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- Youth, Mental Health, and Culture : Brainstorming ReportPublication . Cicerchia, Annalisa; Perez, Edith WolfEXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Since the beginning of this century, scientific investigations on the impact of cul ture and the arts on health and well-being have resulted in a huge body of knowl edge and a buzzing scene of activities. At the same time, the essential and sys temic role that culture and the arts play in our society has not yet achieved the recognition it deserves from policymakers and the health and social sector. Culture and Health, as it is represented in the WHO Health Evidence Synthesis Re port No. 67 “What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being?”, is a global movement. In practice, however, it is a fragmented carpet of numerous approaches, lacking concerted efforts and effective communication. While there is a plethora of data from small-scale projects there is a very limited amount of academic research providing robust data. In order to collect insights, experiences, and recommendations on this topic from civil society from the relevant sectors across Europe the European Commission Structured Dialogue platform Voices of Culture invited participants from 53 se lected organisations (from an Open Call) and 23 countries from the fields of cul ture, health, education, and social services to brainstorm over two days - 4th & 5th October 2022 - in Brussels. The focus was on one of the most pressing issues of our time: Youth Mental Health. How can arts and culture address the multiple expressions of troubled young minds when facing the crises of our time? The objective was to gather and discuss the evidence and come up with recommendations for stronger participation of the arts and culture sector in public health in Europe. In five thematic groups, the participants looked at the evidence and practice of the cultural and creative sectors on the mental health of young people from dif ferent angles. The key takeaways, the recommendations, and the conclusions are informed by their practical fieldwork which provides evidence of the potential for the prevention and the promotion of (mental) health, as well as for the manage ment and treatment of ill health. The findings are represented in the five chapters of the report. They lay out an extensive overview of successful projects that have been carried out by the group members or associated organisations for, with, and through young people and which proved to contribute to stabilising their mental health. Cultural economist and senior researcher Annalisa Cicerchia prepared a discus sion paper around which the brainstorming sessions were structured. Annalisa Cicerchia also provides the introduction and conclusion to the findings in the Report. The general tenor of the brainstorming session was that strategies and interven tions aiming at promoting the mental health and well-being of young people need to adopt an integrated, multidimensional, and cross-sectoral approach. As an im manent ingredient of human endeavor, that can be traced throughout the history of mankind, the creative arts and culture are biopsychosocial ingredients. The im pact is multifactorial and affects the physical, psychological, emotional, and social dimensions. They bring joy and relief and can be transformational. Its effects de pend on the nature of the intervention, the subjective experience of the individual, and the group situation. Therefore, the impacts and effects on (mental) health are not measurable according to a specific design. One size does not fit all. A mixed and cross-cutting methodological approach will be most appropriate to evaluate culture for health interventions.
- Genotipagem de isolados de Aspergillus fumigatus de origem clínica e ambientalPublication . Morais, Susana; Sabino, Raquel; Barata, MargaridaAspergillus fumigatus é um fungo sapróbio, ubíquo no ambiente, com crescente importância clínica para a saúde humana, pois é responsável por provocar, entre outras patologias, infeções invasivas graves, especialmente em indivíduos imunocomprometidos. Dada a elevada taxa de mortalidade associada às infeções relacionadas com este fungo, bem como a emergência de um grave problema de resistência aos antifúngicos triazóis utilizados como primeira linha de tratamento nestas, torna-se importante perceber a sua dinâmica no ambiente e no organismo humano. Além disso, o aparecimento de novos grupos de risco aos quais a infeção está associada, tem vindo a levantar também uma crescente preocupação no que toca aos critérios para diagnóstico e tratamento da doença, que ainda representam um desafio. O conhecimento da epidemiologia do fungo permite uma melhor perceção das suas interações com o ambiente e com o Homem, tornando esta área de elevada importância no contexto da relevância crescente de Aspergillus fumigatus na clínica. No presente estudo, foi utilizada uma técnica robusta de genotipagem, específica para Aspergillus fumigatus sensu stricto, o ensaio STRAf, que permite distinguir diferentes estirpes desta espécie, através da amplificação de loci específicos numa reação de amplificação multiplex com primers marcados com fluorescência. Com o ensaio realizado foi possível comprovar a grande variabilidade genética de Aspergillus fumigatus, tendo-se observado 85 genótipos de entre os 100 isolados viáveis analisados. Foi também possível perceber a interação entre alguns dos isolados em estudo. A técnica revelou, como esperado, um elevado poder discriminatório (0,9820) o que confirma a sua utilidade em futuros estudos epidemiológicos de grande escala, essenciais para melhor entender como abordar a problemática crescente que este fungo tem representado.
