Development of paper-based color test-strip for drug detection in aquatic environment: Application to oxytetracycline

The wide use of antibiotics in aquaculture has led to the emergence of resistant microbial species. It should be avoided/minimized by controlling the amount of drug employed in fish farming. For this purpose, the present work proposes test-strip papers aiming at the detection/semi-quantitative determination of organic drugs by visual comparison of color changes, in a similar analytical procedure to that of pH monitoring by universal pH paper. This is done by establishing suitable chemical changes upon cellulose, attributing the paper the ability to react with the organic drug and to produce a color change. Quantitative data is also enabled by taking a picture and applying a suitable mathematical treatment to the color coordinates given by the HSL system used by windows. As proof of concept, this approach was applied to oxytetracycline (OXY), one of the antibiotics frequently used in aquaculture. A bottom-up modification of paper was established, starting by the reaction of the glucose moieties on the paper with 3-triethoxysilylpropylamine (APTES). The so-formed amine layer allowed binding to a metal ion by coordination chemistry, while the metal ion reacted after with the drug to produce a colored compound. The most suitable metals to carry out such modification were selected by bulk studies, and the several stages of the paper modification were optimized to produce an intense color change against the concentration of the drug. The paper strips were applied to the analysis of spiked environmental water, allowing a quantitative determination for OXY concentrations as low as 30 ng/mL. In general, this work provided a simple, method to screen and discriminate tetracycline drugs, in aquaculture, being a promising tool for local, quick and cheap monitoring of drugs.

Seroprevalence of antibodies to Venezuelan equine encephalitis complex (subtypes IAB and VI) in humans from General Belgrano Island, Formosa, Argentina

This work presents the results of the detection of antibodies (immunoglobulin G) for subtypes I and VI of VEE viruses complex (Togaviridae family) in people from the General Belgrano island, Formosa province (Argentina). The prevalence of neutralizing (NT) antibodies for subtype VI was from 30% to 70% and the prevalence of antibodies inhibitory of hemagglutination (HI) was of 0% in the first and second inquiry respectively. For the subtype IAB the prevalence of NT antibodies was from 13% to 3.6%, similar to the prevalence total for both subtypes. HI antibodies were not detected in any inquiries for any subtype. It was observed that both subtypes circulate simultaneously, while subtype VI remains constant with some peaks, subtype I was found in low level.

Sol-Gel Chemistry in Biosensing Devices of Electrical Transduction: Application to CEA Cancer Biomarker

Sol-gel chemistry allows the immobilization of organic molecules of biological origin on suibtable solid supports, permitting their integration into biosensing devices widening the possibility of local applications. The present work is an application of this principle, where the link between electrical receptor platform and the antibody acting as biorecognition element is made by sol-gel chemistry. The immunosensor design was targeted for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), an important biomarker for screening the colorectal cancer, by electrochemical techniques, namely electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and square wave voltammetry (SVW). The device displayed linear behavior to CEA in EIS and in SWV assays ranging from 0.50 to 1.5ng/mL, and 0.25 to 1.5ng/mL, respectively. The corresponding detection limits were 0.42 and 0.043 ng/mL. Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize the surface modifications on the conductive platform (FTO glass). Overall, simple sol-gel chemistry was effective at the biosensing design and the presented approach can be a potential method for screening CEA in point-of-care, due to the simplicity of fabrication, short response time and low cost. - See more at: http://www.eurekaselect.com/127192/article#sthash.m1AWhINx.dpuf

Nonlinear dynamics of the patient’s response to drug effect during general anesthesia

In today’s healthcare paradigm, optimal sedation during anesthesia plays an important role both in patient welfare and in the socio-economic context. For the closed-loop control of general anesthesia, two drugs have proven to have stable, rapid onset times: propofol and remifentanil. These drugs are related to their effect in the bispectral index, a measure of EEG signal. In this paper wavelet time–frequency analysis is used to extract useful information from the clinical signals, since they are time-varying and mark important changes in patient’s response to drug dose. Model based predictive control algorithms are employed to regulate the depth of sedation by manipulating these two drugs. The results of identification from real data and the simulation of the closed loop control performance suggest that the proposed approach can bring an improvement of 9% in overall robustness and may be suitable for clinical practice.

Carbon key-properties for microcystin adsorption in drinking water treatment: structure or surface chemistry?

