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- Quantificação de mercúrio em amostras de pó doméstico recolhidas na cidade da Covilhã (Portugal) - Resultados preliminares do projeto 6x60x6Publication . Neves, Sara M.; Pastorinho, Manuel Ramiro Dias; Barata, Luis Taborda; Patto, Maria Da Assunção Vaz; Monteiro, Marisa Rodrigues; Nepomuceno, Miguel; Lanzinha, João; Sousa, Ana Catarina AlmeidaA avaliação da qualidade do ambiente interior, particularmente do ambiente doméstico, por ser aquele em que o ser humano passa a maior parte do seu tempo, reveste-se de particular importância. Esta qualidade é modulada por um conjunto de fatores entre os quais se encontram os contaminantes ambientais com potencial tóxico, que têm vindo a ser quantificados de forma consistente no pó doméstico, uma matriz com grande capacidade integradora. Este trabalho, que utiliza o mercúrio como caso de estudo, integra-se no âmbito de um projeto pioneiro e multidisciplinar, em que se pretende estudar por um período de sessenta dias, seis habitações particulares localizadas na cidade da Covilhã, para compreender de que forma as características do imóvel e os hábitos dos habitantes podem influenciar a qualidade do ambiente interior e consequentemente a saúde dos residentes. Os níveis de mercúrio total nas amostras de pó doméstico variaram entre 138,7 ppb e 1075,5 ppb, com um só dos imóveis a transcender o valor máximo permissível estabelecido pela Portaria Nº1450/2007. Estabelece-se uma comparação com os valores registados para outros estudos similares e traça-se um plano de ação para o pleno desenvolvimento do estudo.
- Toxic metals in indoor dust collected from houses included in the “6x60x6” Project (Covilhã, Portugal) during the cooling seasonPublication . Pastorinho, Ramiro; Lanzinha, João; Barata, Luis Taborda; Patto, Maria Da Assunção Vaz; Monteiro, Marisa Rodrigues; Nepomuceno, Miguel; Sousa, Ana Catarina AlmeidaWe spend more than 90 per cent of our daily lives indoors. Managing the indoor environment so that we feel comfortable and healthy is therefore very important. However, this management is only possible if rigorous data on both construction parameters and indoor environment exists. Moreover, the evolution of construction techniques and materials used modulates both aspects. As a consequence, it is necessary that the information obtained reflects a long period of time. That is the main driver for the project “Six by Sixty by Six” undertaken by the Civil Engineering and Architecture Department and the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Beira Interior. Six houses constructed in six different decades (1960’s-2010’s) were surveyed for sixty days regarding a set of parameters (e.g., temperature, humidity, CO2, CO, VOCs). Additionally, dust was collected by the vacuum cleaner bag and was analyzed for specific contaminants. This work presents the results obtained for the toxics metals mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and lead in dust samples. There is no legislation regulating maximum permissible levels for any of the studied metals in dust. A comparison with ”Portaria Nº 1450/2007” which regulates the maximum metal contents in dredged sediment that can be safely deposited in soils (here used as an action threshold) reveals that the values for As in all houses were transcended. For Cd and Hg they were only transcended in one house, whereas for lead all the values were below this threshold. Linear regression with age of construction used as independent variable revealed no relationship between this variable and metal concentrations with the exception of As (R2 adjusted= 0.41). Findings are discussed under the light of potential health outcomes upon the residents.
- Characteristics of the dietary consumption of patients with probable dementia of alzheimer type, at different stages: Observational study in a public outpatient clinic in São Paulo, BrazilPublication . Vieira, Neusa Maria de Andrade; Pinto, Nuno; Patto, Maria Da Assunção Vaz; Bertolucci, Paulo Henrique Ferreira; Pivi, Glaucia Akiko KamikadoPurpose:to verify the correlation of the ingested diet with the nutritional status of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients; observation of fiber and fluid consumption and intestinal function. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 77 patients of both genders and their caregivers who were referred to nutritional status care in the three phases (CDR) of the AD. All answered the food anamnesis where it was possible to establish the amount of calories, macronutrients and micronutrients. Anthropometric measurements of weight, height, BMI, AC, TSF and AMC were collected.For the continuous variables, a descriptive statistical analysis was performed and for the analytical statistic the Poisson regression was used. Results:Most of the patients were eutrophic. The studied macronutrients were found to be adequate, except for the protein intake that was higher in the mild phase. No group achieved fiber intake. It was not found significant correlations between fiber consumption and intestinal function. In relation to micronutrients, adequate consumption of iron, vitamins A and B12 were found. Vitamin C intake did not reach DRI in mild patients and zinc consumption was low for patients who belonged to the group with moderated patients. Conclusions:Although it does not reflect the nutritional reality of Brazilian patients with probable AD, this study provided important characteristics of the diet composition that already allow us to establish nutritional action strategies.
