Repositório RCAAP

The high volatile work environment for which high education aim to prepare their graduates demands a high and flexible curricula. Based on the data from the last five years for national and international students enrolled in specific subjects we are able to set up a pilot project aiming to increase the attractiveness of specific subjects and a definition of a journey for the students seeking specific subjects in the Faculty of Pharmacy of University of Lisbon. Data gathered and information drawn from it, serves as a background for the international student journey project. Based on available data and experience drawn from hosting international students including data from their previous high education, languages skills and social cultural differences, alongside time constrains linked to their length of stay the project identified relevant improvement items for the student journey. From 2013 to 2018 there was a remarkable steady increase to 492,31% accompanied by an increase of nationalities. The trend from Portuguese speaking countries is now shifted to central European countries and also Italy and Spain. Students from Bangladesh, Iraq, Syria and China are also present in the recent years. Based on the data analysis perform a pilot project is being drafted to be implemented during the next academic year that with the help of the students involved aims to improve the quality of students journey and experience and the visibility of the Faculty and Portugal. Specific activities already implemented or being implemented throughout the Faculty Campus to improve the quality of the international students’ journey includes: - Identification of staff with a better command of the English language - The website with an increase of better and greater English languages presence - Notices with office hours in Portuguese and English

O quarto número da Revista GAMA percorre, no campo dos Estudos Artísticos, instâncias de memória e de enraizamento, problematizando o futuro através das questões resgatadas, de ontem. Dá-se seguimento ao rumo inicial desta revista, onde artistas escrevem sobre obras de outros artistas, mas agora tem-se uma melhor delimitação e focagem no que respeita ao uso criativo ou acidental da diacronia e suas interligações potenciadoras: o arquivo, a obra recordada, o registo, o projeto, a reativação, a meta-linguagem, a identidade. A Revista GAMA segue um caminho prudente, como o de um alpinista que, ao subir, procura registar na memória os pontos de referência do seu caminho, pontos que lhe possam vir a ser úteis, mais tarde, na descida. Aqueles que sobem, nesta revista, podem ser uns, e os que descem, podem ser outros, de outra geração. Os pontos de referência permanecem, à espera da sua utilidade. Este conjunto de artigos traduz um posicionamento geral de grande atenção aos referentes históricos e técnicos, com uma sensível preocupação pela recuperação e preservação dos objetos e criadores interventivos. Através do olhar dos criadores de hoje, a criatividade mantém-se ativa e interventiva, para ser fonte de recomeços que se anunciam.

Background: Understanding the discrepancy between IgE sensitization and allergic reactions to peanut could facilitate diagnosis and lead to novel means of treating peanut allergy. Objective: To identify differences in IgE and IgG4 binding to peanut peptides between peanut-allergic (PA) and peanut-sensitized but tolerant (PS) children. Methods: PA (n = 56), PS (n = 42) and nonsensitized nonallergic (NA, n = 10) patients were studied. Synthetic overlapping 15-mer peptides of peanut allergens (Ara h 1-11) were spotted onto microarray slides, and patients' samples were tested for IgE and IgG4 binding using immunofluorescence. IgE and IgG4 levels to selected peptides were quantified using ImmunoCAP. Diagnostic model comparisons were performed using likelihood-ratio tests between each specified nominal logistic regression models. Results: Seven peptides on Ara h 1, Ara h 2, and Ara h 3 were bound more by IgE of PA compared to PS patients on the microarray. IgE binding to one peptide on Ara h 5 and IgG4 binding to one Ara h 9 peptide were greater in PS than in PA patients. Using ImmunoCAP, IgE to the Ara h 2 peptides enhanced the diagnostic accuracy of Ara h 2-specific IgE. Ratios of IgG4/IgE to 4 out of the 7 peptides were higher in PS than in PA subjects. Conclusions: Ara h 2 peptide-specific IgE added diagnostic value to Ara h 2-specific IgE. Ability of peptide-specific IgG4 to surmount their IgE counterpart seems to be important in established peanut tolerance.

The introduction of chemical reporter groups into glycan structures through metabolic oligosaccharide engineering (MOE) followed by bio-orthogonal ligation is an important tool to study glycosylation. We show the incorporation of synthetic galactose derivatives that bear terminal alkene groups in hepatic cells, with and without infection by Plasmodium berghei parasites, the causative agent of malaria. Additionally, we demonstrated the contribution of GLUT1 to the transport of these galactose derivatives, and observed a consistent increase in the uptake of these compounds going from naïve to P. berghei-infected cells. Finally, we used MOE to study the interplay between Plasmodium parasites and their mosquito hosts, to reveal a possible transfer of galactose building blocks from the latter to the former. This strategy has the potential to provide new insights into Plasmodium glycobiology as well as for the identification and characterization of key glycan structures for further vaccine development.

