Mastodonte em depósitos marinhos da Praia do Penedo (Portugal)

O achado de um dente de mastodonte, cf. Tetralophodon longirostris, em depósitos marinhos expostos na praia de Penedo Norte, na Península de Setúbal, permitiu datação rigorosa. Provém da camada 8 do corte, parte basal da sequência deposicional T1; data do início do Tortoniano, ca. de 11.6 Ma, com base em foraminíferos planctónicos (zona N14) e em 87Sr/86Sr e K/Ar. O dente de mastodonte parece pertencer a Tetralophodon longirostris, espécie conhecida em Portugal em depósitos continentais da primeira parte do Miocénico superior.

Serum lipids of pemphigus foliaceus patients on long-term glucocorticoid therapy

Endemic pemphigus foliaceus, and long-term corticotherapy may affect serum lipid levels. The aim of this study was to compare serum lipids of pemphigus foliaceus patients on glucocorticoid therapy to a healthy control group. Fifteen patients receiving prednisone (0.33 ± 0.22mg/kg) for at least 12 months and 15 controls were submitted to 48-h food intake records, anthropometry, and biochemical measurements. Data were compared by chi2, Mann-Whitney and Student "t" tests. The groups were matched for gender, age, weight, body mass index, arm circumference and triceps skin fold. No differences were observed in relation to energy, fat, protein and carbohydrate daily intakes, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, uric acid, and serum creatinine levels. Pemphigus foliaceus patients had higher triglyceride [159 (64-371) vs. 100 (45-133) mg/dl], VLDL [32 (13-74) vs. 20 (9-114) mg/dl] and ESR [44 (9-87) vs. 7 (1-30) mm/h] levels than controls, probably due to metabolic effects of inflammatory disease and corticotherapy.

Optimização do factor de cobertura de condensadores de tântalo produzidos com pós de elevada carga específica

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Nanotecnologias e Nanociências

Assessment by doppler ultrasound of entheseal lesions in spondyloarthritis : a longitudial study to determine structural damage and disease activity lesions

RESUMO: Enthesitis is the hallmark of spondyloarthritis (SpA), and is observed in all subtypes. Wide information on SpA abnormalities, including synovitis, tendinitis and enthesitis, can be efficiently perceived by Doppler ultrasound. Furthermore, several studies on imaging of enthesis showed that imaging techniques are better than clinical examination to detect enthesis alterations; and vascularized enthesitis detected by Doppler ultrasound appears to be a valuable diagnostic tool to confirm SpA diagnosis. However, data published until now concerning entheseal elementary alterations that characterize SpA enthesitis (enthesis inflammatory activity) or enthesopathy (permanent structural changes) reflect rather the authors’ empiric opinion than a methodological validation process. In this sense it seems crucial to identify elementary entheseal lesions associated with activity or damage, in order to improve monitoring and treatment response in SpA patients. The development of better assessment tools is today a challenge and a need in SpA. The first study of this thesis focused on the analysis of the reliability of inter-lector and inter-ultrasonography equipment of Madrid sonography enthesitis index (MASEI). Fundamental data for the remaining unrolling project validity. In the second and third studies we concerned about two entheseal elemental lesions: erosions and bursa. In literature erosions represent a permanent structural damage, being useful for monitoring joint injury, disease activity and therapeutic response in many rheumatic diseases; and to date, this concept has been mostly applied in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Unquestionably, erosion is a tissue-related damage and a structural change. However, the hypothesis that we decided to test was if erosions represent a permanent structural change that can only grow and worsen over time, as occurs in RA, or a transitory alteration. A longitudinal study of early SpA patients was undertaken, and the Achilles enthesis was used as a model. Our results strongly suggested that previously detected erosions could disappear during the course of the disease, being consistent with the dynamic behavior of erosion over time. Based on these striking results it seems reasonable to suggest that the new-bone formation process in SpA could be associated with the resolution of cortical entheseal erosion over time. These results could also be in agreement with the apparent failure of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapies to control bone proliferation in SpA; and with the relation of TNF-α, Dickkopf-related protein 1 (Dkk-1) and the regulatory molecule of the Wnt signaling pathway in the bone proliferation in SpA. In the same model, we then proceeded to study the enthesis bursa. Interestingly, the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials (OMERACT) enthesopathy definition does not include bursa as an elementary entheseal lesion. Nonetheless, bursa was included in 46% of the enthesis studies in a recently systematic literature review, being in agreement with the concept of “synovio-entheseal complex” that includes the link between enthesitis and osteitis in SpA. It has been clarified in recent data that there is not only a close functional integration of the enthesis with the neighboring bone, but also a connection between enthesitis and synovitis. Therefore, we tried to assess the prevalence and relevance of the bursa-synovial lesion in SpA. Our findings showed a significant increase of Achilles bursa presence and thickness in SpA patients compared to controls (healthy/mechanical controls and RA controls). These results raise awareness to the need to improve the enthesopathy ultrasonographic definition. In the final work of this thesis, we have explored new perspectives, not previously reported, about construct validity of enthesis ultrasound as a possible activity outcome in SpA. We performed a longitudinal Achilles enthesis ultrasound study in patients with early SpA. Achilles ultrasound examinations were performed at baseline, six- and twelve-month time periods and compared with clinical outcome measures collected at basal visit. Our results showed that basal erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are higher in patients with Doppler signal in enthesis, and even that higher basal ESR, CRP and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) predicted a higher Doppler signal (an ultrasound alteration accepted as representative of inflammation) six months later. Patients with very high disease activity assessed by ASDAS (>3.5) at baseline had significantly higher Achilles total ultrasound score verified at the same time; and ASDAS <1.3 predicted no Doppler signal at six and twelve months. This seems to represent a connection between classical biomarkers and clinical outcomes associated with SpA activity and Doppler signal, not only at the same time, but also for the following months. Remarkably, patients with inactive disease (ASDAS < 1.3) at baseline had no Doppler signal at six and twelve months. These findings reinforce the potential use of ultrasound related techniques for disease progression assessment and prognosis purposes. Intriguingly, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) didn’t show significant differences between different cut-offs concerning ultrasound lesions or Doppler signal, while verified with ASDAS. These results seem to indicate that ASDAS reflects better than BASDAI what happens in the enthesis. The work herein discussed clearly shows the potential utility of ultrasound in enthesis assessment in SpA patients, and can be important for the development of ultrasound activity and structural damage scores for diagnosis and monitoring purposes. Therefore, local promotion of this technique constitutes a medical intervention that is worth being tested in SpA patients for diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis purposes.