Dissertação para Obtenção de Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica

Development and validation of a risk model for prediction of hazardous alcohol consumption in general practice attendees : the PredictAL study

Background: Little is known about the risk of progression to hazardous alcohol use in people currently drinking at safe limits. We aimed to develop a prediction model (predictAL) for the development of hazardous drinking in safe drinkers. Methods: A prospective cohort study of adult general practice attendees in six European countries and Chile followed up over 6 months. We recruited 10,045 attendees between April 2003 to February 2005. 6193 European and 2462 Chilean attendees recorded AUDIT scores below 8 in men and 5 in women at recruitment and were used in modelling risk. 38 risk factors were measured to construct a risk model for the development of hazardous drinking using stepwise logistic regression. The model was corrected for over fitting and tested in an external population. The main outcome was hazardous drinking defined by an AUDIT score >= 8 in men and >= 5 in women. Results: 69.0% of attendees were recruited, of whom 89.5% participated again after six months. The risk factors in the final predictAL model were sex, age, country, baseline AUDIT score, panic syndrome and lifetime alcohol problem. The predictAL model's average c-index across all six European countries was 0.839 (95% CI 0.805, 0.873). The Hedge's g effect size for the difference in log odds of predicted probability between safe drinkers in Europe who subsequently developed hazardous alcohol use and those who did not was 1.38 (95% CI 1.25, 1.51). External validation of the algorithm in Chilean safe drinkers resulted in a c-index of 0.781 (95% CI 0.717, 0.846) and Hedge's g of 0.68 (95% CI 0.57, 0.78). Conclusions: The predictAL risk model for development of hazardous consumption in safe drinkers compares favourably with risk algorithms for disorders in other medical settings and can be a useful first step in prevention of alcohol misuse.

Uma formação útil para a literacia no novo contexto de Bolonha

A Declaração de Bolonha (1999) obrigou a mudanças várias, reconfigurando os modelos formativos no espaço europeu do ensino superior, até 2010. A partir de 2006, em Portugal, com a criação e adequação dos cursos superiores existentes ao modelo de Bolonha, verificou-se uma generalizada redução da duração média dos diferentes ciclos de estudo e a definição de competências gerais e específicas para os cursos e estudantes. Reflecte-se sobre a importância da literacia da informação, conceito evolutivo e abrangente, que se pode traduzir, sumariamente, em saber quando e porquê se tem uma necessidade informacional, onde encontrar a informação, como avaliá-la, usá-la e comunicá-la de forma ética, incluindo as competências tecnológicas, definição que se inscreve na interdisciplinar Ciência da Informação e no comportamento informacional. Destaca-se a vantagem de uma formação para a literacia da informação no ensino superior, a qual contribuirá, certamente, para dotar os estudantes das referidas competências e melhorá-las. Defende-se a necessidade de uma desejável inter-acção entre múltiplos agentes educativos, com destaque para a trilogia estudantes, bibliotecários e professores, sendo os primeiros encarados como protagonistas activos das suas aprendizagens e devendo ser dotados de competências de literacia da informação, factor determinante para o seu sucesso. Quanto ao Bibliotecário, dotado de novas competências, entre as quais as tecnológicas, deve ser um facilitador do processo de formação para a literacia - preferencialmente integrada num projecto pedagógico e no currículo - articulando a sua acção educativa com estudantes e docentes. Corroborando a extensão educativa das Bibliotecas e aliando-a ao uso inevitável das novas tecnologias da informação e comunicação, sublinha-se o papel das Bibliotecas Digitais, que podem corresponder eficientemente aos anseios dos utilizadores no acesso a uma informação de qualidade, de forma cómoda, rápida, a baixo custo, com personalização dos serviços online, com inter-acção e socialização, através de ferramentas de edição colaborativa, típicas da Web 2.0.

