Multibiomarker assessment of cadmium-based quantum dots effects in the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Tese de Doutoramento, Ciências do Mar, da Terra e do Ambiente, Ramo: Ciências e Tecnologias do Ambiente, Especialização em Ecotoxicologia, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2016

Multifunctional Nanoparticles in Cancer: in vitro Characterization, in vivo Distribution

A novel biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, termed poly(Glycerol malate co-dodecanedioate) (PGMD), was prepared by thermal condensation method and used for fabrication of nanoparticles (NPs). PGMD NPs were prepared using the single oil emulsion technique and loaded with an imaging/hyperthermia agent (IR820) and a chemotherapeutic agent (doxorubicin, DOX). The size of the void PGMD NPs, IR820-PGMD NPs and DOX-IR820-PGMD NPs were approximately 90 nm, 110 nm, and 125 nm respectively. An acidic environment (pH=5.0) induced higher DOX and IR820 release compared to pH=7.4. DOX release was also enhanced by exposure to laser, which increased the temperature to 42°C. Cytotoxicity of DOX-IR820-PGMD NPs was comparable in MES-SA but was higher in Dx5 cells compared to free DOX plus IR820 (pIn vivomouse studies showed that NP formulation significantly improved the plasma half-life of IR820 after tail vein injection. Significant lower IR820 content was observed in kidney in DOX-IR820-PGMD NP treatment as compared to free IR820 treatment in our biodistribution studies (p

Microspheres for Liver Radiomicrospheres Therapy and Planning

Liver cancer accounts for nearly 10% of all cancers in the US. Intrahepatic Arterial Radiomicrosphere Therapy (RMT), also known as Selective Internal Radiation Treatment (SIRT), is one of the evolving treatment modalities. Successful patient clinical outcomes require suitable treatment planning followed by delivery of the microspheres for therapy. The production and in vitro evaluation of various polymers (PGCD, CHS and CHSg) microspheres for a RMT and RMT planning are described. Microparticles with a 30±10 µm size distribution were prepared by emulsion method. The in vitro half-life of the particles was determined in PBS buffer and porcine plasma and their potential application (treatment or treatment planning) established. Further, the fast degrading microspheres (≤ 48 hours in vitro half-life) were labeled with 68Ga and/or 99mTc as they are suitable for the imaging component of treatment planning, which is the primary emphasis of this dissertation. Labeling kinetics demonstrated that 68Ga-PGCD, 68Ga-CHSg and 68Ga-NOTA-CHSg can be labeled with more than 95% yield in 15 minutes; 99mTc-PGCD and 99mTc-CHSg can also be labeled with high yield within 15-30 minutes. In vitro stability after four hours was more than 90% in saline and PBS buffer for all of them. Experiments in reconstituted hemoglobin lysate were also performed. Two successful imaging (RMT planning) agents were found: 99mTc-CHSg and 68Ga-NOTA-CHSg. For the 99mTc-PGCD a successful perfusion image was obtained after 10 minutes, however the in vivo degradation was very fast (half-life), releasing the 99mTc from the lungs. Slow degrading CHS microparticles (> 21 days half-life) were modified with p-SCN-b-DOTA and labeled with 90Y for production of 90Y-DOTA-CHS. Radiochemical purity was evaluated in vitro and in vivo showing more than 90% stability after 72 and 24 hours respectively. All agents were compared to their respective gold standards (99mTc-MAA for 68Ga-NOTA-CHSg and 99mTc-CHSg; 90Y-SirTEX for 90Y-DOTA-CHS) showing superior in vivo stability. RMT and RMT planning agents (Therapy, PET and SPECT imaging) were designed and successfully evaluated in vitro and in vivo.

Actividad física, imagen corporal y condiciones de vida. Un abordaje teórico desde los determinantes y la determinación social de la salud

El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la construcción social del conocimiento en Actividad física desde dos planteamientos teóricos de la salud centrando el análisis en la relación con la imagen corporal y las condiciones de vida. Se trata de un estudio teórico desde el análisis de contenido de corte narrativo de 98 artículos desarrollado en cinco etapas a través de: rastreo de documentos en bases de datos en el periodo 2000-2014, revisión de artículos, y análisis y hallazgos de significados, sentidos o contenidos. Como hallazgo importante se puede mencionar que en la literatura científica relacionada con la triada Actividad física-imagen corporal-condiciones de vida predomina la construcción del conocimiento a partir de modelos hegemónicos y dominantes que priorizan la intensidad, la frecuencia y el tiempo dedicado a la AF, la estandarización en la comparación de la apariencia física y la medición de elementos materiales en el modo de vivir de las personas, principalmente desde el abordaje de los determinantes sociales de la salud. Se concluye que es necesario revisar las poblaciones que incluyendo en los estudios al estar concentrados el conocimiento en solo unos grupos; así como se hace explícita la necesidad de revisar cuales son los aportes de la Educación Física y otras disciplinas (ciencias sociales) para una mayor comprensión teórica y práctica de la AF.

