Publications

[hal-04067839] Long-Term Maintenance Strategies after Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Perspectives of People with Chronic Respiratory Diseases, Informal Carers, and Healthcare Professionals

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an effective intervention for people with chronic respiratory diseases (CRD); however, its effects fade after 6-12 months. Community-based strategies might be valuable to sustain PR benefits, but this has been little explored. People with CRD, informal carers, and healthcare professionals (HCPs) were recruited from pulmonology appointments of two local hospitals, two primary care centres, and one community institutional practice and through snowballing technique. Focus groups were conducted using a semi-structured guide. Data were thematically analysed. Twenty-nine people with CRD (24% female, median 69 years), 5 informal carers (100% female, median 69 years), and 16 HCPs (75% female, median 36 years) were included. Three themes were identified: "Maintaining an independent and active lifestyle" which revealed common strategies adopted by people with "intrinsic motivation and professional and peer support" as key elements to maintain benefits, and that "access to information and partnerships with city councils' physical activities" were[…]

[hal-04067760] Using a Portuguese regosol to derive soil reference values for arsenic

Soil reference values (SRV) are preliminary screening benchmark values used to evaluate the potential toxicity of specific contaminants in soils. The Portuguese Environmental Agency has proposed SRV for metals and metalloids based on soil uses but without consideration for the soil type. This project aims to derive SRV for arsenic (As) using a natural Portuguese soil since it is known that soil properties can influence the mobility and bioavailability of contaminants. To achieve this aim, a non-contaminated regosol was collected and spiked with a range of concentrations of As. After, a battery of ecotoxicological tests was performed using the spiked soil, including microbial parameters, reproduction with invertebrates, plant growth assays, and aquatic organisms (to evaluate elutriates from the spiked soil) following standard protocols (ISO and OECD) and aimed at deriving concentrations that cause a x% effect (ECx) to the tested organism and/or the test endpoints assessed. The endpoints will be[…]

[hal-04061107] Current Methodology for Extraction, Separation, Identification, and Quantification of Microplastics in Terrestrial Systems

Microplastic (MP) contamination is a current global problem in the environment and specifically in soils. Plastics enter the soils through multiple pathways, such as agricultural application, organic amendments from wastewater treatment plants, landfills, or industrial sources. This chapter provides a description of the current state of the analytical techniques used for the extraction, quantification, and identification of MP in soils. In this sense, the methodology for determination and quantification of MP is currently easier and much more developed for aqueous media than for soils, due to the difficulties affecting analytical methods for extraction and identification of MP in complex matrices such as soils. The procedures and processes needed to isolate MP from soils vary considerably among studies. Currently, there is no single method to isolate MP from soil. In general, the main techniques for MP separation from soil include sieving, density flotation, filtration, and digestion processes. Microplastics extracted from soil[…]

[hal-04060835] Metabolic dysregulations underlying the pulmonary toxicity of atmospheric fine particulate matter: focus on energy-producing pathways and lipid metabolism

Exposure to atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is currently recognized as a leading cause and/or a serious aggravating factor of several respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, and lung cancer. Notably, pulmonary-altered metabolism has emerged as an important hallmark of those diseases, while a growing body of evidence shows that exposure to PM2.5 deeply modulates the bioenergetic profiles and metabolic pathways of lung cells. Hence, there is great interest in understanding how PM-induced metabolic dysregulations may contribute to pulmonary pathobiological events. Herein, in vitro and in vivo studies assessing the impact of PM2.5 on lung cells metabolism are reviewed, with emphasis on lung bioenergetics and lipid composition. Overall, there is compelling evidence that the metabolism of lung cells is an early target of PM2.5 exposure, with changes in metabolic pathways being observed at PM doses that do not cause extensive cell death or tissue[…]

[hal-04060807] Short-Term Responses of Soil Microbial Communities to Changes in Air Temperature, Soil Moisture and UV Radiation

We analyzed the effects on a soil microbial community of short-term alterations in air temperature, soil moisture and ultraviolet radiation and assessed the role of invertebrates (species Enchytraeus crypticus) in modulating the community’s response to these factors. The reference soil, Lufa 2.2, was incubated for 48 h, with and without invertebrates, under the following conditions: standard (20 °C + 50% water holding capacity (WHC)); increased air temperature (15–25 °C or 20–30 °C + 50% WHC); flood (20 °C + 75% WHC); drought (20 °C + 25% WHC); and ultraviolet radiation (UV) (20 °C + 50% WHC + UV). BIOLOG EcoPlates and 16S rDNA sequencing (Illumina) were used to assess the microbial community’s physiological profile and the bacterial community’s structure, respectively. The bacterial abundance (estimated by 16S rDNA qPCR) did not change. Most of the conditions led to an increase in microbial activity and a decrease in diversity. The structure of[…]

