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- Tubulin acetylation: a critical regulator of microtubule functionPublication . Delgado, Inês L.; Carmona, Bruno; Nolasco, Sofia; Marques, Rita; Gonçalves, João; Soares, Helena; Halasa, M.; Wawruszak, A.The cytoskeleton is conserved throughout the eukaryotic lineage and consists of a complex dynamic network mainly composed of three distinct polymers: microtubules (MTs), actin filaments, and intermediate filaments. MTs are polymers of α/β-tubulin heterodimers, playing a myriad of distinct cellular functions, and are the main components of complex structures like the mitotic spindle, cilia, and centrioles. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) regulate the function and increase the complexity of the α/β-tubulin heterodimer pools. One of the PTMs that has been extensively studied is the acetylation of lysine 40 (K40) on α-tubulin, which specifically occurs inside the MT lumen. Acetylation plays a crucial role in controlling the stability and function of MTs in response to signals from within and outside the cell. It impacts the cytoplasm's 3D arrangement and important cellular activities like intracellular transport, cell division, polarity, and migration. Recent research has also emphasized the significance of this PTM in regulating the mechanical properties of MTs and cellular sensing. The levels and activity of MT acetyltransferases and deacetylases are tightly regulated through various transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational mechanisms, including miRNAs, phosphorylation, protein-protein interactions, and regulated localization between the nucleus and cytoplasm. These regulatory processes involve components of diverse signaling pathways, and their deregulation has been implicated in numerous diseases, including neurological disorders, cancer, and cardiac conditions.
- Tubulin acetylation and the cellular mechanosensing and stress responsePublication . Carmona, Bruno; Delgado, Inês L. S.; Nolasco, Sofia; Marques, Rita; Gonçalves, João; Soares, Helena; Halasa, M.; Wawruszak, A.Microtubule (MT) acetylation has emerged as a critical regulator of cellular stress responses, integrating mechanical and oxidative stimuli to support cellular adaptability and survival. This post-translational modification (PTM) enhances MT flexibility and resilience, enabling cells to withstand mechanical challenges such as changes in extracellular matrix stiffness and applied forces. Through its impact on MT physical properties, acetylation minimizes cytoskeletal breakage, reducing the need for constant remodeling and supporting cellular integrity under mechanical stress. Furthermore, tubulin acetylation regulates intracellular trafficking by modulating interactions with molecular motors, allowing for efficient cargo transport and precise spatial organization without disrupting the MT network. In the context of oxidative stress, tubulin acetylation responds to redox imbalances by stabilizing MTs and influencing cellular pathways that regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS). This modification is linked to enhanced antioxidant responses, autophagy regulation, and mitochondrial dynamics, highlighting its role in maintaining cellular homeostasis under oxidative conditions. The dual function of tubulin acetylation, responding to and integrating signals from mechanical and oxidative stress, acts as a bridging mechanism between physical and chemical signaling pathways. Consequently, it has the potential to be a therapeutic target in diseases characterized by dysregulated stress responses, including neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and cardiovascular conditions. Despite significant progress having been made, unanswered questions persist, particularly regarding the molecular mechanisms by which acetylated MTs encode spatial and functional information and their interplay with other tubulin PTMs.
- Health 'is not rocket science': the general, nutritional, and oral health literacy of Portuguese adolescentsPublication . Almeida, Cristina Vaz de; Costa, Vânia; Montaño Rodríguez, Sandra Lucia; Rodrigues, Patrícia; Rodrigues, Manuela; Ribeiro Reis, Bruno Ribeiro; Belim, CéliaHealth literacy is a European public health challenge that should be taken seriously by policymakers, and the health literacy agenda in Europe needs to be accelerated. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers health literacy to be the level of knowledge, social skills, confidence, motivation, and competence to access, understand, and appraise health information. It comprises a set of strategies to improve health and well-being across the lifespan, from individual health literacy to organizational and public health literacy. Health literacy development begins in childhood and adolescence, where it should be supported in an integrated, inclusive, and multidisciplinary approach, promoting and developing competencies and, therefore, knowledge, skills, and attributes. Health literacy encompasses different areas of health, such as oral health and nutrition. In Europe, eight countries participated in the European health literacy questionnaire (HLS-EU 12) in 2014: Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain. Among the results obtained with random samples in the European population, at least one in ten (12%) registered insufficient health literacy, and nearly one in two (47%) had limited (insufficient or problematic) health literacy. The distribution of levels differed substantially across countries (29–62%). The HLS-EU contains several questions specifically about food and nutrition, but only in the HLS-PT, translated by Saboga-Nunes et al. and applied in Portugal, where a concern about oral health, including nutrition, is evident.