- Maternal dietary exposure to mycotoxin aflatoxin B1 promotes intestinal immune alterations and microbiota modifications increasing infection susceptibility in mouse offspringPublication . Bastos-Amador, Patricia; Duarte, Elsa Leclerc; Torres, Júlio; Caldeira, Ana Teresa; Silva, Inês; Salvador, Cátia; Assunção, Ricardo; Alvito, Paula; Ferreira, ManuelaAbstract: Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi occurring in food that are toxic to animals and humans. Early-life mycotoxins exposure has been linked to diverse pathologies. However, how maternal exposure to mycotoxins impacts on the intestinal barrier function of progeny has not been explored. Here, exposure of pregnant and lactating C57Bl/6J female mice to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1; 400 μg/kg body weight/day; 3 times a week) in gelatine pellets, from embryonic day (E)11.5 until weaning (postnatal day 21), led to gut immunological changes in progeny. The results showed an overall increase of lymphocyte number in intestine, a reduction of expression of epithelial genes related to microbial defence, as well as a decrease in cytokine production by intestinal type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2). While susceptibility to chemically induced colitis was not worsened, immune alterations were associated with changes in gut microbiota and with a higher vulnerability to infection by the protozoan Eimeria vermiformis at early-life. Together these results show that maternal dietary exposure to AFB1 can dampen intestinal barrier homeostasis in offspring decreasing their capability to tackle intestinal pathogens. These data provide insights to understand AFB1 potential harmfulness in early-life health in the context of intestinal infections.
- Extending High Fatty Foods Shelf-Life Protecting from Lipid Oxidation and Microbiological Contamination: An Approach Using Active Packaging with Pomegranate ExtractPublication . Andrade, Mariana A.; Rodrigues, Pedro V.; Barros, Carolina; Cruz, Vasco; Machado, Ana Vera; Barbosa, Cássia H.; Coelho, Anabela; Furtado, Rosália; Correia, Cristina Belo; Saraiva, Margarida; Vilarinho, Fernanda; Ramos, Fernando; Silva, Ana SanchesThe search for new forms to extend foodstuffs’ shelf-life through the use of natural compounds and extracts continues to grow among researchers and the industry. In this line of thought, the main objective of this work was to develop, characterize and evaluate the effectiveness of an active food packaging based on polylactic acid (PLA) and incorporated with natural extracts obtained from grape and/or pomegranate by-products. In vitro, antioxidant methods were applied to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of three extracts: wort extract, freeze-dried pomegranate peels extract (PPE-FD), and natural pomegranate peels (PPE-N). Punicalagin (A + B) and ellagic acid were determined in PPE-FD, PPE-N, and active films by UHPLC-DAD. New PLA-based active packaging with PPE-FD (PLA/3PPE) and pomegranate peels (PLA/3PP) were developed, and their chemical, mechanical, and barrier properties were evaluated. Moreover, the effectiveness of the new film was carried out through the study of lipid oxidation state and microbial contamination of two high-fat content foodstuffs, almonds and beef meat. PPE-FD presented high antioxidant capacity and high content in total phenolics and flavonoid compounds. The PLA/3PPE and PLA/3PP prevented the lipid oxidation of meat and presented antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The addition of the PPE-FD and the pomegranate peels to the PLA did not affect the morphology of the polymer. Although both PPE-FD and pomegranate peels presented punicalagin (A + B) and ellagic acid, only ellagic acid was identified and quantified in the active PLA. Active PLA films were not effective in delaying the lipid oxidation of almonds, but they showed to be significantly effective in delaying the lipid oxidation of beef meat and reducing the microbial growth in this food matrix over time.