The locations of recent supernovae near the Sun from modelling 60Fe transport

The signature of 60Fe in deep-sea crusts indicates that one or more supernovae exploded in the solar neighbourhood about 2.2 million years ago1–4. Recent isotopic analysis is consistent with a core-collapse or electron-capture supernova that occurred 60 to 130 parsecs from the Sun5. Moreover, peculiarities in the cosmic ray spectrum point to a nearby supernova about two million years ago6. The Local Bubble of hot, diffuse plasma, in which the Solar System is embedded, originated from 14 to 20 supernovae within a moving group, whose surviving members are now in the Scorpius– Centaurus stellar association7,8. Here we report calculations of the most probable trajectories and masses of the supernova progenitors, and hence their explosion times and sites. The 60Fe signal arises from two supernovae at distances between 90 and 100 parsecs. The closest occurred 2.3 million years ago at present-day galactic coordinates l = 327°, b = 11°, and the second-closest exploded about 1.5 million years ago at l = 343°, b = 25°, with masses of 9.2 and 8.8 times the solar mass, respectively. The remaining supernovae, which formed the Local Bubble, contribute to a smaller extent because they happened at larger distances and longer ago (60Fe has a half- life of 2.6 million years9,10). There are uncertainties relating to the nucleosynthesis yields and the loss of 60Fe during transport, but they do not influence the relative distribution of 60Fe in the crust layers, and therefore our model reproduces the measured relative abundances very well.

Bioaccumulation and elimination of Endosulfan in zebra fish (Brachydanio rerio).

The bioaccumulation and elimination of endosulfan in zebra fish (Brachydanio rerio) were investigated in a semi-static bioassay. The pesticide mean concentration in water was 03ug litre(-1) and the level of endosulfan residues (x(alfa)+B(beta)-isomers+endosulfan sulfate) in the exposed fish at day 21 was 0.81 (+-0.12)ug g(-1) body weight. The estimated value of the bioconcentration factor (BCF) was 2650 (+-441), the total endosulfan residues being eliminated with a biological half-life of four days. Histopathological studies showed predominantly lipid accumulation in the liver and necrotic focus in the gills of exposed fish.

Degradation and sorption of fipronil and atrazine in Latossols with organic residues from sugarcane crop.

ABSTRACT: Organic residues from sugarcane crop and processing (vinasse, boiler ash, cake filter, and straw) are commonly applied or left on the soil to enhance its fertility. However, they can influence pesticide degradation and sorption. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of adding these organic residues on the degradation and sorption of fipronil and atrazine in two soils of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, MS, Brazil. The degradation experiment was carried out with laboratory-incubated (40 days; 28°C; 70% field capacity) soils (0-10cm). The batch equilibration method was used to determine sorption. Fipronil (half-life values of 15-105 days) showed to be more persistent than atrazine (7-17 days). Vinasse application to the soil favored fipronil and atrazine degradation, whereas cake filter application decreased the degradation rates for both pesticides. Values for sorption coefficients (Kd) were determined for fipronil (5.1-13.2mL g-1) and atrazine (0.5-1.5mL g-1). Only straw and cake filter residues enhanced fipronil sorption when added to the soil, whereas all sugarcane residues increased atrazine sorption. RESUMO: Resíduos orgânicos do cultivo e processamento da cana-de-açúcar (vinhaça, cinzas, torta de filtro e palha) são usualmente aplicados ou deixados no solo para aumentar sua fertilidade, mas eles podem influenciar na degradação e sorção de agrotóxicos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da adição desses resíduos orgânicos no solo sobre a degradação e sorção do fipronil e da atrazina em dois solos no Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, MS, Brasil. O experimento de degradação foi realizado com solos (0-10cm) incubados em laboratório (40 dias; 28°C; 70% da capacidade de campo). Para determinar a sorção, foi usado o método da batelada. Fipronil mostrou ser mais persistente (valores de meia-vida entre 15-105 dias) que atrazina (7-17 dias). O solo com adição de vinhaça favoreceu a degradação de fipronil e atrazina, enquanto adição da torta de filtro desacelerou o processo. Os valores do coeficiente de sorção (Kd) foram determinados para fipronil (5,1-13,2mL g-1) e atrazina (0,5-1,5mL g-1). Apenas os resíduos palha e torta de filtro aumentaram a sorção de fipronil quando adicionados ao solo, enquanto todos os resíduos aumentaram a sorção de atrazina.