Natural killer cell receptors (NKRs) are germline-encoded transmembrane proteins that regulate the activation and homeostasis of NK cells as well as other lymphocytes. For γδ T cells, NKRs play critical roles in discriminating stressed (transformed or infected) cells from their healthy counterparts, as proposed in the "lymphoid stress-surveillance" theory. Whereas the main physiologic role is seemingly fulfilled by natural killer group 2 member D, constitutively expressed by γδ T cells, enhancement of their therapeutic potential may rely on natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs), like NKp30 or NKp44, that can be induced selectively on human Vδ1+ T cells. Here, we review the contributions of NCRs, NKG2D, and their multiple ligands, to γδ T cell biology in mouse and human.

O ensaio visa apresentar uma breve introdução no formato de estudo de caso sobre como a imagem do outro enquanto exótico pode variar de sentido e ser alterada ao longo do tempo, e da participação de antropólogos e antropólogas na construção e reformatação deste ideal imagético. Para exemplificação são priorizadas a consulta e a concentração em um caso específico e característico, sendo este orientado pela aproximação à parte do repositório fotográfico que foi organizado a partir do acervo que Sílvio Coelho dos Santos construiu durante as várias décadas de contato que este manteve com os Xokleng do Sul do brasil. A inclusão do material fotográfico é precedida por uma breve introdução ao histórico do contato e da situação dos Xokleng, visando permitir às partes leitoras algum acesso aos eventos prévios que ocorreram.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease associated with the misfolding and aggregation of alpha-synuclein (aSyn). The molecular underpinnings of PD are still obscure, but nutrition may play an important role in the prevention, onset, and disease progression. Dietary (poly)phenols revert and prevent age-related cognitive decline and neurodegeneration in model systems. However, only limited attempts were made to evaluate the impact of digestion on the bioactivities of (poly)phenols and determine their mechanisms of action. This constitutes a challenge for the development of (poly)phenol-based nutritional therapies. Here, we subjected (poly)phenols from Arbutus unedo to in vitro digestion and tested the products in cell models of PD based on the cytotoxicity of aSyn. The (poly)phenol-digested metabolites from A. unedo leaves (LPDMs) effectively counteracted aSyn and H2O2 toxicity in yeast and human cells, improving viability by reducing aSyn aggregation and inducing its clearance. In addition, LPDMs modulated pathways associated with aSyn toxicity, such as oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, mitochondrial impairment, and SIR2 expression. Overall, LPDMs reduced aSyn toxicity, enhanced the efficiency of ER-associated protein degradation by the proteasome and autophagy, and reduced oxidative stress. In total, our study opens novel avenues for the exploitation of (poly)phenols in nutrition and health.

Israel's West Bank settlements are a central point of contention in the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Overall, however, their rapid proliferation has been generally understood through the lens of an ideologically centered approach that highlights, specifically, the centrality of the national religious settlers' movement. Against this background, the article focuses on the overlooked reality of large, state-sponsored suburban settlements – and in particular on the role of the Israeli Ministry of Housing in their establishment between the mid-1970s and the early 1990s. Building on contributions in the field of political economy and political geography, we conceive the actions of the Ministry in the occupied West Bank as a result of a broader strategy of spatial restructuring. By considering both economic and political imperatives underlying this strategy, our analysis offers a more comprehensive assessment of the factors behind Israel's settlement policy. Drawing on a broad range of empirical sources, from archival material to in-depth interviews with Israeli planners, we argue that the proliferation of settlements has been largely the outcome of a process of metropolitanization – i.e. of the dynamics of urban development of Israel's main metropolitan centers and the adoption of a new, post-Keynesian policy paradigm based on market-oriented economic development. This process has constituted a major factor for the settlements' growth and, ultimately, in the emergence and naturalization of a new territorial configuration in the area of Israel/Palestine.

Mutations causing aberrant splicing are frequently implicated in human diseases including cancer. Here, we establish a high-throughput screen of randomly mutated minigenes to decode the cis-regulatory landscape that determines alternative splicing of exon 11 in the proto-oncogene MST1R (RON). Mathematical modelling of splicing kinetics enables us to identify more than 1000 mutations affecting RON exon 11 skipping, which corresponds to the pathological isoform RON∆165. Importantly, the effects correlate with RON alternative splicing in cancer patients bearing the same mutations. Moreover, we highlight heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H (HNRNPH) as a key regulator of RON splicing in healthy tissues and cancer. Using iCLIP and synergy analysis, we pinpoint the functionally most relevant HNRNPH binding sites and demonstrate how cooperative HNRNPH binding facilitates a splicing switch of RON exon 11. Our results thereby offer insights into splicing regulation and the impact of mutations on alternative splicing in cancer.

