The electronic booklet on teaching-learning process: Teacher vision and parents of students in primary and secondary education

This article presents the first phase of a research project whose purpose is to introduce a new form of collaboration and communication between the school and the family through an Electronic Booklet (EB). The EB was developed due to the increasing necessity of collaboration between the school and the family, promoting the teaching-learning process and educational success, supported by information and communication technologies. These conclusions and justifications were derived from a survey based in a questionnaire applied to guardians and teachers of several private and public Portuguese schools of the primary and secondary education level. Both groups – guardians and teachers stressed the importance of communication between school and family and expressed interest in the EB as a communication tool. The analysis of the survey results made possible the construction of an Electronics Booklet prototype.     

Comparison between urban and rural pollen of Chenopodium alba and characterization of adhered pollutant aerosol particles

In this work, the structure and protein profile of Chenopodium alba pollen samples collected in rural and urban environments were compared. Pollen structure was studied using light and scanning electron microscopy and the soluble protein profile was investigated by means of biochemical analyses (SDS-PAGE). The rural pollen has the opercules well defined while in the urban pollen there is a fine film covering its wall, and opercules are deformed. A decrease in the protein content in the urban pollen and different protein profiles were observed. Micro-Raman spectroscopic studies allowed the identification of carbon-containing particles in the urban pollen wall as well as its morphology and size. The results of this study indicate that the particles present in the urban air are diesel exhaust particles that are adsorbed and accumulated on the Chenopodium alba pollen. These particles can contribute for modifying their structure and protein content.     

The use of X-ray diffraction, microscopy, and magnetic measurements for analysing microstructural features of a duplex stainless steel

X-ray diffraction, light optical microscopy, and magnetization saturation measurements were employed to analyse the microstructural features of a UNS S31803 duplex stainless steel modified by high-temperature treatments. The samples were heated to 1300 °C and cooled by different ways to produce five different microstructures. Solution treatments at 1000 °C were also employed to produce another five conditions. Three methods were employed to determine the austenite/ferrite proportions. X-ray diffraction gave higher austenite values than the other methods, due to the influence of texture, but can be successfully used to determine the microstrain level in each phase. Magnetic saturation measurement is a very simple and precise method for quantification of austenite and ferrite volume fractions in samples that were fast-cooled and slow-cooled. Light microscopy can give a fast and precise measurement of the phase proportions and reveals important features related to the morphology of the phases, but in the samples where the austenite content is low, quantification becomes difficult and imprecise.     

Contaminant metals in black scabbard fish (Aphanopus carbo) caught off Madeira and the Azores

Total mercury, cadmium and lead concentrations were measured in black scabbard fish (Aphanopus carbo), caught off Madeira and the Azores archipelagos (Portugal). The metal contents were expressed in mg kg⁻¹ wet weight. The mean mercury levels in liver were 4.50 and 2.37 whereas, in skin, such values were 0.59 and 0.36 (Madeira and Azores, respectively). On average, the muscle content was around 0.9 in fish from both areas. Cadmium maximum levels in muscle and skin were found in Azores samples (0.09 and 0.11, respectively). Mean lead contents in all samples were always below than 0.10. In general, the results obtained did not allow the establishment of any relationship between metal accumulation and fish weight or length. According to the permissible WHO and FAO levels, these results, suggest that this species does not represent a risk for human consumption if the liver is excluded and the edible part consumed with moderation.     

Reaction of Corroles with Sarcosine and Paraformaldehyde: A New Facet of Corrole Chemistry

Details on the unexpected formation of two new (dimethylamino)methyl corrole isomers from the reaction of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrolatogallium(III) with sarcosine and paraformaldehyde are presented. Semi-empirical calculations on possible mechanism pathways seem to indicate that the new compounds are probably formed through a Mannich-type reaction. The extension of the protocol to the free-base 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole afforded an unexpected new seven-membered ring corrole derivative, confirming the peculiar behavior of corroles towards known reactions when compared to the well-behaved porphyrin counterparts.     

The Flavonol Quercitrin Hinders GSK3 Activity and Potentiates the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway dictates cell proliferation and differentiation during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Its deregulation is associated with many pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative disease, frequently downregulated. The lack of efficient treatment for these diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), makes Wnt signaling an attractive target for therapies. Interestingly, novel Wnt signaling activating compounds are less frequently described than inhibitors, turning the quest for novel positive modulators even more appealing. In that sense, natural compounds are an outstanding source of potential drug leads. Here, we combine different experimental models, cell-based approaches, neuronal culture assays, and rodent behavior tests with Xenopus laevis phenotypic analysis to characterize quercitrin, a natural compound, as a novel Wnt signaling potentiator. We find that quercitrin potentiates the signaling in a concentration-dependent manner and increases the occurrence of the Xenopus secondary axis phenotype mediated by Xwnt8 injection. Using a GSK3 biosensor, we describe that quercitrin impairs GSK3 activity and increases phosphorylated GSK3β S9 levels. Treatment with XAV939, an inhibitor downstream of GSK3, impairs the quercitrin-mediated effect. Next, we show that quercitrin potentiates the Wnt3a-synaptogenic effect in hippocampal neurons in culture, which is blocked by XAV939. Quercitrin treatment also rescues the hippocampal synapse loss induced by intracerebroventricular injection of amyloid-β oligomers (AβO) in mice. Finally, quercitrin rescues AβO-mediated memory impairment, which is prevented by XAV939. Thus, our study uncovers a novel function for quercitrin as a Wnt/β-catenin signaling potentiator, describes its mechanism of action, and opens new avenues for AD treatments.     

Cardiovascular changes in a group of patients with heredoataxia. Clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings

INTRODUCTION: Heredoataxias form a group of degenerative diseases of the nervous system, which are progressive and hand sound in particular families. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between August 1994 and September 1995. 14 patients diagnosed as having heredoataxia were studied after admission to our hospital. Eight of these had Friedrich's ataxia (group A) and 6 had other types of ataxia (group B). A standard set of investigations were done, including clinical examination, laboratory tests (such as glycaemia and a lipidogram) to evaluate coronary risk factors. A 12 lead electrocardiogram and bidimensional and m mode echocardiogram were also done to detect disorders of conduction, changes in morphology and cardiac function, together with functional cardiovascular and neurological scales. The patients studied were between 14 and 41 years of age. RESULTS: The most frequent cardiovascular symptom was dyspnoea of effort. Changes on the electrocardiogram were seen in 92% of the patients, mainly from Group A (100%) and were due to alterations of ventricular repolarization and non-specific alterations of conduction and of rhythm. Echocardiogram changes were found in 42.8% of the patients, most frequently due to an increase in the myocardial mass of the left ventricle. CONCLUSIONS: Close correlation between age of onset and duration of the illness, and functional cardiovascular impairment was only seen in patients of Group A, in whom there was an earlier onset of the condition.     

The effect of wheat bran on the excretion of cadmium in rats

The influence of wheat bran as a source of dietary fibre on the excretion of ingested cadmium from diet was studied. The cadmium contents in the diets, faeces, urine, liver, kidney and spleen were determined, as well as the weight gains, the relative weights of the cited organs, and the levels of alkaline phosphatase in serum. No evidence is provided that an increasing portion of wheat bran in the diets induced an increase in cadmium excretion. Changes in the studied toxicity parameters were not found.