Esterilização Feminina: Estudo Comparativo entre Esterilização Histeroscópica e Laparoscópica

Overview and Aims: Female sterilization is increasingly requested as a contraceptive method. Hysteroscopic sterilization by transcervical placing of Essure® micro-inserts in the initial portion of the tubes is a recent alternative to laparoscopic sterilization. The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of hysteroscopic versus laparoscopic sterilization. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Population: A total of 98 women undergoing sterilization in an outpatient clinic between July 2005 and July 2009. Methods: Patients’ age, associated diseases, anesthesic risk, procedure time, discomfort, adverse events and success rate were evaluated. Results: Mean age at surgery was 37.8 years (19-49), and there were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding this parameter. Women in the hysteroscopic group had a significant number of associated diseases (98% versus 47%), obesity (31% versus 6%), and anesthesic risk (ASA III- 31% versus 0%). The mean duration of the procedure was the same for both techniques (laparoscopy 28 minutes and hysteroscopy 26 minutes). All laparoscopic sterilizations were successfully completed. In the hysteroscopic group 4% failed to complete the technique. There were no cases of severe pain. Women in the hysteroscopy group reported pain less frequently (40% versus 57%, χ2 p<0.05). Long term success rate was similar in both groups (96% for hysteroscopy and 98% for laparoscopy). Conclusions: In spite of a higher incidence of associated diseases, obesity and anesthetic risks in the hysteroscopy group, there were no significant differences in the duration of the procedure, adverse events and success rate. The hysteroscopic approach can therefore be considered an alternative to laparoscopy, eliminating the need for incisional surgery and for general anaesthesia. If women with high surgical risk and several associated diseases can safely undergo this procedure, it could well become the preferred method for women who want a permanent and irreversible contraceptive method.

Routine Transthoracic Echocardiography in a General Intensive Care Unit: an 18 Month Survey in 704 Patients

The authors analyzed 704 transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) examinations, performed routinely to all admitted patients to a general 16-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during an 18-month period. Data acquisition and prevalence of abnormalities of cardiac structures and function were assessed, as well as the new, previously unknown severe diagnoses. A TTE was performed within the first 24 h of admission on 704 consecutive patients, with a mean age of 61.5+/-17.5 years, ICU stay of 10.6+/-17.1 days, APACHE II 22.6+/-8.9, and SAPS II 52.7+/-20.4. In four patients, TTE could not be performed. Left ventricular (LV) dimensions were quantified in 689 (97.8%) patients, and LV function in 670 (95.2%) patients. Cardiac output (CO) was determined in 610 (86.7%), and mitral E/A in 399 (85.9% of patients in sinus rhythm). Echocardiographic abnormalities were detected in 234 (33%) patients, the most common being left atrial (LA) enlargement (n=163), and LV dysfunction (n=132). Patients with these alterations were older (66+/-16.5 vs 58.1+/-17.4, p<0.001), presented a higher APACHE II score (24.4+/-8.7 vs 21.1+/-8.9, p<0.001), and had a higher mortality rate (40.1% vs 25.4%, p<0.001). Severe, previously unknown echocardiographic diagnoses were detected in 53 (7.5%) patients; the most frequent condition was severe LV dysfunction. Through a multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was determined that mortality was affected by tricuspid regurgitation (p=0.016, CI 1.007-1.016) and ICU stay (p<0.001, CI 1-1.019). We conclude that TTE can detect most cardiac structures in a general ICU. One-third of the patients studied presented cardiac structural or functional alterations and 7.5% severe previously unknown diagnoses.

Exploring cinnamic acid scaffold: development of promising neuroprotective lipophilic antioxidants

New lipophilic hydroxycinnamic acid based derivatives were designed and synthesized and their antioxidant and neuroprotective activities evaluated. The chemical modification introduced in the cinnamic acid scaffold leads to compounds with amplified lipophilicity and in general with increased antioxidant activity when compared to natural models (caffeic and ferulic acids). The compounds did not display cytotoxicity and present a significant neuroprotective effect against 6-OH-DA induced damage to SH-SY5Y cells. Compound 6 stands out as an efficient radical scavenger and iron(II) chelator that ensures drug-like properties. Moreover, neuroprotection against oxidative damage was observed even at low concentration (1 μM). Therefore, compound 6 developed by a biology-oriented approach displays a combination of important features for a further optimization process that will generate a new effective antioxidant with therapeutic application for oxidative-stress-related events, namely neurodegenerative diseases.