- House dust fungal communities’ characterization: a double take on the six by sixty by six (6 × 60 × 6) projectPublication . Amaro, Raquel; Coelho, Sónia D.; Pastorinho, Ramiro; Taborda Barata, Luis; Patto, Maria Da Assunção Vaz; Monteiro, Marisa Rodrigues; Nepomuceno, Miguel; Lanzinha, João; Teixeira, Joăo P.; Pereira, Cristiana C.; Sousa, Ana C.A.Fungi are a group of microbes that are found with particular incidence in the indoor environment. Their direct toxicity or capability of generating toxic compounds has been associated with a large number of adverse health effects, such as infectious diseases and allergies. Given that in modern society people spend a large part of their time indoors; fungal communities’ characterization of this environmental compartment assumes paramount importance in the comprehension of health effects. House dust is an easy to obtain, time-integrative matrix, being its use in epidemiological studies on human exposure to environmental contaminants highly recommended. Furthermore, dust can carry a great variety of fungal content that undergoes a large number of processes that modulate and further complexity human exposure. Our study aims to identify and quantify the fungal community on house dust samples collected using two different methodologies (an approach not often seen in the literature): active (vacuum cleaner bags) and passive sampling (dust settled in petri dishes). Sampling was performed as part of the ongoing 6 × 60 × 6 Project in which six houses from Covilhã (Portugal), with building dates representative of six decades, were studied for a period of sixty days.
- Sulfite concentration and the occurrence of headache in young adults: a prospective studyPublication . Silva, Miguel; Gama, Jorge; Pinto, Nuno; Pivi, Glaucia; Brancal, Hugo Gonçalo Monteiro Silva Aguiar; Carvalho, Lurdes; Loureiro, Virgilio; Patto, Maria Da Assunção VazBackground/objectives: Sulfites are additives commonly used in food and wine industries that are associated to adverse clinical effects such as headaches. The objective of this study is to investigate the possible association between sulfite concentration in wine and the occurrence of headaches in young adults. Subjects/methods: Eighty volunteers, aged between 18 and 25 years, were evaluated. Sub-groups (with or without previous headaches related with wine) were created and volunteers were submitted to two wine tests (minimum and maximum sulfite concentration accordingly to weight). A questionnaire was handed out after the test regarding the presence or not of headaches, their main characteristics, as well as other symptoms associated. Results: Subjects that refer a previous headache history upon wine ingestion presented a risk 2266 greater of developing headaches after wine ingestion with a greater sulfite concentration. Those that refer constant headaches related to wine ingestion previous to the test present a risk of 6232 times more of developing headaches compared to those who refer sporadic headaches related to wine consumption. Conclusions: In our group of subjects, sulfite concentration in wine is related to the risk of developing headaches in individuals who are susceptible to wine induced headaches.
- House dust fungal communities’ characterization: a double take on the six by sixty by six project (6x60x6)Publication . Amaro, Raquel do Nascimento; Coelho, Sónia Dias; Pastorinho, Ramiro; Barata, Luis Taborda; Patto, Maria Da Assunção Vaz; Monteiro, Marisa Rodrigues; Nepomuceno, Miguel; Lanzinha, João; Teixeira, João Paulo; Pereira, Cristiana Costa; Sousa, Ana Catarina AlmeidaFungi are a group microbes, that are found with particular incidence in the indoor environment. Their direct toxicity or capability of generating toxic compounds has been associated with a large number of adverse health effects, such as infectious diseases, allergies and other toxic effects. Given that in modern society people spend a large part of their time indoors; fungal communities’ characterization of this environmental compartment assumes paramount importance in the comprehension of health effects. House dust is an easy to obtain, time-integrative matrix, being its use in epidemiological studies on human exposure to environmental contaminants highly recommended. Furthermore, dust can carry a great variety of fungal content that undergoes a large number of processes that modulate and further complexify human exposure. Our study aims to quantify and identify the fungal community on house dust samples collected using two different methodologies (an approach not often seen in the literature): active (vacuum cleaner bags) and passive sampling (dust settled in petri dishes). Sampling was performed as part of the ongoing 6x60x6 Project in which six houses from Covilhã (Portugal), with building dates representative of six decades, were studied for a period of sixty days.