Characterisation of RNase Y in H. pylori: a non-essential enzyme involved in the processing of cag-PAI non coding RNA 1 (CncR1) sRNA

The importance of Helicobacter pylori as a human pathogen is underlined by the plethora of diseases it is responsible for. The capacity of H. pylori to adapt to the restricted host-associated environment andto evade the host immune response largely depends on a streamlined signalling network. The peculiar H. pylori small genome size combined with its paucity of transcriptional regulators highlights the relevance of post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms as small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs). However, among the 8 RNases represented in H. pylori genome, a regulator guiding sRNAs metabolism is still not well studied. We investigated for the first time the physiological role in H. pylori G27 strain of the RNase Y enzyme. In the first line of research we provide a comprehensive characterization of the RNase Y activity by analysing its genomic organization and the factors that orchestrate its expression. Then, based on bioinformatic prediction models, we depict the most relevant determinants of RNase Y function, demonstrating a correlation of both structure and domain organization with orthologues represented in Gram-positive bacteria. To unveil the post-transcriptional regulatory effect exerted by the RNase Y, we compared the transcriptome of an RNase Y knock-out mutant to the parental wild type strain by RNA-seq approach. In the second line of research we characterized the activity of this single strand specific endoribonuclease on cag-PAI non coding RNA 1 (CncR1) sRNA. We found that deletion or inactivation of RNase Y led to the accumulation of a 3’-extended CncR1 (CncR1-L) transcript over time. Moreover, beneath its increased half-life, CncR1-L resembled a CncR1 inactive phenotype. Finally, we focused on the characterization of the in vivo interactome of CncR1. We set up a preliminary MS2-affinity purification coupled with RNA-sequencing (MAPS) approach and we evaluated the enrichment of specific targets, demonstrating the suitability of the technique in the H. pylori G27 strain.

Measurement of banana green life

Introduction. This protocol aims at measuring the storage life potential of banana fruit, and at determining the physiological age of fruit. The principle, key advantages, starting plant material, time required and expected results are presented. Materials and methods. This part describes the required laboratory materials and the five steps necessary for calculating the banana green life duration, which corresponds to the number of days between the fruit harvest and climacteric crisis. Results. The measurement of O-2 and CO2 concentrations allows one to detect the climacteric peak which marks the end of the banana green life.

Contextual Effects on Hopelessness in the Second Half of the Life

Depression and suicidal ideation are tightly linked to the lack of hope in the future. Hopelessness begins with the occurrence of negative life events and develops through the perception that negative outcomes are stable and pervasive. Most of the research has investigated individual factors predicting hopelessness. However, other studies have shown that the social context may also play an important role: disadvantaged contexts exacerbate the feeling that future is unreachable and hopeless. In this study we investigate the role of shared emotions (emotional climates) on the sense of hopelessness during the second half of the life. Emotional climates have been defined as the emotional relationships constructed between members of a society and describe the quality of the environment within a particular community. We present results of multilevel analyses using data from the NCCR-LIVES769 project «Vulnerability and growth», the Swiss Household Panel and official statistics, that explore the relationship between characteristics of the Swiss cantons and hopelessness. Although hopelessness is mainly affected by individual factors as life events and personality, results show that canton socio-economic conditions and climates of optimism or pessimism have an effect on the individual perception of hopelessness. Individuals are more likely to feel hopeless after having experienced critical events (i.e., loss of the partner in the late life) in cantons with high rates of unemployment and with a high share of negative emotions. On the contrary, positive emotional climates play a protective role against hopelessness.

