Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2017-11-08"
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- Schistosoma haematobium and host hormonesPublication . Botelho, MónicaRelationship between Schistosomiasis and bladder cancer.
- A Síndrome de Smith-Lemli-Opiz como protótipo das hipocolesterolémias de natureza genéticaPublication . Cardoso, Maria LuísPalestra sobre a Síndrome de Smith-Lemli-Opiz como protótipo das hipocolesterolémias de natureza genética.
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Nutrition and Childhood Obesity: annual report (07-2016 to 07-2017)Publication . Calhau, Maria Antónia; Rito, AnaSão descritas as actividades desenvolvidas pelo Departemento de Alimentação e Nutrição do INSA, no âmbito da sua qualidade de Centro Colaborativo da OMS para a Nutrição e Obesidade Infantil, referente ao período de julho de 2016 a julho de 2017.
- Tackling the uncertainties of emergent nanomaterials for public health: are metal nanoparticles hazardous pollutants?Publication . Louro, Henriqueta; Saruga, Andreia; Pinhão, Mariana; Santos, Joana; Silva, Maria JoãoWhen materials are produced at the nanoscale range, their surface chemistry changes, chemical reactivity increases and other important material properties may be altered, including optical, magnetic and electrical properties. Nanomaterials (NMs) display advantageous characteristics that enable innovative applications, as is the case of several metal and metal oxides such as titanium dioxide nanomaterials (TiO2), cerium dioxide (CeO2) and barium sulphate (BaSO4), that already have a broad range of applications in industry and consumer products. However, the exponential development of nanotechnologies contrasts with the insufficient risk assessment for human health and the environment and reliable studies focused on nano-bio interactions are necessary1. With the aim of contributing to a comprehensive investigation of the hazard of metal oxides NMs in human respiratory cells, we have used cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assays2, concomitantly with the analysis of the NMs’ properties in the cellular moiety. The results show that only CeO2 has cytotoxic effects and TiO2 is genotoxic in the comet assay, but not clastogenic in the micronucleus assay. The remaining NMs are not genotoxic. The present results contribute to evaluate the hazard of the tested NMs, suggesting that some, but not all, metal NMs affect human respiratory cells. Considering the reports describing workers occupationally exposed to TiO23, this finding raises concerns for human health. Further studies are described that were designed to understand if this finding could be generalized to other TiO2 that are frequently used in consumer products. For tackling NMs’ uncertainties, an in-depth investigation of the nano-bio interactions must be foreseen, where correlation analysis with the primary and secondary physicochemical characteristics may enable grouping strategies valuable for risk assessment.
- Gene editing in Lysosomal DiseasesPublication . Duarte, Ana Joana; Bragança, José; Coutinho, Francisca; Amaral, OlgaClustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) were found as an immune adaptive mechanism in bacteria and quickly applied to various fields as a gene editing tool. Gene editing methods, as a research tool to attempt in vitro correction, have been carried out in several disorders. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients with several genetic diseases, including Lysosomal Storage Diseases (LSDs), have been successfully established. Patient-derived iPSCs present the advantage of having the patient’s genetic background with all corresponding influences on the disease’s mechanism. In LSDs, enzyme replacement therapy (ERT, regular supplementation of the defective enzyme), is the most common treatment to clear the accumulated substrates in patient cells but it is hardly effective in non-neurological disease forms. The CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing system is most promising for the establishment of disease models and for the potential correction of causal. Gene editing technologies and iPSCs provide a unique system for data analysis and research for target therapy.