- Reaching 100 in the Countryside: Health Profile and Living Circumstances of Portuguese Centenarians from the Beira Interior RegionPublication . Afonso, Rosa Marina; Ribeiro, Oscar; Patto, Maria Da Assunção Vaz; Loureiro, Marli; Loureiro, Manuel; Castelo-Branco, Miguel; Patricio, Susana; Alvarinhas, Sara; Tomaz, Tatiana; Rocha, Clara; Jerónimo, Ana Margarida; Gouveia, Fatima; Amaral, Ana PaulaThe interest in studying a specific population of centenarians who lives in the country’s interior region (PT100-BI) emerged during the first Portuguese systematic study about centenarians (PT100 Oporto Centenarian Study). This region of Portugal is predominantly rural and is one of the regions with the largest number of aged people. The aim of this study is to provide information on the centenarians who live in the Beira Interior region, specifically in terms of their health status and the health services they use. A total of 101 centenarians (mean age: 101.1 years; SD = 1.5 years), 14 males and 87 females, were considered. Most centenarians lived in the community, and 47.6% lived in nursing homes. Nearly half (47.5%) presented cognitive functioning without deficits. A noteworthy percentage presented conditioned mobility and sensory problems. The most common self-reported diseases include urinary incontinence (31.7%), high blood pressure (23.8%), and heart conditions (19.8%). Despite these health and functional characteristics, formal support services and technical assistance were found to be scarcely used. Further research is needed to understand how the role of contextual variables and the countryside environment contribute to the centenarians’ adaptation to advanced longevity.
- Neurological Perspectives on Pets and the Elderly: The Truth About Cats, Dogs and GrandparentsPublication . Patto, Maria Da Assunção VazThe last century and the beginning of the current one have seen an increase in the number of elderly people in society. Ageing is generally associated with an increase in dependency, multimorbidity and social isolation, but old people with a healthy ageing process are able to fully operate in society, by being important contributors to several processes and serving as mentors to the younger generation. Does owning a pet have any advantage for an elderly individual? Pets are helpful in terms of social, emotional, cognitive and motor capacities of their elderly owners, but they also can be a source of trouble. The benefits and hazards of having a pet for an elderly population are reviewed in the light of the more frequent neurological changes presented after 65 years of age. In spite of some very interesting studies about pet ownership in the elderly, there are still several questions to be answered. Pet ownership can be, together with changes in mentality and changes in political and social issues, a positive factor for a healthy ageing process in the elderly, as can be seen when we review and evaluate data obtained in various studies, so far.
- Bilateral theta-burst magnetic stimulation influence on event-related brain potentialsPublication . Pinto, Nuno; Duarte, Marta; Gonçalves, Helena; Silva, Ricardo; Gama, Jorge; Patto, Maria Da Assunção VazTheta-burst stimulation (TBS) can be a non-invasive technique to modulate cognitive functions, with promising therapeutic potential, but with some contradictory results. Event related potentials are used as a marker of brain deterioration and can be used to evaluate TBS-related cognitive performance, but its use remains scant. This study aimed to study bilateral inhibitory and excitatory TBS effects upon neurocognitive performance of young healthy volunteers, using the auditory P300' results. Using a double-blind sham-controlled study, 51 healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to five different groups, two submitted to either excitatory (iTBS) or inhibitory (cTBS) stimulation over the left dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex (DLPFC), two other actively stimulated the right DLPFC and finally a sham stimulation group. An oddball based auditory P300 was performed just before a single session of iTBS, cTBS or sham stimulation and repeated immediately after. P300 mean latency comparison between the pre- and post-TBS stimulation stages revealed significantly faster post stimulation latencies only when iTBS was performed on the left hemisphere (p = 0.003). Right and left hemisphere cTBS significantly delayed P300 latency (right p = 0.026; left p = 0.000). Multiple comparisons for N200 showed slower latencies after iTBS over the right hemisphere. No significant difference was found in amplitude variation. TBS appears to effectively influence neural networking involved in P300 formation, but effects seem distinct for iTBS vs cTBS and for the right or the left hemisphere. P300 evoked potentials can be an effective and practical tool to evaluate transcranial magnetic stimulation related outcomes.
- Complicações agudas da diabetes mellitusPublication . Luzio, JL; Matos, Fernando; Ferreira, Beatriz; Patto, Maria Da Assunção Vaz ; Athayde, Carlos; Coucelo, João; Sá, Arnaldo; Ferreira, OdeteEstudaram-se retrospectivamente 83 processos clínicos, correspondentes à totalidade dos doentes internados, no Serviço de Medicina, por complicações agudas da Diabetes Mellitus, num periodo compreendido entre os anos de 1986 e 1993, no total de oito anos. Foram analizadas algumas variaveis clínicas (idade, tipo de complicação e frequência, forma de apresentação, causa desencadeante, características bioquímicas e actuação terapêutica) e tratadas estatísticamente, comparando se as populações pelo método de Tde Student, não emparelhado. Os resul tados obtidos, foram comparados com os referidos na Literatura da Especialidade, permitindo apurar algumas conclusões significativas.