Historic and recent occurrences of pinnipeds in the Archipelago of the Azores

The Archipelago of the Azores (Portugal) is located between 378 and 418N and 258 and 318W and crosses the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It is the most isolated archipelago in the Atlantic, situated 1600 km west of mainland Portugal and 3500 km from the eastern coast of the United States of America. At present, the only population of seals occurring in the Portuguese territory is found on Desertas Islands, Archipelago of Madeira, where a colony of 24 Mediterranean monk seals, Monachus monachus (Hermann, 1779), still persists (Pires and Neves 2001). Nonetheless, historical accounts reported by Frutuoso (1983) dating from the early to late 1500s mention sightings of ‘‘sea wolves’’ (the old Portuguese folk term for the Mediterranean monk seal) at several sites along the Azorean Island of Santa Maria. Little is known about the occurrence of monk seals in this area over the past five centuries, but the species certainly did not escape deliberate killing by the first settlers. While the early monk seal reports by Frutuoso (1983) are the only reports referring to the presence of colonies of seals in the Azores, more recently several sightings and strandings of vagrant seals of other species have been noted.

Influenza infection and Kawasaki disease

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to investigate the possible link between influenza (Flu) infection and Kawasaki disease (KD). METHODS: We examined the medical records of 1,053 KD cases and 4,669 influenza infection cases hospitalized at our institute from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013. Cases of KD with concomitant influenza infection formed the KD + Flu group. Each KD + Flu case was matched with 2 KD cases and 2 influenza infection cases, and these cases were assigned to the KD group and Flu group, respectively. The differences in the principal clinical manifestations, course of disease, incomplete KD rate, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance rate, and echocardiographic detection results between the KD + Flu group and KD group were compared. The fever durations and laboratory test results of these three groups were compared. RESULTS: 1) The seasonal variations of the KD + Flu group, KD group and Flu group were similar. 2) The morbidity rate of incomplete KD was higher in the KD + Flu group compared with the KD group. 3) Patients in the KD + Flu group exhibited a longer time to KD diagnosis compared with patients in the KD group. 4) The KD + Flu group exhibited the longest fever duration among the three groups. 5) The CRP and ESR values in the KD + Flu group were higher those in the Flu or KD groups. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant influenza infection affects the clinical manifestations of KD and can impact the laboratory test results and the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. However, it remains unclear whether influenza contributes to KD etiology.

