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- The salivary volatome in breast cancerPublication . Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Taware, Ravindra; Porto-Figueira, Priscilla; Rapole, Srikanth; Câmara, José S.
- A method for sleep quality analysis based on CNN ensemble with implementation in a portable wireless devicePublication . Mendonça, Fábio; Mostafa, Sheikh Shanawaz; Dias, Fernando Morgado; Julia-Serda, Gabriel; Ravelo-Garcia, Antonio G.The quality of sleep can be affected by the occurrence of a sleep related disorder and, among these disorders, obstructive sleep apnea is commonly undiagnosed. Polysomnography is considered to be the gold standard for sleep analysis. However, it is an expensive and labor-intensive exam that is unavailable to a large group of the world population. To address these issues, the main goal of this work was to develop an automatic scoring algorithm to analyze the single-lead electrocardiogram signal, performing a minute-by-minute and an overall estimation of both quality of sleep and obstructive sleep apnea. The method employs a cross-spectral coherence technique which produces a spectrographic image that fed three one-dimensional convolutional neural networks for the classification ensemble. The predicted quality of sleep was based on the electroencephalogram cyclic alternating pattern rate, a sleep stability metric. Two methods were developed to indirectly evaluate this metric, creating two sleep quality predictions that were combined with the sleep apnea diagnosis to achieve the final global sleep quality estimation. It was verified that the quality of sleep of the nineteen tested subjects was correctly identified by the proposed model, advocating the significance of clinical analysis. The model was implemented in a non-invasive and simple to self-assemble device, producing a tool that can estimate the quality of sleep and diagnose the obstructive sleep apnea at the patient’s home without requiring the attendance of a specialized technician. Therefore, increasing the accessibility of the population to sleep analysis.
- Influence of outdoor air pollution on cardiovascular diseases in Madeira (Portugal)Publication . Camacho, Irene; Camacho, Jaime; Camacho, Roberto; Góis, André; Nóbrega, VítorPrevious studies suggest that human exposure to atmospheric pollution can trigger cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study aimed at assessing the influence of short-term exposure to atmospheric pollution in the occurrence of CVD and mortality in Madeira. A single-centre retrospective study was conducted during 2005–2011. Air pollutant data and meteorological parameters were gathered. Daily admissions at the emergency service due to CVD and markers levels for cardiac function were obtained from a public hospital. Exploratory and correlation analysis of all variables were performed, and the CVD relative risk (RR) of hospital admissions and mortality was calculated. During the study, mean annual concentrations of the air pollutants varied greatly, with NOx and O3 showing the highest annual average concentrations. Two hundred ten thousand five hundred forty patients were admitted at the emergency service, 74% of them due to cardiovascular causes. Hospital admissions were positively correlated with PM2.5, and SO2. A positive and significant association between PM2.5 with creatine kinase myocardial band and B-type natriuretic peptides markers was found, whilst SO2 was positively associated with Creatine kinase myocardial band. The RR seemed to increased with PM2.5 and NOx exposure. Traffic-related pollutants were weakly but statistically associated to hospital admissions due to CVD and mortality. PM2.5 and SO2 were related with higher hospital admissions which in turn seemed to increase the serum markers. The risk of mortality was mainly associated with O3 and average air temperature. Adults and elders seem to be more susceptible to atmospheric pollutants, particularly in the winter.
- Factors influencing healthy food choices of university studentsPublication . Sousa, Bruno; Pacheco, Catarina Alves; Pereira, Carolina; Batalha, Mariana; Santos, Tânia; Carvalho, Rita Vitorino deHealthy foods should be available to anyone, especially young adults at educational institutions. University students can suffer a lack of preoccupation with their health and consequently also present unhealthy food choices, due to the adaptation of a new environment, study stress, lack of proper time management, and busy class schedules. This study consisted of two cross-sectional observational analyzes, in which students were randomly recruited from the university, and data was obtained through the Computer-aided web interviewing survey method, through a web-based questionnaire. The sample included 584 participants, 297 from 2018 and 287 from 2019. The preference and choice for a healthy snack bar in university facilities seem to be conditioned mainly by the price of meals, as most students mentioned this as the main condition of their choice, both in 2018 and 2019. In this sense, most respondents report that only "sometimes" would they be willing to pay more than usual or travel a longer distance, to dine in a healthier snack bar. We conclude that the factor that most influences the choice of healthy food is the price, but there is a higher demand and consumption trend for healthy food in young college students.