- Preliminary results concerning school staff personal exposure to microbial load: worry to be considered?Publication . Pena, Pedro; Cervantes, Renata; Dias, Marta; Gomes, Bianca; Riesenberger, Bruna; Marques, Liliana; Rodriguez, Margarida; Viegas, CarlaSchool environments are potential exposure scenarios to bioaerosols. Breading such contaminants can contribute to the development of respiratory infection. Most studies performed in schools regarding air quality focus on children’s health, neglecting the personal exposure of teachers and school staff. This study aims to provide a first insight into the personal exposure of teachers and school staff to bacteria and fungi in primary schools in Portugal. Personal air samples were collected from teachers and staff with an SKC Button Aerosol Sampler (2 h sampling at 4 L/min flow rate) with a polycarbonate filter from 10 schools located in the Metropolitan Lisbon Area. Extracts were inoculated onto TSA and VRBA (7 days incubation at 30 °C and 37 °C, respectively) for bacterial quantification and onto MEA and DG18 (5–7 days incubation at 27 °C) for fungal quantification. Results showed higher bacterial contamination in teacher samples. Fungal counts followed the same pattern. Although bacterial and fungal counts were below recommended thresholds, the possible presence of potentially harmful pathogens requires qualitative assessment. These preliminary findings underscore the need for comprehensive strategies to address microbial contamination in schools, ensuring the safety and well-being of the school community.
- Levels of fungi in the air of poultry farms following different stages of birds’ growth cyclePublication . Gomes, Bianca; Dias, Marta; Pena, Pedro; Cervantes, Renata; Rodriguez, Margarida; Marques, Liliana; Riesenberger, Bruna; Carolino, Elisabete; Viegas, CarlaPoultry production intensification might influence microbial development. Concerning fungal assessment, despite the limited number of studies, several fungi have already been found in poultry pavilions. Occupational health specialists frequently overlook worker safety and biological risk assessment due to a lack of systematic knowledge regarding the agents involved. Consequently, workers, exposed to organic dust are at risk of developing various respiratory diseases. This study aimed to analyze indoor and outdoor fungal load at different stages of the poultries growth cycle. The sampling campaign was conducted in Winter in 14 poultry pavilions. Air samples from indoor (n = 47) and outdoor (n = 20) were taken before bird placement (sanitary control), followed by 1st, 2nd and 3rd weeks. The impactor MAS-100 was set at 100 L/min for 5 min. Fungal loads indoors exceed the outdoor in all stages of the production cycle. Besides, fungal occurrence was also identified during sanitary control (5%). The acquired data can provide new insights into the variation in fungal air concentrations during different phases of poultry growth. The data obtained should be complemented with qualitative research. Together, this information will support the development of mitigation techniques aiming to protect workers, animals, and environmental health and thus following a One Health approach.
- Sampling protocol to assess Aspergillus section fumigati in woodworking environmentsPublication . Dias, Marta; Gomes, Bianca; Pena, Pedro; Cervantes, Renata; Rodriguez, Margarida; Riesenberger, Bruna; Marques, Liliana; Ribeiro, Edna; Viegas, CarlaAzole fungicides are commonly used in sawmills to protect wood against the wood-destroying basidiomycete fungi. Azole-resistant Aspergillus section Fumigati has previously been identified in these environments. Here we aimed to establish a sampling protocol to efficiently isolate Aspergillus section Fumigati in woodworking environments. The sampling campaign was conducted between December 2022 and November 2023 in 13 DIY stores and 6 sawmills. Both active and passive sampling methods were used. A total of 370 Aspergillus section Fumigati isolates were recovered from the accessed environments with particularly high efficiency using DG18 incubated at 37 °C. Both active and passive sampling media had a similar number of isolates. Regarding Andersen's six-stage air sampler, stage 5 had the highest number of isolates in both woodworking environments. Data presented in this study validated the used protocol to assess Aspergillus section Fumigati in woodworking environments to enable Occupational Health Services to prioritize interventions in these specific occupational environments to perform accurate exposure assessment and detailed risk assessment and management.