As Necrópoles alto-medievais do concelho de Cascais : séculos VI e VII

A presente dissertação teve como finalidade estudar os testemunhos arqueológicos respeitantes às práticas funerárias levadas a cabo no atual concelho de Cascais durante os séculos VI e VII. As necrópoles em estudo são sítios bem conhecidos pelos investigadores, uma vez que a descoberta de algumas é precoce, datando de finais do século XIX. Com este trabalho, pretendeu-se introduzir uma série de componentes que a investigação privilegia atualmente, sobretudo no que respeita às vivências nos espaços rurais entre o fim do Império Romano e o domínio muçulmano na Península Ibérica. A investigação desenvolvida baseou-se no estudo preliminar das coleções osteológicas de quatro das cinco necrópoles, bem como na prospeção e no levantamento arqueológicos. O inventário antropológico teve como objetivo apurar o número mínimo de indivíduos por necrópole e por sepultura e fazer uma caracterização básica do sexo e da idade dos inumados. A prospeção assentou na análise das fontes bibliográficas sobre os sítios. Os trabalhos de campo desenvolveram-se no sentido de apurar o estado de conservação dos vestígios, na eventual identificação de outros novos e no consequente levantamento gráfico e fotográfico dos mesmos. Foi igualmente examinado o espólio cerâmico e metálico recolhido aquando da escavação das necrópoles, de modo obter uma visão abrangente sobre os rituais funerários e a estabelecer cronologias mais precisas. Embora se trate de um estudo limitado devido à inexistência de um registo mais rigoroso dos vestígios, foi possível tirar algumas conclusões e constatar alguns padrões. Os resultados possibilitaram apontar um conjunto de condições que se repetem nos locais onde estes cemitérios se implantam, percebendo dinâmicas em relação a fatores de caráter natural e de carácter antrópico. Também se apurou que existiriam diferentes formas de organizar os espaços funerários e que estes seriam constituídos por sepulturas muito diversas do ponto de vista construtivo. Além disso, começa-se a desvelar as razões para a reutilização de sepulturas para vários enterramentos e a entender a forma como as comunidades rurais conduziam os rituais funerários, ainda muito enraizados numa antiga matriz pagã.

Estudo palinostratigráfico dos sectores Martinlongo-Vaqueiros e Malhadinha da Faixa Piritosa Ibérica: enquadramento geológico e paleogeográfico

Dissertação de mestrado em Geociências (área de especialização em Valorização de Recursos Geológicos)

Vegetational changes during the last millennium inferred from a palynological record from the Bananal Island, Tocantins, Brazil

The Bananal Island is regarded the largest fluvial island in the world, bounded by Araguaia and Javaés rivers, being located in southwest of Tocantins. The objectives of this work were to provide information about the vegetational changes that occurred at the Bananal Island, in order to contribute to the understanding the dynamics of past and current savanna and areas of ecotones with forests. Thus, a sedimentary core collected from a small lake at the Bananal Island plain was submitted to pollen and radiocarbon dating analyses. The results showed that the last millennium was dominated by forest reflecting a wet climate. At the beginning of the record (920-770 yr cal BP) the wet climate and high rainfall produced flooding during long rainy seasons that maintained the Javaés River connected to the studied lake, and hence, this environment was marked by the presence of a homogenous forest rich in Moraceae/Urticaceae, due to flooded soils occurrence. During the following period (770-304 yr cal BP) the reduced rainfall and shortening of the rainy seasons isolated the lake from the Javaés River for long periods, which caused a diversification of the forest and gave rise to the appearance of the components of floodplain forest and marsh vegetation adapted to waterlogged soils. Since 304 years cal BP to the present day this environment remained dominated by this diverse forest and the lacustrine conditions were also similar to previous phase, with a slight increase of moisture in the last 84 years that caused the increase of Piranhea.

Ancestry of the Brazilian TP53 c.1010G>A (p.Arg337His, R337H) founder mutation : clues from haplotyping of short tandem repeats on Chromosome 17p

Rare germline mutations in TP53 (17p13.1) cause a highly penetrant predisposition to a specific spectrum of early cancers, defining the Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). A germline mutation at codon 337 (p.Arg337His, c1010G>A) is found in about 0.3% of the population of Southern Brazil. This mutation is associated with partially penetrant LFS traits and is found in the germline of patients with early cancers of the LFS spectrum unselected for familial his- tory. To characterize the extended haplotypes carrying the mutation, we have genotyped 9 short tandem repeats on chromosome 17p in 12 trios of Brazilian p.Arg337His carriers. Results confirm that all share a common ancestor haplotype of Caucasian/Portuguese-Ibe- ric origin, distant in about 72–84 generations (2000 years assuming a 25 years intergenera- tional distance) and thus pre-dating European migration to Brazil. So far, the founder p. Arg337His haplotype has not been detected outside Brazil, with the exception of two resi- dents of Portugal, one of them of Brazilian origin. On the other hand, increased meiotic recombination in p.Arg337His carriers may account for higher than expected haplotype diversity. Further studies comparing haplotypes in populations of Brazil and of other areas of Portuguese migration are needed to understand the historical context of this mutation in Brazil.