- Two new alien fern taxa for Madeira Island (Portugal)Publication . Ferreira, João Pedro; Cabral, Laura; Brazão, André; Nascimento, Pedro; Sequeira, Miguel Menezes deThe Madeira archipelago vascular flora includes 74 pteridophyte taxa. Of these, eight are exclusive endemics, eight are Macaronesian endemics, being the vast majority, 44, native and 14 referred as introduced taxa. The total number of alien vascular plant taxa is 401 (i.e. 33% of the total flora). The recent detection of several fully naturalized alien fern taxa is a process parallel to that observed in other groups of vascular plants. The occurrence of Pteris nipponica W.C. Shieh (syn. Pteris cretica L. var. albolineata Hooker) and Goniophlebium subauriculatum (Blume) C. Presl as new naturalized plants is recorded for the first time for the island of Madeira.
- Global warming and chromosomal inversion adaptation in isolated islands: Drosophila subobscura populations from MadeiraPublication . Madrenas, Raquel; Balanyà, Joan; Arenas, Concepció; Khadem, Mahnaz; Mestres, FrancescGlobal warming is an environmental phenomenon to which species must adapt to survive. Drosophila sub obscura presents an adaptive capacity due to its chromosomal inversion polymorphism. Until now, the impact of global warming on this polymorphism has been studied in D. subobscura populations located either on a continental mainland or on islands not far from a continent. In this context, gene flow could be a relevant mechanism allowing the movement of thermally adapted inversions between populations. Our aim was to sample and study the chromosomal polymorphism on Madeira, a small isolated island in the Atlantic Ocean. We compared our findings with those reported in the same location approximately four and five decades ago. Moreover, we studied whether global warming has occurred on this island by analyz ing mean, maximum and minimum temperatures over a 55-year period. All atmospheric parameters have increased significantly, consistent with climate change expectations. Frequencies and chromosomal thermal index values of thermal adapted inversions remained quite stable over years. Furthermore, J, U and O chro mosomes are almost fixed for “warm” adapted inversions. Thus, if there is little genetic variability remaining and temperatures continue increasing, island populations of D. subobscura might be on the threshold of endangerment. However, apart from selection, genetic drift and inbreeding, other processes, such as phenotypic plasticity or thermoregulatory behavior, could be involved in the survival of the species’ populations. Finally, although in danger, D. subobscura is a generalist that lives in humanized environ ments, and this fact could favor its persistence on Madeira Island.
- Beer volatile fingerprinting at different brewing stepsPublication . Alves, Vera; Gonçalves, João; Figueira, José A.; Ornelas, Laura P.; Branco, Ricardo N.; Câmara, José S.; Pereira, Jorge A. M.Volatile fingerprints of a lager beer were carried out throughout five brewing steps to characterize the changes encompassing this process. Overall, 60 volatile organic metabolites (VOMs) were identified by headspace solid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC–MS). Specific profiles were observed at different brewing steps - aldehydes and furans dominate in wort, whereas the aliphatic esters and alcohols predominate in the following steps. Such variations can be assigned to specific VOMs, as 3-me thylbutanal (wort), ethyl alcohol and ethyl octanoate (fermentation, maturation and filtration), or ethyl alcohol and isoamyl acetate (final product). These VOMs can influence the beer final flavour. Ethyl alcohol contributes to its strong and pungent smell and taste, while isoamyl acetate adds intense ‘fruity’ and ‘banana’ odours. These beer volatile fingerprints constitute a valuable tool to obtain insights on the impact of each brewing step on the final product, being also very useful for certification purposes.