- SARS-CoV-2 immunization in academic community: vaccination schemes efficiencyPublication . Almeida, Ana; Oliveira, Ketlyn; Ribeiro, EdnaBackground: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 immunoglobulin G (SARS-CoV-2-IgG) antibodies have been widely used to assist clinical diagnosis and occupational exposure risks. Objectives: This study aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels acquired due to different vaccination schemes. Materials and methods: A retrospective study was performed on volunteers from the Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa. Blood samples were collected and analyzed through the ELISA methodology and a statistical analysis was conducted. Results: Among study participants, the percentage of women was higher than men, with an average age of 39.02 years. 88.5% of individuals had an mRNA vaccination versus 11.5% for a viral vector vaccination. Moderna vaccine had the highest IgG titer (9.62 index), while the lowest titer was 5.97 index, obtained by the Janssen vaccine. Data from individuals with the 2nd vaccine dose corresponded to the highest percentage of seropositive titers (62.6%). Regarding the time between vaccination and sample collection, 41.9% were collected over six months and 2.2% between 1 and 2 months. Discussion: Data demonstrated that the vaccine technology, the period between vaccination and collection, and cross-vaccination have a significant impact on SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels. In conclusion, future assessment of individual immune responses and group immunity is crucial for occupational exposure and public health.
- Vagus nerve stimulation for the management of immune-mediated inflammatory diseasesPublication . Tarn, Jessica; Pinto, Ines Figueiredo; Ng, Wan-Fai; Staats, P. S.; Ayata, C.; Abd-Elsayed, A.The vagus nerve is a key component of several homeostatic axes including the cholinergic antiinflammatory pathway, hypothalamic–pituitary-adrenergic axis, and the brain-gut axis, all of which play important roles in the regulation of the immune system. Autonomic dysfunction has been described in many immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). In addition, several pilot studies have shown that vagus nerve stimulation leads to improvement in several IMIDs. Taken together, the vagus nerve is a promising novel therapeutic target for the management of IMIDs.
- Design and (im)materiality: designing for a regenerative and socially ethical food systemPublication . Duarte, Verónica; Félix, Maria João; Viegas, Cláudia; Borges, Miguel de AboimFood systems are facing serious challenges in the social, economic, and environmental dimensions. This article aims to revitalise the role of design in the transition to a regenerative food system, adopting ethical principles. A literature review was carried out that crossed different themes, to stimulate reflection on the involvement of design in the food system. Next, four evolutionary stages were planned and presented, complemented by conceptual models that resulted from the research carried out and related to the different theoretical subjects, to generate new perspectives on the topic addressed. The effective contribution of this study lies in demonstrating that designers, together with other stakeholders, can design useful solutions and generate interdisciplinary knowledge related to the food system. Furthermore, it is understood that a greater contribution from social design and inclusive design is needed to address several of the problems of the food system, and, consequently, significant and mutually beneficial changes occur. The expected results focus on the need to carry out additional research to deepen the relationship between design and the food system, to minimise adverse impacts on the environment, human health, and future generations.
- Alterations of the abdominal wall during pregnancyPublication . Mota, PatríciaPregnancy and becoming a mother is one of the most exciting times in a woman’s life. Besides all the hormonal and physiological changes affecting women during this period, probably the most obvious morphological alteration during pregnancy is the increasing weight and dimensions of the uterus, influencing maternal trunk musculoskeletal morphology, particularly the abdominal musculature. Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA), or increased inter rectus distance (IRD), is characterized by the separation of the rectus abdominis muscles. It has its onset during pregnancy and the first weeks following childbirth. The lack of evidence for the consequences of this condition and the effect of abdominal strengthening exercises in the reduction of DRA indicates a need for identification of the prevalence and risk factors of DRA. This chapter will cover the anatomy and reliability of the methods for the assessment of the morphology of the abdominal wall, describe DRA prevalence, and risk factors, and provide an overview of the response on the IRD induced by two typical strengthening exercises: the drawing in and abdominal crunch exercises.