- Molecular epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile in companion animals: Genetic overlap with human strains and public health concernsPublication . Alves, Frederico; Castro, Rita; Pinto, Miguel; Nunes, Alexandra; Pomba, Constança; Oliveira, Manuela; Silveira, Leonor; Gomes, João Paulo; Oleastro, MónicaIntroduction: The changing epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile reflects a well-established and intricate community transmission network. With rising numbers of reported community-acquired infections, recent studies tried to identify the role played by non-human reservoirs in the pathogen's transmission chain. This study aimed at describing the C. difficile strains circulating in canine and feline populations, and to evaluate their genetic overlap with human strains to assess the possibility of interspecies transmission. Methods: Fecal samples from dogs (n = 335) and cats (n = 140) were collected from two populations (group A and group B) in Portugal. C. difficile isolates were characterized for toxigenic profile and PCR-ribotyping. The presence of genetic determinants of antimicrobial resistance was assessed in all phenotypically resistant isolates. To evaluate the genetic overlap between companion animals and human isolates from Portugal, RT106 (n = 42) and RT014/020 (n = 41) strains from both sources were subjected to whole genome sequencing and integrated with previously sequenced RT106 (n = 43) and RT014/020 (n = 142) genomes from different countries. The genetic overlap was assessed based on core-single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) using a threshold of 2 SNP. Results: The overall positivity rate for C. difficile was 26% (76/292) in group A and 18.6% (34/183) in group B. Toxigenic strains accounted for 50% (38/76) and 52.9% (18/34) of animal carriage rates, respectively. The most prevalent ribotypes (RT) were the toxigenic RT106 and RT014/020, and the non-toxigenic RT010 and RT009. Antimicrobial resistance was found for clindamycin (27.9%), metronidazole (17.1%) and moxifloxacin (12.4%), associated with the presence of the ermB gene, the pCD-METRO plasmid and point mutations in the gyrA gene, respectively. Both RT106 and RT014/020 genetic analysis revealed several clusters integrating isolates from animal and human sources, supporting the possibility of clonal interspecies transmission or a shared environmental contamination source. Discussion: This study shows that companion animals may constitute a source of infection of toxigenic and antimicrobial resistant human associated C. difficile isolates. Additionally, it contributes with important data on the genetic proximity between C. difficile isolates from both sources, adding new information to guide future work on the role of animal reservoirs in the establishment of community associated transmission networks and alerting for potential public health risk.
- Controlo da Qualidade em Análise NutricionalPublication . Flores, Ana CristinaApresentação oral acerca de todos os parâmetros e aspetos inerentes à garantia e ao controlo da qualidade dos métodos e dos resultados dos mesmos. Abordagem dos diferentes meios para garantir e evidenciar a qualidade e a validação dos métodos. Apresentação das diferentes ferramentas estatísticas disponíveis a aplicar neste contexto.
- Recruiting and engaging adolescents in creating overweight and obesity prevention policies: The CO‐CREATE projectPublication . Bröer, Christian; Ayuandini, Sherria; Baillergeau, Evelyne; Moerman, Gerben; Veltkamp, Gerlieke; Luszczynska, Aleksandra; Budin‐Ljøsne, Isabelle; Rito, Ana Isabel; Stensdal, Maja; Lien, Nanna; Klepp, Knut‐IngeThe CO-CREATE project aims to collaborate with adolescents across Europe in developing policy ideas that contribute to overweight and obesity prevention. In this paper, we present the theoretical basis and methodological approach to recruitment and engagement in the project. The principles of youth-led participatory action research were employed to design Youth Alliances in which adolescents and adults could collaborate. These Alliances should serve to promote and support adolescent participation and to develop policy ideas that would contribute to obesity prevention. Alliance members were recruited in two local geographical areas per country with a focus on reaching out to underrepresented youth. We started with fieldwork to assess locally relevant forms of inclusion and exclusion. The methodology entailed a handbook combining existing tools which could be used flexibly, a collaborative organization, and budgets for the alliances. Engagement started in local organizations, that is, schools and scouts, and with peers. Health- and overweight-related challenges were addressed in their immediate surroundings and supported the inclusion of experiential knowledge. Adolescents were then supported to address the wider obesogenic system when designing policy ideas. The CO-CREATE Alliances provide a concrete example of how to engage youth in public health, in a manner that strives to be participatory, transformative, and inquiry based.