O Modelo de Complementaridade Paradigmática defende um conjunto de necessidades psicológicas apresentadas enquanto sete polaridades dialécticas: proximidade-autonomia, prazer-dor, produtividade-lazer, controlo-cedência, exploração-tranquilidade, coerência do self-incoerência do self e auto-estima/auto-crítica. De acordo com o Modelo, o bem-estar depende da adequada regulação da satisfação das necessidades. Esta regulação resulta de uma instância do self: a sua agência. O self desenvolve-se ao longo da infância e a sua agência está dependente do desenvolvimento cognitivo, concluído apenas na adolescência. Desta forma, parece que a regulação da satisfação das necessidades está, em certa medida, dependente dos pais. Por forma a tornar adequada esta regulação, é necessário reconhecer e promover experiências correspondentes às necessidades das crianças. As necessidades psicológicas, mais concretamente as sete polaridades, emergem em momentos diferentes do desenvolvimento. É, assim, apresentada uma proposta com base em dados das teorias do desenvolvimento (em particular Erikson e Piaget), para a emergência das necessidades. Espera-se que os pais vão ao encontro da proposta apresentada e reconheçam a importância e promovam experiências relacionadas com as necessidades existentes em cada etapa. Desta forma, este dois aspectos foram avaliados por um questionário aplicado a pais de crianças de idade pré-escolar e escolar. Nestas etapas de desenvolvimento, em particular, esperava-se encontrar diferenças significativas ao nível da polaridade produtividade-lazer, que emerge na idade escolar. Acreditava-se, ainda, que a polaridade coerência do selfincoerência do self não iria ser reconhecida como importante nem promovida em qualquer das etapas, por emergir apenas na adolescência. Procurou-se perceber, também, a relação entre o reconhecimento da importância e a promoção das necessidades. Os resultados não foram ao encontro do esperado, uma vez que não foram encontradas diferenças significativas ao nível da polaridade produtividade-lazer e todas as polaridades foram reconhecidas como sendo importantes e promovidas. Verificou-se ainda que existe uma relação forte entre o reconhecimento de importância e a promoção.

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Esta dissertação incide sobre a história recente (entre 1970 e 2014) da Arqueologia portuguesa (no território de em Portugal continental), nomeadamente da legislação arqueológica, da estrutura do Estado, do ensino da Arqueologia, dos arqueólogos, das instituições com actividade em Arqueologia e da actividade arqueológica. O estudo recorre à análise intensiva de dados quantitativos, procurando efectuar o diagnóstico e a caracterização dos indicadores essenciais para a compreensão da realidade em análise. Durante o período em estudo, o regime jurídico português aplicável à Arqueologia sofreu um processo de especialização, complexificação e amplificação de âmbito, em contexto nacional mas também europeu, através dos mecanismos de transposição e ratificação legislativas. Na estrutura do Estado com competências sobre a Arqueologia, verificou-se uma primeira fase, até 2007, de progressiva especialização, seguida de uma fase de contracção e descaracterização, associada a uma “regionalização” latente. No ensino superior, a área científica da Arqueologia autonomizou-se e especializou-se, verificando-se um considerável aumento, dispersão e diversificação da oferta formativa. O grupo sociológico dos arqueólogos cresceu consideravelmente, profissionalizou-se, qualificou-se e diversificou-se. No exercício da profissão, agravaram-se as condições laborais e aprofundou-se a instabilidade. As instituições com actividade em Arqueologia aumentaram de número, verificando-se igualmente uma diversificação (nomeadamente no sector privado) e dispersão no território, com os municípios e as empresas de Arqueologia a assumirem um papel central. A actividade arqueológica registou uma evolução quantitativa notável, evoluindo também para uma progressiva diversificação de âmbito e forma, com a Arqueologia Preventiva a assumir um protagonismo crescente, em detrimento de componentes como a investigação e a valorização. A dissertação persegue um objectivo de observatório da Arqueologia portuguesa, instrumento de análise e diagnóstico que permita delinear propostas futuras. É um trabalho interdisciplinar que cruza as disciplinas da Arqueologia, História e Sociologia, na esfera da Arqueologia Pública, procurando reflectir sobre o papel cívico, social e cultural da Arqueologia.