Estudo paleoetnobotânico do povoado da Idade do Ferro do Crastoeiro (Noroeste de Portugal)

Dissertação de mestrado em Arqueologia

Rede ecológica para a deteção e estudo de aves marinhas arrojadas REDEMAR-AVES (costa norte portuguesa)

Dissertação de mestrado em Ecologia

Study of validation of the Portuguese version of the inventory «Experiences in Close Relationships»

The Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory permits to evaluate attachment in close relationships during adulthood based on two dimensions able to be present in this kind of relationships: the avoidance of proximity and the anxiety related with to abandonment. It is a self-report 7- points likert scale composed by 36 items. The Portuguese version was administered to a sample of 551 university students (60% female), the majority with ages between 19 and 24 years old (88%) in a dating relationship (86%). The principal components analysis with oblimin rotation was performed. The total scale has good internal consistency (α=.86), as also has the 2 sub-scales: anxiety (α=.86) and avoidance (α=.88). The two dimensions evaluated are significantly correlated with socio-demographics, relational characteristics (jealousy, relationship distress, and compromise), wishes (enmeshment versus differentiation) and fears (abandonment versus control) related to attitudes in significant relationships, which testify the construct validity of the instrument. The results obtained are coherent with the original version and other ECR‘s adaptations. Practitioners and researchers in the context of clinical psychology and related areas have now at their disposal the Portuguese version of the ECR inventory, which has shown its very high usefulness in the study of close relationships, and specifically attachment in adulthood.

Hemorheological and Glycemic Parameters and HDL Cholesterol for the Prediction of Cardiovascular Events

Abstract Background: Hemorheological and glycemic parameters and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are used as biomarkers of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Objective: To investigate the association and clinical relevance of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), fibrinogen, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and HDL cholesterol in the prediction of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and coronary heart disease (CHD) in an outpatient population. Methods: 708 stable patients who visited the outpatient department were enrolled and followed for a mean period of 28.5 months. Patients were divided into two groups, patients without MACE and patients with MACE, which included cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction, newly diagnosed CHD, and cerebral vascular accident. We compared hemorheological and glycemic parameters and lipid profiles between the groups. Results: Patients with MACE had significantly higher ESR, fibrinogen, fasting glucose, and HbA1c, while lower HDL cholesterol compared with patients without MACE. High ESR and fibrinogen and low HDL cholesterol significantly increased the risk of MACE in multivariate regression analysis. In patients with MACE, high fibrinogen and HbA1c levels increased the risk of multivessel CHD. Furthermore, ESR and fibrinogen were significantly positively correlated with HbA1c and negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol, however not correlated with fasting glucose. Conclusion: Hemorheological abnormalities, poor glycemic control, and low HDL cholesterol are correlated with each other and could serve as simple and useful surrogate markers and predictors for MACE and CHD in outpatients.

Estudi i revalorització dels paisatges culturals de l'alta muntanya pirinenca: la vall del Madriu (Andorra), patrimoni de la humanitat de la UNESCO

Estudi arqueològic integrat de la vall del Madriu-Perafita-Claror (Andorra) iniciat al 2004 sota la coordinació de l’ICAC. L’estudi s’insereix en la declaració de la vall com a Patrimoni de la Humanitat (UNESCO). Las recerques s’enfoquen des de l’Arqueologia del Paisatge, de manera diacrònica i pluridisciplinar, fent especial atenció a les relacions de les societats amb el medi. Les restes arqueològiques treballades s’associen a activitats ramaderes, metal•lúrgiques i de carboneig. La recerca paleoecològica se centra en sediments lacustres, torbosos i arqueològics. L’any 2006, s’han analitzat a alta resolució temporal dues seqüencies palinològiques: l’estany Blau (2471 m) i la torbera de Bosc dels Estanyons (2180 m), obtenint les principals fases d’explotació i antropització d’aquest espai altimontà, així com l’evolució del paisatge en els darrers 11000 anys . La campanya de camp s’ha centrat en l’obtenció de mostres de pluja pol•línica referencial a la vall i en el sondatge de l’estany Forcat (2539 m). Un total de tres mostres han estat enviades a datar per C14. Els treballs arqueològics s’han centrat en l’excavació de sondejos de diagnòstic als jaciments de Basses de Setut (2325 m) i Pleta de les Bacives ( 2530 m) i en la realització de prospeccions a les capçaleres de les valls de Madriu, Perafita i Claror. S’han documentat estructures arqueològiques i s’han realitzat estudis antracològics dels sediments excavats en aquestes. S’ha realitzat un transecte altitudinal de carboneres al llarg de la vall per tal de enregistrar una major diversitat cronològica dels espais de carboneig. S’han enviat datacions C14 per tal de determinar la cronologia de les estructures. Les datacions del 2005 mostren una intensa ocupació ramadera i de carboneig a partir del segle XIV, en època baixmedieval i moderna, així com un establiment metal·lúrgic d’època romana.