The use of cost per life year gained as a measurement of cost-effectiveness in Spain: a systematic review of recent publications

The objective of this study was to evaluate the methodological characteristics of cost-effectiveness evaluations carried out in Spain, since 1990, which include LYG as an outcome to measure the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. METHODS: A systematic review of published studies was conducted describing their characteristics and methodological quality. We analyse the cost per LYG results in relation with a commonly accepted Spanish cost-effectiveness threshold and the possible relation with the cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained when they both were calculated for the same economic evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 62 economic evaluations fulfilled the selection criteria, 24 of them including the cost per QALY gained result as well. The methodological quality of the studies was good (55%) or very good (26%). A total of 124 cost per LYG results were obtained with a mean ratio of 49,529 and a median of 11,490 (standard deviation of 183,080). Since 2003, a commonly accepted Spanish threshold has been referenced by 66% of studies. A significant correlation was found between the cost per LYG and cost per QALY gained results (0.89 Spearman-Rho, 0.91 Pearson). CONCLUSIONS: There is an increasing interest for economic health care evaluations in Spain, and the quality of the studies is also improving. Although a commonly accepted threshold exists, further information is needed for decision-making as well as to identify the relationship between the costs per LYG and per QALY gained.

A real-time measurement system for long-life flood monitoring and warning applications

A flood warning system incorporates telemetered rainfall and flow/water level data measured at various locations in the catchment area. Real-time accurate data collection is required for this use, and sensor networks improve the system capabilities. However, existing sensor nodes struggle to satisfy the hydrological requirements in terms of autonomy, sensor hardware compatibility, reliability and long-range communication. We describe the design and development of a real-time measurement system for flood monitoring, and its deployment in a flash-flood prone 650 km2 semiarid watershed in Southern Spain. A developed low-power and long-range communication device, so-called DatalogV1, provides automatic data gathering and reliable transmission. DatalogV1 incorporates self-monitoring for adapting measurement schedules for consumption management and to capture events of interest. Two tests are used to assess the success of the development. The results show an autonomous and robust monitoring system for long-term collection of water level data in many sparse locations during flood events.

The network of intertextual relations in Naipaul's half a life and magic seeds

Esta dissertação mapeia a rede de relações intertextuais em Half a Life (2001) e sua continuação Magic Seeds (2004), os romances mais recentes do Prêmio Nobel de Literatura de 2001, V. S. Naipaul, como contribuição para o estudo da obra do autor. A noção de intertextualidade permeia os estudos literários, e o termo tem sido largamente empregado desde que foi cunhado por Julia Kristeva nos anos sessenta. Desde então as mais variadas, e muitas vezes divergentes, teorias sobre intertextualidade compartilham a idéia de que um texto só adquire significado pleno na interação com outros textos. A abordagem metodológica proposta é baseada na teoria da transtextualidade de Gérard Genette. Esta escolha implica o estudo de intertextos, paratextos, metatextos, arquitextos e hipertextos que constituem a interface entre os dois romances e outros escritos. O nome do protagonista "William Somerset Chandran" constitui o fio que guia o estudo das várias relações transtextuais nos dois romances. A partir do prenome do protagonista – William – este estudo situa os romances no contexto da tradição do Bildungsroman, e argumenta que estes estabelecem uma paródia arquitextual do gênero na medida em que subvertem seu cerne, ou seja, a formação do caráter do protagonista. O nome do meio do protagonista – Somerset – remete à ficcionalização do escritor Somerset Maugham na narrativa, ao mesmo tempo em que esta desmistifica a ótica ocidental sobre o hinduísmo popularizada por Maugham em The Razor's Edge. O sobrenome do protagonista – Chandran – leva ao estudo do conjunto de referências à origem indiana de Naipaul e o papel desta na produção do autor. Este nome se reporta ao romance de Narayan The Bachelor of Arts, cujo protagonista também é nomeado Chandran. Narayan é um escritor de destaque na literatura anglo-indiana e referência recorrente na obra de Naipaul. Os temas de migração e choque cultural apresentados nos dois romances têm sido presença constante na obra de Naipaul. Esta pesquisa mapeia a relação de continuidade entre os dois romances em questão e o conjunto da obra de Naipaul, salientando o papel da ambientação geográfica da narrativa, marcada pela jornada do protagonista através de três continentes. A teoria da transtextualidade é uma ferramenta operacional para a pesquisa, a qual examina a densidade das referências geográficas, históricas e literárias em Half a Life e Magic Seeds, visando aportar elementos para o estudo da produção literária de Naipaul, na medida em que estes romances recentes condensam e revisitam a visão de mundo deste autor.