Mobility restrictions have been implemented in many countries to curb the spread of the SARS-Cov-2 virus. In Portugal, strict lockdown periods have been established since March 2020, including limitations on inter-municipal flows and the suspension of all non-essential travel. We simulated the effects of mobility restrictions in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 amongst the municipalities of two metropolitan areas, Lisbon (LMA) and Porto (PMA), the most densely populated areas in the country and with intense commuting flows. Based on an adapted SEIR (Suscetible-Exposed-Infected-Removed) model, we estimated the number of new daily infections during one year, according to different mobility scenarios: restricted to essential activities, industrial activities, public transport use, and a scenario with unrestricted mobility including all transport modes. At the municipal level, the trends of new daily infections were further explored using time-series clustering analysis, using dynamic time warping as a dissimilarity measure. Mobility restrictions are reflected in lower numbers of new daily infections when compared to the unrestricted mobility scenario, in both metropolitan areas. Between March and September 2020, the official number of new infections follows overall a similar timeline to the one simulated considering only essential activities. At the municipal level, trends differ amongst the two metropolitan areas. In LMA, Lisbon municipality absorbs most of the flows and has the highest number of new infections in all scenarios; in PMA, the highest number of infections is reached by various municipalities in different times depending on the scenario. The distinct characteristics of these areas should be considered in reopening strategies during the pandemic, as well as in further approaches to improve mobility in metropolitan areas.

The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is a competent vector of numerous diseases, including the dengue and Zika viruses, and public health concerns have encouraged extensive research to model the environmental suitability to the mosquito. We evaluated the level of consensus between published predictions for the European continent and for a set of 65 major cities. We identified consensus hotspots of high and low suitability and the potential variations of suitability levels between present-day and future climatic conditions. A strong inter-model agreement was found regarding the future expansion of the mosquito to northern and eastern Europe. About 83% of cities are predicted as suitable to the establishment of the mosquito in the future, including in northern Europe, and no decrease in suitability is expected. These results show the importance of planning for vector surveillance and control, even in areas where the risk of establishment of Ae. albopictus is currently low.

Para se formar um artista de visual development - uma profissão em que se define o estilo visual de uma animação - faz sentido aprender o pipeline de animação (passos necessários para uma animação) para sua posterior aplicação. Para efeito de aprendizagem, seria melhor adquirir experiencia nas diferentes tarefas, mas devido a questões de tempo, tal será adquirida mais tarde. Assim, neste trabalho de projecto, o objectivo é descobrir se a criação de um pitch de uma série televisiva - que basicamente simula cada passo do pipeline de animação – pode oferecer uma boa formação para trabalhar como artista de visual development. Na "PART A" dá-se a análise dos componentes de um pitch e mostra que normalmente estes consistem em quatro elementos: log-line, one-sheet, series (pitch) bible e pilot script, que serão explicados posteriormente com mais detalhe. Nesta parte também, o Estado da Arte leva-nos através do desenvolvimento da televisão (primeiros modelos no início do século XX) e da emergência da animação para termos uma ideia de onde se realizaram osprimeiros pitches televisivos e como eram. (…) A "PART B" trata-se do projecto prático da autora e do desenvolvimento de uma metodologia detalhada. Neste caso, é a história da autora intitulada Kim & Brutus, para a qual foram concebidas uma pitch bible, um one-sheet e um storyboard do episódio piloto, servem como exemplo do resultado deste trabalho. A estrutura desta parte consiste na recolha de informação e como esta informação foi em termos práticos aplicada ao presente projecto. (…) Finalmente, a "PART C" analisa os resultados obtidos a partir deste estudo. As características positivas foram a percepção e importância de contar histórias. O trabalho encoraja a escrita e a tocar as pessoas com a própria criatividade, que o trabalho encoraja a auto compreensão ao haver um reflexo do próprio nas personagens, e tal é uma excelente prática como artista de visual development. Refere-se também que a apresentação do pitch pode servir de treino para entrevistas de trabalho. Pelo lado negativo, algumas partes do pitch são muito demoradas para o resultado, e devem concentrar-se na parte que desafia a desenhar (isto leva à omissão de criar um animatic, uma vez que se utiliza muita edição de vídeo, que é outra questão). Isto também leva a outro ponto negativo, pois esta parte é desnecessariamente desafiante do ponto de vista técnico, tecnologia esta que na sua maioria não é necessária para a profissão de um artista de visual development. O documento conclui que este trabalho é uma boa experiência de aprendizagem que pode preparar para o mundo profissional e fornece muitos conhecimentos essenciais na área em questão.

