Browsing by Author "Sousa, A."
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- O Biólogo Especialista em SaúdePublication . Sousa, A.; Marques, B.; Júlio, C.; Guia Pereira, A.; Correia, H.; Ávila, M.; Rendeiro, P.; Monteiro, M.; Lopo, S.; Pinheiro, J.; Cunha, N.; Figueiredo, H.; Correia, S.; Ramos, S.A presença do Biólogo com atividade na saúde teve nas últimas décadas notável incremento, em hospitais, institutos e centros de saúde, universidades, laboratórios privados e indústria, em particular nas áreas de investigação, análises clínicas, genética humana, embriologia/reprodução humana, entre outras. Persistem, todavia, alguns constrangimentos para estes profissionais de saúde, no acesso à profissão e na consequente atribuição de responsabilidades técnicas e científicas. Cabe à OBIO a defesa, regulação e certificação dos seus profissionais, bem como garantir códigos de conduta e formação contínua determinantes para a elevada qualidade que se espera destes. De igual modo, o CBHS assume as competências estatutárias na definição dos seus objetivos de forma a garantir o bom exercício da atividade profissional dos seus membros, e o reconhecimento destes pela Sociedade e Instituições.
- Characterization of fungal communities in house dust samples collected from central Portugal-a preliminary surveyPublication . Sousa, A.; Almeida, J.R.; Pereira, C.C.; Ramiro Pastorinho, M.; Pereira, Â.M.; Nogueira, A.J.; Taborda-Barata, L.; Teixeira, João Paulo; Correia, A.C.; Alves, A.House dust is a repository and concentrator of many chemical and biological agents including fungi. Considering that dust acts as a long-term reservoir of airborne fungi and that cumulative exposure is more relevant to potential health problems than single-day or short-term exposure, characterization of fungal communities in dust samples is of paramount importance. In the present study, the fungal composition of Portuguese house dust samples was determined. A total of 28 samples were obtained from vacuum cleaner deposits from households located in central Portugal. DNA was extracted from dust samples and fungal communities were analyzed using a culture-independent polymerase chain reaction (PCR)- denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) approach. Cultural analyses were also performed in order to identify the viable fungi species present in selected samples. Fungal diversity, reported as the number of operational taxonomic units (OTU), varied between 9 and 56 OTU. This analysis of viable fungi showed that Aspergillus was the most abundant genus, followed by Penicillium, Mucor, and Rhizomucor. Trichoderma, Chrysosporium, Fusarium, Rhizopus, and Stachybotrys were found in a limited number of houses. Our results demonstrated that dust is, in fact, home for a diverse and heterogeneous fungal community and that some of the species found are known allergic agents with severe negative impacts on human health.
- Classification of the dup 15q13.3 CNV: A National data collectionPublication . Sousa, A.; Serafim, S.; Santos, R.; Custódio, S.; Ávila, M.; Dupont, J.; Dias P, P.; Moldovan, O.; Melo, J.; Ferreira, S.; Pires, L.; Leão, M.; Sá, S.; Prior, C.; Alves, C.; Barreta, A.; Tarelho, A.; Marques, B.; Pedro, S.; Lopes, F.; Maciel, P.; Correia, H.; Dória, S.; Rendeiro, P.; Castedo, S.; Carreira, I.; Sousa, A.B.Introduction: The proximal region 15q11q14 is one of the most unstable regions in the human genome, with six recognizable break points (BP1-BP6). In 15q13.3 there is a recurrent small CNV (BP4-BP5) consisting of a 350-680 Kb duplication, encompassing the CHRNA7 gene, which encodes the alpha 7 subunit of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Although microdeletions of CHRNA7 are known to cause intellectual disability and neuropsychiatric phenotypes with high penetrance, the patogenicity of CHRNA7 duplications remains unclear. Microduplication 15q13.3 seems to be associated with a phenotypic spectrum of cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric/neurobehavioral disorders. However, the penetrance of this CNV is considered incomplete since it is present in clinically unaffected individuals in the general population and it is frequently inherited from apparently clinically normal parents. Nonetheless, some pedigree studies have found a history of neuropsychiatric problems among carrier family members. This study aimed at re-evaluating the dup 15q13.3 CNV in national laboratories. Materials and Methods: Our study collected data on 15q13.3 microduplications in eight Portuguese genetics laboratories, among subjects referred for microarray. Results: Here we present a total of seventeen cases with dup 15q13.3. The subjects had somewhat variable phenotypes, with a bias towards developmental delay and autism spectrum disorders. Inheritance was established for eight of the subjects, and the majority originated from the father. We had no access to clinical data on carrier parents. No de novo CNV was found. All laboratories involved classified this variant as of uncertain significance. Discussion/Conclusion: To better determine whether this CNV is benign or pathogenic, careful characterization of patient and control cohorts must be performed, including detailed patient phenotyping, inheritance, clinical evaluation of carrier parents, prevalence in controls, as well as genetic functional studies. We strongly support the creation of a national database for uncertain CNVs in order to clarify the relevance of these recurrent findings, allowing a definitive classification in either pathogenic or benign.