Os apoios educativos na construção do sucesso educativo: um estudo de caso num Território de intervenção prioritária

O maior desafio da escola atual é conjugar a escolaridade obrigatória e universal com a ânsia do sucesso educativo. Uma escola justa e democrática não pode limitar-se a selecionar os que têm mais mérito, tem, obrigatoriamente, de se preocupar com aqueles que têm mais dificuldades em ter sucesso e que se vão autoexcluindo. Um dos dispositivos clássicos para potenciar os resultados académicos são os Apoios Educativos, porém no Agrupamento de Escolas X, um Território Educativo de Intervenção Prioritária (TEIP), os resultados obtidos mantêm-se abaixo dos padrões nacionais. É este o ponto de partida do nosso estudo, pois, apesar do investimento considerável no aumento de apoios educativos neste Agrupamento, muitos alunos continuam a registar insucesso educativo.Partindo desta realidade percecionada com a análise documental sobre os Apoios Educativos neste Agrupamento, e após uma ação de acompanhamento da Inspeção Geral da Educação e Ciência, surgiu a necessidade de orientar o nosso olhar para uma análise de todo o processo dos apoios de modo a perceber como se pode otimizar o impacto dos apoios no sucesso dos alunos e, consequentemente, ter o reconhecimento exterior. Tendo por base a análise de conteúdo das entrevistas a docentes de Português e Matemática, envolvidos no processo dos apoios educativos e do focus group realizado com alunos que beneficiaram destes apoios educativos, e suportada por um enquadramento teórico e legal, delineou-se um plano de ação, que visa a melhoria do sucesso educativo de todos os alunos e envolve toda a organização escolar. Perceciona-se a preponderância da coordenação e da monitorização num processo que se pretende efetivo e não de simples receituário, mas acima de tudo, toma-se consciência que para funcionar é necessário que seja devidamente clarificado, sentido e apropriado por todos os atores envolvidos.

Bioactive beads for local sensing of proteases in 3D engineered tissues

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Bioengenharia (MIT)

Gestão de recursos humanos

A gestão de recursos humanos é uma abordagem em ascenção e em constante mutação, exigindo-se às empresas capacidade de atração, motivação e retenção de recursos humanos. Este estudo tem como objetivo fundamental compreender quais as boas práticas na gestão de RH das unidades hoteleiras do Norte de Portugal. Adotando uma abordagem metodológica quantitativa, aplicamos como instrumento um questionário das melhores práticas na gestão internacional de recursos humanos, o qual foi adaptado ao respetivo contexto social, cultural e organizacional, às unidades hoteleiras da região do Norte de Portugal. O questionário foi respondido por cinquenta e dois gestores daquelas organizações. Os principais resultados obtidos sobre as boas práticas de recursos humanos utilizadas confirmam que os responsáveis acreditam estar a fazer uma gestão de pessoas muito eficaz, que os colaboradores apresentam um elevado desempenho e se encontram satisfeitos com o seu emprego. Utilizam de uma forma geral todas as práticas de recursos humanos eficazmente, que contribuem positivamente para o sucesso organizacional. Chegamos igualmente à conclusão, que estando perante um setor de atividade em franco crescimento e com uma enorme concorrência, só com uma leitura constante e adequada ao momento das várias práticas, permitirá aos seus gestores atualizar, adaptar a sua liderança e assim ter colaboradores satisfeitos, interessados e comprometidos com os objetivos organizacionais. Não obstante, conclui-se que se pode e deve fazer mais para continuar rumo à excelência.

Modeling in-Hospital Patient Survival During the First 28 Days After Intensive Care Unit Admission: a Prognostic Model for Clinical Trials in General Critically Ill Patients

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to develop a model for estimating patient 28-day in-hospital mortality using 2 different statistical approaches. DESIGN: The study was designed to develop an outcome prediction model for 28-day in-hospital mortality using (a) logistic regression with random effects and (b) a multilevel Cox proportional hazards model. SETTING: The study involved 305 intensive care units (ICUs) from the basic Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) 3 cohort. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: Patients (n = 17138) were from the SAPS 3 database with follow-up data pertaining to the first 28 days in hospital after ICU admission. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The database was divided randomly into 5 roughly equal-sized parts (at the ICU level). It was thus possible to run the model-building procedure 5 times, each time taking four fifths of the sample as a development set and the remaining fifth as the validation set. At 28 days after ICU admission, 19.98% of the patients were still in the hospital. Because of the different sampling space and outcome variables, both models presented a better fit in this sample than did the SAPS 3 admission score calibrated to vital status at hospital discharge, both on the general population and in major subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Both statistical methods can be used to model the 28-day in-hospital mortality better than the SAPS 3 admission model. However, because the logistic regression approach is specifically designed to forecast 28-day mortality, and given the high uncertainty associated with the assumption of the proportionality of risks in the Cox model, the logistic regression approach proved to be superior.