- Investigating the association between ambient particulate matter (PM10) exposure and blood pressure values: Results from the link between the Portuguese Health Examination Survey and air quality dataPublication . Gaio, Vânia; Roquette, Rita; Monteiro, Alexandra; Ferreira, Joana; Matias Dias, Carlos; Nunes, BaltazarIntrodução e objetivo: A pressão arterial elevada (PA) continua a ser um importante fator de risco cardiovascular (CV) modificável. Vários estudos epidemiológicos têm sido realizados para avaliar a associação entre a exposição à poluição do ar e este fator de risco CV, mas os resultados permanecem inconsistentes. Este estudo tem como objetivo estimar o efeito da exposição de curta duração às PM10 (concentração média dos últimos três dias) nos valores da pressão arterial diastólica (PAD) e sistólica (PAS) da população residente em Portugal Continental. Métodos: O nosso estudo baseou-se nos dados disponíveis de PAD e PAS de 2272 participantes do primeiro Inquérito Nacional de Saúde com Exame Físico (INSEF, 2015) que viviam num raio de 30 km de pelo menos uma estação de monitoração da qualidade do ar com medições disponíveis de material particulado com diâmetro aerodinâmico ≤10 m (PM10). Foram utilizados os dados da rede de monitoração da qualidade do ar da Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente para atribuir as exposições individuais de PM10. Os modelos lineares generalizados foram utilizados para estimar o efeito da exposição às PM10 nos valores de PAD e PAS. Resultados: Nenhuma associação estatisticamente significativa foi encontrada entre a exposição a PM10 e os valores de PAD e PAS (0,42% de incremento de PAD por cada aumento de 10 g/m3 de PM10 [IC de 95%: −0,85; 1,70] e de 0,47% de incremento de PAS por cada aumento de 10 g/m3 [IC 95%: −0,86; 1,79]). Os resultados permaneceram inalterados após restringir a análise aos participantes hipertensos ou aos participantes obesos ou após alteração da metodologia para atribuir as exposições individuais de PM10. Conclusões: Tendo em consideração os níveis de PM10 observados em 2015, os nossos resultados sugerem que a exposição às concentrações de PM10 terá um efeito pequeno ou nenhum efeito sobre os valores da pressão arterial. Outros poluentes atmosféricos e misturas de poluentes que não foram incluídos no nosso estudo devem ser analisados em estudos futuros.
- The Biology of Lysosomes: From Order to DisorderPublication . Amaral, Olga; Martins, Mariana; Oliveira, Ana Rita; Duarte, Ana Joana; Mondragão-Rodrigues, Inês; Macedo, M. FatimaSince its discovery in 1955, the understanding of the lysosome has continuously increased. Once considered a mere waste removal system, the lysosome is now recognised as a highly crucial cellular component for signalling and energy metabolism. This notable evolution raises the need for a summarized review of the lysosome’s biology. As such, throughout this article, we will be compiling the current knowledge regarding the lysosome’s biogenesis and functions. The comprehension of this organelle’s inner mechanisms is crucial to perceive how its impairment can give rise to lysosomal disease (LD). In this review, we highlight some examples of LD fine-tuned mechanisms that are already established, as well as others, which are still under investigation. Even though the understanding of the lysosome and its pathologies has expanded through the years, some of its intrinsic molecular aspects remain unknown. In order to illustrate the complexity of the lysosomal diseases we provide a few examples that have challenged the established single gene—single genetic disorder model. As such, we believe there is a strong need for further investigation of the exact abnormalities in the pathological pathways in lysosomal disease.
- A walk in the PARC: developing and implementing 21st century chemical risk assessment in EuropePublication . Marx-Stoelting, P.; Rivière, G.; Luijten, M.; Aiello-Holden, K.; Bandow, N.; Baken, K.; Cañas, A.; Castano, A.; Denys, S.; Fillol, C.; Herzler, M.; Iavicoli, I.; Karakitsios, S.; Klanova, J.; Kolossa-Gehring, M.; Koutsodimou, A.; Lobo Vicente, J.; Lynch, I.; Namorado, S.; Norager, S.; Pittman, A.; Rotter, S.; Sarigiannis, D.; Silva, M. J.; Theunis, J.; Tralau, T.; Uhl, M.; Van Klaveren, J.; Wendt-Rasch, L.; Westerholm, E.; Rousselle, C.; Sanders, P.Current approaches for the assessment of environmental and human health risks due to exposure to chemical substances have served their purpose reasonably well. Nevertheless, the systems in place for different uses of chemicals are faced with various challenges, ranging from a growing number of chemicals to changes in the types of chemicals and materials produced. This has triggered global awareness of the need for a paradigm shift, which in turn has led to the publication of new concepts for chemical risk assessment and explorations of how to translate these concepts into pragmatic approaches. As a result, next-generation risk assessment (NGRA) is generally seen as the way forward. However, incorporating new scientific insights and innovative approaches into hazard and exposure assessments in such a way that regulatory needs are adequately met has appeared to be challenging. The European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) has been designed to address various challenges associated with innovating chemical risk assessment. Its overall goal is to consolidate and strengthen the European research and innovation capacity for chemical risk assessment to protect human health and the environment. With around 200 participating organisations from all over Europe, including three European agencies, and a total budget of over 400 million euro, PARC is one of the largest projects of its kind. It has a duration of seven years and is coordinated by ANSES, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety.