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- Toxicological Aspects of Iron Oxide NanoparticlesPublication . Fernández-Bertólez, Natalia; Costa, Carla; Brandão, Fátima; Teixeira, João Paulo; Pásaro, Eduardo; Valdiglesias, Vanessa; Laffon, BlancaIron oxide nanoparticles (ION), with unique magnetic properties, have attracted huge scientific attention for a wide variety of uses, mostly in the biomedical field, due to their high biocompatibility, ability to cross biological membranes, appropriate surface architecture and easy conjugation with targeting ligands. Their current applications include diagnostic imaging, cell labelling, site-directed drug delivery and anticancer hyperthermia therapy. The ION surface may be modified by coating with different materials, aiming to stabilize the nanoparticles in different environments, to allow biomolecule binding favouring surface attachments with several molecules, and to prolong the recognition time by the immune system. Although the potential benefits of ION are considerable, and more and more ION are being manufactured to meet the demands of the rapidly proliferating field of nanomedicine, there is an urgent need to define their toxicological profile in order to avoid any potential health risks associated with their exposure and to reach optimal benefits of their use. The purpose of this chapter is to de-scribe the current knowledge on the ION toxicological features, addressing their structure and physicochemical characteristics, main exposure pathways and toxicokinetic aspects, interaction with cells, and their toxic effects, with special attention to those at the cellular and molecular level.
- Occupational Exposure of Firefighters in Non-fire SettingsPublication . Slezakova, Klara; Esteves, Filipa; Vaz, Josiana; Alves, Maria José; Madureira, Joana; Costa, Solange; Fernandes, Adília; Teixeira, João Paulo; Morais, Simone; Pereira, Maria do CarmoThis work assessed firefighters’ exposure to particulate matter (PM) in non-fire work settings during pre-fire season, as a baseline for the respective occupational exposure characterization. Indoor and outdoor air sampling was conducted for two weeks in pre-fire season of 2021 in seven fire corporations (FC1-FC7) in north of Portugal. PM fractions (PM2.5, PM10) were continuously monitored concurrently in indoors (living rooms, rest areas, truck bays) and outdoors. The results showed low levels of pollution. Indoor PM10 was between 2 and 205 μg m–3 (mean 10 μg m–3); PM2.5 were 2—115 μg m–3 (8.5 μg m–3). Both indoor PM fractions were highly and significantly correlated (rs = 0.959–0.997). PM2.5 accounted for 85% of indoor PM; indoor to outdoor ratios (I/O) of PM2.5 ranged between 1.4 and 3.0, thus emphasizing the contribution of indoor emission sources for fine fraction. Outdoor PM10 were 2–6 times higher than indoors (6–894 μg m–3; mean 21 μg m–3); and 2–9 times higher for PM2.5 (5 – 169 μg m–3; 5 μg m–3). Outdoor PM were moderately correlated (rs = 0.584 – 0.878), most likely due to meteorological conditions. Coarse particles contributed the majority of ambient PM10 and accounted for 79%.
- Integrating Fungi in the Drinking Water Regulation and in Guidelines for Materials in Contact With Drinking Water. Is there Room for Change?Publication . Novak Babič, Monika; Brandão, João; Gunde-Cimerman, NinaDrinking water is essential for life. To ensure its safe use, up to date regulation is promoted by the World Health Organization, but ultimately established by individual countries and states federations. The European Union uses directives transposed to Member-states legislation. This regulation targets specific bacterial pathogens, but changes, like climate alterations, increasing human population and antimicrobial resistance bring along the necessity to adjust regulation to emerging threats. The authors herewith discuss the integration of fungi in drinking water regulation and in guidelines for materials in contact with drinking water. Core species should be established with possible indicators and specificities of water distribution to more susceptible users.
- Mining activities: health impactsPublication . Candeias, Carla; Ávila, Paula; Coelho, Patrícia; Teixeira, João P.Mining is an important economic activity with potential to contribute to the development of economies. At the same time, environmental and health impacts of mining on surrounding communities are of major concern. Potential human health risks occur at most stages of the mining life cycle, from exploration to mine closure, and may result from both surface and subsurface mines. Mining activities include the use of toxic chemicals and waste disposals with health impacts on miners and local populations and also with adverse environmental impacts on the surrounding environment. Human health impacts result from long term and systematic exposure, ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact with toxic heavy metals, acidic drainage and toxic chemicals. Inhalations of dust and air particulate matters are among the significant pathways of carcinogenic pollutants into the human body. Health impacts can also result from soil and water pollution due to the mine contaminants migration by erosion and weathering and chemical dispersion such as acid drainages from mine wastes and tailings. By applying appropriate practices, health effects due to mining activities can by mitigated or avoided. Legislation requires that mine administrators manage health and safety properly to provide safe places to work and live.
- Indoor Environments and Elderly Health (Chapter 2)Publication . Mendes, Ana; Teixeira-Gomes, Armanda; Costa, Solange; Laffon, Blanca; Madureira, Joana; Teixeira, João PauloBook description: Elderly Care: Options, Challenges and Trends examines the demographic shifts Lebanon has experienced over the last few decades, indicating that it is a rapidly aging country. Such an aging population may need various levels of support including access to nursing care in nursing homes, either for short-term rehabilitation or for extended periods of time, when individual dependency outstrips family-based resources. Next, a review is provided on the latest studies and evidences regarding the influence of indoor environment on elderly health. A set of recommendations to improve elderly environmental health are presented, considering the most recent state-of-the-art on this field. Following this, the authors share their real-world experiences from an ongoing large-scale project on IoT-enabled community eldercare. Technology-centric challenges that need to be addressed are identified so that such systems can be sustainably implemented and adopted by key stakeholders. In a separate chapter, the book analyzes hospice care in China, which is still far from meeting its needs caused by the profound aging of China’s population. The analysis indicates that the Chinese Government should formulate a development plan for hospice care and include hospice care services in the National Healthcare Insurance System. Additionally, NGOs should continue to play their part in hospice care development. The perspectives of aging and frailty syndrome are explored later, focusing on the role of biomarkers and environmental exposure in its development. Currently, there are several gaps in the scientific literature regarding frailty syndrome, namely in their definition, models, causal-effects and prevention or treatments. Afterwards, rib fractures in the elderly are addressed. Although plain radiographic films are diagnostic, a large number of patients will need CAT scans for more precise locations of rib fractures. The management of complications as a direct result of rib fractures; mostly hemopneumothorax or visceral injury, will be dealt with accordingly. In an additional study, the factors for hospital admissions associated with adverse drug events are studied. Drug related hospital admissions in the elderly are commonly influenced by polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing. (Nova Biomedical)
- Exposure to emissions from cleaning products in primary schools: a test chamber studyPublication . Cavaleiro Rufo, João; Madureira, J.; Paciência, I.; Sousa, J.; Oliveira Fernandes, E.; Slezakova, K.; Pereira, M.C.; Aguiar, L.; Teixeira, J.P.; Pinto, M.; Delgado, L.; Moreira, A.The aim of this study was to investigate volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from floor cleaning products (FCPs) used in primary schools and compare them with emissions from a previously recognised low-emitting product (control sample). Samples of FCPs used in 3 primary schools and a control sample were collected and subsequently examined in a test chamber. Measurements were performed at t = 0, 60, 120, 240 and 480 min after application. The analysis was performed by GC-MS. The results showed that VOC emissions were higher during t = 0 than in the subsequent measurements, with the exception of benzaldehyde and benzene, being significant for toluene and m/p-xylene. VOC emissions from the control FCP were not significantly lower than the schools FCPs. To prevent the exposure of children to VOCs, the school cleaning should be performed at the end of the classes.
- Occupational Hazards for Healthcare Workers in HospitalsPublication . Cordeiro, Telma; Sousa-Uva, António; Sacadura-Leite, Ema; Pinhal, Hermínia; Nogueira, AnaBook description by publisher: Despite several improvements in risk assessment and exposure prevention, the occupational environment could expose workers to a wide variety of risk factors. Beside “classical” risk factors, such as chemical compounds, physical agents and biological agents, a group of "new” risk factors has become more and more prevalent over the last few decades; psychosocial hazards in occupational environments and exposure to nanoparticles are flawless examples of these potential issues for workers' health. This book aims to address principal “classical” risk factors by dealing extensively with occupational respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases related to work, occupational cancers, and occupational risks for hypersensitivity. Additionally, it attempts to shed light on a deepened treatise of occupational hazards related to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, psychosocial ailments, and ergonomic risk factors, which could result in cumulative trauma disorders of the upper limb. The second part of this book provides some advice regarding specific risk factors or specific occupational exposures: health issues related to exposure to mechanical vibrations, pesticides, nanomaterials, and in a hospital environment were used as examples to deepen the risk assessment and the analysis of health hazards. The authors hope to paint a global picture of the principal risk factors in occupational medicine. Given these premises, this book is not aimed to be comprehensive, but rather to provide an introductive and robust base for facing several current issues in occupational medicine.
- A importância dos biofilmes em otorrinolaringologia pediátricaPublication . Duarte, Aida; Jordão, Luisa; Subtil, JoãoPontos-chave: Saber o que é um biofilme e como a sua estrutura é relevante par os micro-organismos; Saber que é ubiquitário na natureza e no nosso organismo; Reconhecer a sua importância clínica.
- Exploring Dangerous Connections between Klebsiella pneumoniae Biofilms and Healthcare-Associated InfectionsPublication . Bandeira, Maria; Carvalho, Patricia Almeida; Duarte, Aida; Jordão, LuísaHealthcare-associated infections (HAI) are a huge public health concern, particularly when the etiological agents are multidrug resistant. The ability of bacteria to develop biofilm is a helpful skill, both to persist within hospital units and to increase antibiotic resistance. Although the links between antibiotic resistance, biofilms assembly and HAI are consensual, little is known about biofilms. Here, electron microscopy was adopted as a tool to investigate biofilm structures associated with increased antibiotic resistance. The K. pneumoniae strains investigated are able to assemble biofilms, albeit with different kinetics. The biofilm structure and the relative area fractions of bacteria and extracellular matrix depend on the particular strain, as well as the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the antibiotics. Increased values were found for bacteria organized in biofilms when compared to the respective planktonic forms, except for isolates Kp45 and Kp2948, the MIC values for which remained unchanged for fosfomycin. Altogether, these results showed that the emergence of antimicrobial resistance among bacteria responsible for HAI is a multifactorial phenomenon dependent on antibiotics and on bacteria/biofilm features.
- Sick Building SyndromePublication . Mendes, A.; Teixeira, João PauloSick Building Syndrome (SBS) is recognized by the World Health Organization as a group of symptoms that have no clear etiology and are attributable to exposure to building variables (indoor air quality, lighting, noise, psychological effects). SBS symptoms may occur singly or in combination with each other increasing in severity over the working shift and resolving rapidly when leaving the building in the evening, improving over the weekend and usually disappearing on holiday. The symptoms of SBS include eye, nose, and throat irritation; sensation of dry mucous membranes; dry, itching, and red skin; headaches and mental fatigue; nausea and dizziness.