous co-existent infection with A. alternata as well as A. infectoria. To our knowledge this is the first case of cutaneous concomitant infection due to those two species reported not only in Portugal but also worldwide. The patient was treated with surgical excision of the lesions and oral itraconazol without relapse.

Non-Progressive Leukoencephalopathy with Bilateral Temporal Cysts

We report two cases of a peculiar leukoencephalopathy with temporal cysts. Both patients have a non-progressive neurological disorder with mental retardation, microcephaly and sensorineural deafness although clinical differences between them may reflect a different aetiology. The metabolic disorders with white matter involvement and the recently described leukoencephalopathies (Van Der Knaap disease, 'vanishing white matter disease') were excluded based on clinical, biologic and imaging findings. Cytomegalovirus infection is a likely possibility in the first case although the magnetic resonance imaging picture is only partially similar to previously reported cases. Our patients are strikingly similar to the patients reported by Deonna et al. and Olivier et al. We discuss the clinical and imaging findings in our patients and the differential diagnosis considering the known disorders of the white matter in childhood.

Cost-Effectiveness of Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants for Atrial Fibrillation in Portugal

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Recently, three novel non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants received approval for reimbursement in Portugal for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). It is therefore important to evaluate the relative cost-effectiveness of these new oral anticoagulants in Portuguese AF patients. METHODS: A Markov model was used to analyze disease progression over a lifetime horizon. Relative efficacy data for stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic), bleeding (intracranial, other major bleeding and clinically relevant non-major bleeding), myocardial infarction and treatment discontinuation were obtained by pairwise indirect comparisons between apixaban, dabigatran and rivaroxaban using warfarin as a common comparator. Data on resource use were obtained from the database of diagnosis-related groups and an expert panel. Model outputs included life years gained, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), direct healthcare costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). RESULTS:Apixaban provided the most life years gained and QALYs. The ICERs of apixaban compared to warfarin and dabigatran were €5529/QALY and €9163/QALY, respectively. Apixaban was dominant over rivaroxaban (greater health gains and lower costs). The results were robust over a wide range of inputs in sensitivity analyses. Apixaban had a 70% probability of being cost-effective (at a threshold of €20 000/QALY) compared to all the other therapeutic options. CONCLUSIONS:Apixaban is a cost-effective alternative to warfarin and dabigatran and is dominant over rivaroxaban in AF patients from the perspective of the Portuguese national healthcare system. These conclusions are based on indirect comparisons, but despite this limitation, the information is useful for healthcare decision-makers.

Effects of lethal and non-lethal malaria on the mononuclear phagocyte system

The effects ofone non-lethal species ofmalarialparasite, Plasmodium yoelii, and one lethal species, P. berghei, on the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) of BALB/c mice were studied. P. yoelii caused a greater and more sustained expansion and activation of the MPS, and the two major populations of spleen phagocytic cells-red pulp and marginal zone macrophages - exhibited a greater increase in numbers in this infection. During the course of P. berghei mataria, the spleen was progressively occupied by haematopoietic tissue and, at the terminal stage of infection, an extensive depletion of lymphocytes and macrophages was apparent. The possibility was suggested that the outcome of mataria may be inftuenced by the particular way the parasite interacts with the MPS.

How to sell successfully a perfume in the non-selective market?

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Identity dynamics in non-profit organizations: Ideological and methodological identity orientations

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

How differently do our non-large companies listed on the Portuguese Stock Exchange perform?

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Economics from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Can advergames boost children’s healthier eating habits?: A comparison between healthy and non-healthy food

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Market selection and market entry recommendations for a non-profit organization's first international venture

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Comparative effects of sediments contaminated by carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic PAHs in Dicentrarchus labrax: a semi-quantitative histopathological approach

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente

Overexpressing BDNF in Neural Stem Cells using non-viral gene delivery strategies

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Biotecnologia

Identification of atmospheric pollutants control mechanisms during co-combustion of coal and non-toxic wastes

Doctoral dissertation for Ph.D. degree in Sustainable Chemistry