This dissertation focuses on the basic issues in the development of the institution in which the Museum is configured. The focus is on Art Museums and their original purpose, as well as their relationship with the original object. This is, therefore, the basic premise of departure, for the raising of questions that evidence the experience in the Museum based on authenticity, in contrast with the tendency to move away from the value of the authentic. In this way, the work carried out by us is shaped into 3 plans: the socio-economic plan; the cultural plan; and, as expected, the museological plan. In these terms, we begin an analysis that extends from the formation of the Museum to the present day, highlighting some moments, considered by us, as transforming or fundamental. Having this said, we enter on an anthropological and aesthetic excursion, questioning values that, in principle, would be unanimous, in terms of consensus. Throughout the text, we interpenetrate our reasoning in the 3 plans, whose objective is to scrutinize the influence on the Museum. The Museum tends to transform its original meaning by adapting to the present time, so we propose a reflection on whether, strictly speaking, we are neglecting the relationship between Authenticity and Museum; and, if so, where are we heading to. We propose the analysis of the base that originated the Museum, questioning its action, its objects, and practices, to understand the emergence of an 'identity crisis', which haunts it. As well as exploring the extent to which the Museum and the original object are intrinsically and conceptually linked. In this way, we articulate the issue of authenticity, as the basis of the museological experience, with the respective analysis of the transformation that is the museum good, in art museums.

O presente artigo aborda os propósitos de regionalização da rede hospitalar portuguesa durante o regime ditatorial do Estado Novo (1933-1974), lançados no após Segunda Guerra Mundial. Almejando um sistema hospitalar coordenado com base regional, o governo português limitou-se a comparticipar a construção e a remodelação de edifícios, relegando as múltiplas tarefas envolvidas no funcionamento hospitalar para instituições particulares, o que dificultou o desenvolvimento e o acesso a cuidados de saúde a uma parte significativa da população. Com base na análise de viagens de estudo realizadas por administradores hospitalares e engenheiros sanitários nas décadas de 1940 e 1950, sobretudo a países europeus como Itália, França e Inglaterra, pondera-se acerca da importância dos contatos com redes internacionais de especialistas e da influência exercida pelos exemplos estrangeiros sobre as medidas de organização da assistência hospitalar em Portugal estabelecidas nos anos seguintes.

Background: Emotion identification is a fundamental component of social cognition. Although it is well established that a general cognitive decline occurs with advancing age, the effects of age on emotion identification is still unclear. A meta-analysis by Ruffman and colleagues (2008) explored this issue, but much research has been published since then, reporting inconsistent findings. Methods: To examine age differences in the identification of facial expressions of emotion, we conducted a meta-analysis of 24 empirical studies (N = 1,033 older adults, N = 1,135 younger adults) published after 2008. Additionally, a meta-regression analysis was conducted to identify potential moderators. Results: Results show that older adults less accurately identify facial expressions of anger, sadness, fear, surprise, and happiness compared to younger adults, strengthening the results obtained by Ruffman et al. (2008). However, meta-regression analyses indicate that effect sizes are moderated by sample characteristics and stimulus features. Importantly, the estimated effect size for the identification of fear and disgust increased for larger differences in the number of years of formal education between the two groups. Discussion: We discuss several factors that might explain the age-related differences in emotion identification and suggest how brain changes may account for the observed pattern. Furthermore, moderator effects are interpreted and discussed.

Substantial evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that caffeine may be protective against the cognitive decline seen in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This evidence was reappraised by the authors of the original studies in this special issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, and, despite methodological differences between the studies, the data was confirmed by the valuable meta-analysis of Santos and colleagues [3]. Notably, epidemiological studies corroborated by meta-analysis also suggest that caffeine may be protective against Parkinson’s disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease that ultimately leads to joint destruction and functional disability. Although the exact etiology of RA is not fully understood, it is well established that gut microbiota (GM) plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of RA, with accumulating evidence suggesting that gut dysbiosis induces a chronic inflammatory response that may be linked to disease development. Of interest, patients with RA have significant changes in the intestinal microbiota compared to healthy controls, and several studies have suggested the use of probiotics as a possible adjuvant therapy for RA. Benefits of probiotic supplementation were reported in animal models of arthritis and human studies, but the current evidence regarding the effect of probiotic supplementation in the management of RA remains insufficient to make definite recommendations. Several different strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, as single species or in mixed culture, have been investigated, and some have demonstrated beneficial effects on disease activity in RA human subjects. As of now, L.casei probiotic bacteria seems to be the strongest candidate for application as adjuvant therapy for RA patients. In this review, we highlight the role of GM in the development and progression of RA and summarize the current knowledge on the use of probiotics as a potential adjuvant therapy for RA. We also review the proposed mechanisms whereby probiotics regulate inflammation. Finally, the role of fermented foods is discussed as a possible alternative to probiotic supplements since they have also been reported to have health benefits.