- Currículo, pensamento crítico e criatividadePublication . Gouveia, Fernanda; Pereira, Gorete; Gouveia, Isabel; Fraga, NunoNeste artigo, tendo como ponto de partida as Áreas de Competências do Perfil dos Alunos à Saída da Escolaridade Obrigatória, procuramos perceber a importância do Pensamento Crítico e do Pensamento Criativo, bem como da Sensibilidade Estética e Artística nas Aprendizagens Essenciais do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, em conformidade com o DecretoLei nº 55/2018 de 6 de julho, que estabelece o currículo dos ensinos básico e secundário. Da análise documental efetuada, e tendo por base os Descritores do Perfil dos Alunos, associados às Áreas de Competências, registaram-se evidências de uma valorização do Pensamento Crítico e do Pensamento Criativo, em oposição ao que sucede na Área de Competência da Sensibilidade Estética e Artística. Constatou-se que é pretendido um perfil de aluno, que seja, sobretudo, conhecedor/sabedor/culto/informado; sistematizador/organizador; criativo; comunicador; questionador; crítico/analítico e responsável/autónomo, visando a mobilização de múltiplas literacias e o desenvolvimento de valores e competências, tendo por base uma formação centrada na pessoa e na dignidade humana.
- Pregnancy-induced hypertension (Clinical case)Publication . Sousa, Bruno; Tavares, NelsonA pregnant 27-year old woman, a human resources technician, with recently diagnosed high blood pres sure. She was followed by the family doctor and ob stetrician. She was sent to the Nutrition Consultation for overweight and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Blood pressure was monitored at home.
- Extracellular volatilomic alterations induced by hypoxia in breast cancer cellsPublication . Taware, Ravindra; Taunk, Khushman; Kumar, Totakura V. S.; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Câmara, José S.; Nagarajaram, H. A.; Kundu, Gopal C.; Rapole, SrikanthIntroduction The metabolic shift induced by hypoxia in cancer cells has not been explored at volatilomic level so far. The volatile organic metabolites (VOMs) constitute an important part of the metabolome and their investigation could provide us crucial aspects of hypoxia driven metabolic reconfguration in cancer cells. Objective To identify the altered volatilomic response induced by hypoxia in metastatic/aggressive breast cancer (BC) cells. Methods BC cells were cultured under normoxic and hypoxic conditions and VOMs were extracted using HS-SPME approach and profled by standard GC–MS system. Univariate and multivariate statistical approaches (p<0.05, Log2 FC≥0.58/≤−0.58, PC1>0.13/<−0.13) were applied to select the VOMs diferentially altered after hypoxic treatment. Metabolic pathway analysis was also carried out in order to identify altered metabolic pathways induced by the hypoxia in the selected BC cells. Results Overall, 20 VOMs were found to be signifcantly altered (p<0.05, PC1>0.13/< −0.13) upon hypoxic exposure to BC cells. Further, cell line specifc volatilomic alterations were extracted by comparative metabolic analysis of aggressive (MDA-MB-231) vs. non-aggressive (MCF-7) cells incubated under hypoxia and normoxia. In this case, 15 and 12 VOMs each were found to be signifcantly altered in aggressive cells when exposed to hypoxic and normoxic condition respectively. Out of these, 9 VOMs were found to be uniquely associated with hypoxia, 6 were specifc to normoxia and 6 were found common to both the conditions. Formic acid was identifed as the most prominent molecule with higher abundance levels in aggressive as compared to non-aggressive cells in both conditions. Furthermore, metabolic pathway analyses revealed that fatty acid biosynthesis and nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism were signifcantly altered in aggressive as compared to non-aggressive cells in normoxia and hypoxia respectively. Conclusions Higher formate overfow was observed in aggressive cells compared to non-aggressive cells incubated under both the conditions, reinforcing its correlation with aggressive and invasive cancer type. Moreover, under hypoxia, aggres sive cells preferred to be bioenergetically more efcient whereas, under normoxia, fatty acid biosynthesis was favoured when compared to non-aggressive cells.