[hal-04060783] Measuring intensity during free-living physical activities in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic literature review

Background: Measuring intensity of physical activity (PA) is important to ensure safety and the effectiveness of PA interventions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objective: This systematic review identified which outcomes, outcome measures and instruments have been used to assess single free-living PA-related intensity in people with COPD and compared the intensity level (light, moderate, vigorous) obtained by different outcome measures. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and EBSCO were searched for original studies of COPD and assessing single free-living PA-related intensity were included. Agreement was calculated as the number of agreements between 2 measures [same intensity level]/ number of comparisons using both measures*100. Results: We included 43 studies (1282 people with COPD, mean age 66 years, 65% men, 49% FEV1%pred) and identified 13 outcomes, 46 outcome measures and 22 instruments. The most-reported outcomes, outcome measures and instruments were dyspnoea with the Borg scale 0-10; cardiac function, via[…]

[hal-04060695] Access, access, access: the Three A's of pulmonary rehabilitation – perspectives of patients, loved ones and healthcare professionals

Efforts need to be made to increase access to pulmonary rehabilitation as early as possible, prioritising those who are more symptomatic and have functional status limitations, and improving communication within and among healthcare services https://bit.ly/3LMcLcU

[hal-04060530] Gall midge Baldratia salicorniae Kieffer (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) infestation on Salicornia europaea L. induces the production of specialized metabolites with biotechnological potential

Saltmarsh plants have several defense mechanisms against threatening abiotic conditions, such as salinity, inundation, or exposure to intense radiation, less is known regarding response to insect pests attack. Salicornia europaea L. plant stands are produced as cash crops in Portuguese coastal areas. In 2017, these crops suffered significant attacks from a gall midge fly (Baldratia salicorniae Kieffer), reducing its economic value. To understand how this attack influenced S. europaea chemical composition, infested and non-infested branches were collected, and their extracts were analysed by GS-MS and UHPLC-MS. Results revealed that different degrees of infestations displayed different chemical composition. Several compounds were for the first time identified in S. europaea, such as, arachidic acid, alpha-tocopherol, henicos-1-ene, and squalene. Most evident results were the reduced amount of alkanes in the infested conditions, which seems to be a direct consequence of insect infestation. Several compounds identified in the infested branches are known to have[…]

[hal-03464880] Small Plastic Wastes in Soils: What Is Our Real Perception of the Problem?

Soils and terrestrial ecosystems have been widely ignored as part of the problem of environmental contamination with plastic wastes, even though this resource is likely the main source of microplastics to aquatic systems. In the last few years, several studies have been carried out on terrestrial ecosystems and some of them highlighted the potential negative impacts of small plastic wastes (microplastics and nanoplastics) on soil properties and soil biota. This chapter makes an overview of existing information and aims to demonstrate how scarce and limited it still is in order to give a clear idea of whether the soil ecosystem is really at risk. Realizable exposure assessments are constrained by extraction and analytical methodologies and effects assessment is restricted to a reduced number of species, a great variety of polymers, concentrations and exposure conditions, which globally provide few data for a quantitative risk assessment. However, and being aware of the[…]

[hal-03153028] Biogeochemistry of Household Dust Samples Collected from Private Homes of a Portuguese Industrial City

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[hal-02926382] Deposição atmosférica de poeiras e níveis de elementos traço numa cidade industrial no litoral centro de Portugal

O presente estudo pretendeu (i) identificar padrões geoquímicos espaciais e temporais na deposição atmosférica, e (ii) avaliar potenciais contribuições de fontes locais e alóctones para a composição química das poeiras atmosféricas no concelho de Estarreja. Dois coletores foram colocados em áreas exteriores de duas escolas localizadas poucos quilómetros a sul da zona industrial. A recolha das amostras foi realizada mensalmente, de maio a agosto de 2018. As frações solúvel e insolúvel da deposição atmosférica foram analisadas por ICP-MS para determinar as concentrações quase-totais dos elementos químicos. Os resultados mostram a ocorrência de dois eventos distintos de maior fluxo de deposição atmosférica: (i) um em maio, caracterizado pela deposição de elementos traço em formas solúveis, detetado em ambas as escolas e (ii) um segundo em agosto, caracterizado pela deposição de elementos maiores em formas insolúveis, detetado apenas na escola mais distante do complexo industrial. No geral, os resultados indicam uma deposição[…]

[hal-02552558] Microplastics in Agricultural Soils

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[hal-01761544] Potentially harmful elements in house dust from Estarreja, Portugal: characterization and genotoxicity of the bioaccessible fraction

Due to their behavioral characteristics, young children are vulnerable to the ingestion of indoor dust, often contaminated with chemicals that are potentially harmful. Exposure to potentially harmful elements (PHEs) is currently exacerbated by their widespread use in several industrial, agricultural, domestic and technological applications. PHEs cause adverse health effects on immune and nervous systems and can lead to cancer development via genotoxic mechanisms. The present study is an integrated approach that aims at assessing the genotoxicity of bioaccessible PHEs following ingestion of contaminated house dust. A multidisciplinary methodology associating chemical characterization of five house dust samples, extraction of the bioaccessible PHEs in gastric extracts by the unified BARGE method, determination of the bioaccessible fraction and in vitro genotoxicity of gastric extracts in adenocarcinoma gastric human (AGS) cells was developed. The five gastric extracts induced dose-dependent genotoxicity in AGS cells. Copper (bioaccessible concentration up to 111 mg/kg) was probably the prevalent[…]

[hal-01966568] Lead and zinc concentrations in household dust and toenails of the residents (Estarreja, Portugal): a source-pathway-fate model

This paper describes a methodology developed to assess and apportion probable indoor and outdoor sources of potentially toxic elements while identifying chemical signatures in the household dust collected from private homes in an industrial city (Estarreja, central Portugal). Oral bioaccessibility estimates and the chemical composition of toenail clippings were used to assess indoor dust ingestion as a potential exposure pathway and further investigate exposure–biomarker relationships. Indoor and paired outdoor dust samples were collected from each household. A total of 30 individuals, who provided toenail clippings and a self-reported questionnaire, were recruited for the study. Total concentrations of 34 elements, including lead and zinc, were determined in washed toenail samples and household dust via Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry. The oral bioaccessibility was estimated using the Unified BARGE Method. The enrichment factor shows that lead was enriched (10 100) was anomalously enriched in the household[…]

[hal-01787770] A mosaic of opportunities? Spatio-temporal patterns of bat diversity and activity in a strongly humanized Mediterranean wetland

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[hal-01787757] Présentation de l'OHMI Estarreja

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[hal-01787727] Influence of mean sea level rise on Ria de Aveiro littoral: adaptation strategies for flooding events and shoreline retreat

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OHMi Estarreja

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À la une : La lagune et l'usine

Publications

[hal-04067839] Long-Term Maintenance Strategies after Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Perspectives of People with Chronic Respiratory Diseases, Informal Carers, and Healthcare Professionals

[hal-04067760] Using a Portuguese regosol to derive soil reference values for arsenic

[hal-04061107] Current Methodology for Extraction, Separation, Identification, and Quantification of Microplastics in Terrestrial Systems

[hal-04060835] Metabolic dysregulations underlying the pulmonary toxicity of atmospheric fine particulate matter: focus on energy-producing pathways and lipid metabolism

[hal-04060807] Short-Term Responses of Soil Microbial Communities to Changes in Air Temperature, Soil Moisture and UV Radiation

[hal-04060783] Measuring intensity during free-living physical activities in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic literature review

[hal-04060695] Access, access, access: the Three A's of pulmonary rehabilitation – perspectives of patients, loved ones and healthcare professionals

[hal-04060530] Gall midge Baldratia salicorniae Kieffer (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) infestation on Salicornia europaea L. induces the production of specialized metabolites with biotechnological potential

[hal-03464880] Small Plastic Wastes in Soils: What Is Our Real Perception of the Problem?

[hal-03153028] Biogeochemistry of Household Dust Samples Collected from Private Homes of a Portuguese Industrial City

[hal-02926382] Deposição atmosférica de poeiras e níveis de elementos traço numa cidade industrial no litoral centro de Portugal

[hal-02552558] Microplastics in Agricultural Soils

[hal-01761544] Potentially harmful elements in house dust from Estarreja, Portugal: characterization and genotoxicity of the bioaccessible fraction

[hal-01966568] Lead and zinc concentrations in household dust and toenails of the residents (Estarreja, Portugal): a source-pathway-fate model

[hal-01824448] Mammal choices in heterogeneous landscape of the Baixo Vouga Lagunar

[hal-01824449] Fatores que afetam a diversidade de anfíbios no Baixo Vouga Lagunar

[hal-01824447] Ecologia alimentar e espacial da águia-sapeira no Baixo Vouga Lagunar

[hal-01787770] A mosaic of opportunities? Spatio-temporal patterns of bat diversity and activity in a strongly humanized Mediterranean wetland

[hal-01787757] Présentation de l'OHMI Estarreja

[hal-01787727] Influence of mean sea level rise on Ria de Aveiro littoral: adaptation strategies for flooding events and shoreline retreat

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