Browsing by Author "Rodrigues, Ana M."
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- Characterization of the pinewood nematode, bursaphelenchus xylophilus-pinus system in Portugal: phytochemical, histopathological, molecular, and biotechnological approachesPublication . Mota, Manuel; Barbosa, Pedro; Rodrigues, Ana M.; Silva, Inês Vieira da; Ascensão, Lia; Silva, M. Nunes da; Ferreira, António C. Silva; Vasconcelos, Marta W.; Faria, Jorge M. S.; Sena, Inês; Ribeiro, Bruno; Barroso, José G.; Pedro, Luis G.; Trindade, Helena; Figueiredo, A. CristinaThe pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is one of the main threats affecting Portuguese maritime pine (Pinus pinaster). Several research teams have joined efforts to better understand the plant-nematode system. Over 150 essential oils (EO), as well as several EO fractions and decoction waters have been evaluated, Ruta graveolens, Satureja montana, Thymbra capitata, Thymus pulegioides, and T. vulgaris EOs being the most nematotoxic. Two-year-old P. pinaster, P. pinea, P. sylvestris, and P. halepensis were inoculated with a virulent PWN Portuguese isolate, and comparatively evaluated with non-inoculated and wounded plants to understand the plant-nematode interaction and the role of plant volatiles. Histological studies showed that the number of nematodes increased in P. pinaster and P. sylvestris with disease progression, and 7 weeks after inoculation all pine tissues were severely damaged. PWN distribution in P. pinea and P. halepensis was nearly restricted to the inoculated area; no clear change was observed in the stem tissues. Pine species volatiles showed the existence of chemotypes in some cases. Key volatile organic compounds, such as 4-hexen-1-ol, involved in P. pinaster response against the nematode have also been identified using non-destructive methods, with the potential to be used as biomarkers for early detection of infected trees. In vitro co-cultures of the host with parasite have also been established as a biotechnological tool to evaluate the effect of nematotoxic addition and assess their phytotoxicity to the host. Molecular approaches have addressed the changes in α-pinene synthase gene expression in susceptible P. pinaster and non-susceptible P. pinea, following nematode invasion. Preliminary results showed an increased expression of this gene in P. pinea, contrary to P. pinaster which revealed the same expression level in infected and non-infected controls.
- EpiReumaPt - the study of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases in Portugal: a detailed view of the methodologyPublication . Rodrigues, Ana M.; Gouveia, Nélia; Costa, Leonor Pereira da; Eusébio, Mónica; Ramiro, Sofia; Machado, Pedro; Mourão, Ana Filipa; Silva, Inês; Laires, Pedro; Sepriano, Alexandre; Araújo, Filipe; Coelho, Pedro Simões; Gonçalves, Sónia; Zhao, Ana; Fonseca, João Eurico; Almeida, J. M. Caldas de; Tavares, Viviana; Silva, José António Pereira da; Barros, Henrique; Cerol, Jorge; Mendes, Jorge; Carmona, Loreto; Canhão, Helena; Branco, Jaime C.Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) are prevalent and leading causes of disability and consumption of healthcare and social resources. EpiReumaPt is a national population-based survey developed by the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology that aimed to estimate the prevalence of RMDs and determine their impact on function, quality of life, mental health and use of healthcare resources. This article describes in detail the design, methodology and planned analyses of EpiReumaPt. Recruitment started in September 2011 and finished in December 2013. This study involved a three-stage approach. The first step was a face-to-face survey performed by trained interviewers at the household of 10,661 subjects who where randomly selected by a stratified multistage sampling. A highly sensitive screening questionnaire for RMDs was used. Secondly, participants who screened positive (64%) for at least one RMD as well as 20% of individuals with a negative screening were invited for assessment by a rheumatologist. In total, 3,877 subjects participated in this second phase, where they were also invited to donate a blood sample to be stored at the Biobanco-IMM. History and physical examination, followed by appropriate laboratory and imaging tests were performed. At the end of the visit, the rheumatologist established a diagnosis. Finally, a team of three experienced rheumatologists reviewed all the clinical data and defined the diagnoses according to previously validated criteria. The EpiReumaPt dataset, containing data from several questionnaires, various clinical measurements and information from laboratory and imaging tests, comprises an invaluable asset for research. The large amount of information collected from each participant and the large number of participants, with a wide age range covering and being representative of the adults from the entire country, makes EpiReumaPt the largest study of RMDs performed in Portugal.
- EpiReumaPt: how to perform a national population based study - a practical guidePublication . Gouveia, Nélia; Rodrigues, Ana M.; Ramiro, Sofia; Machado, Pedro; Costa, Leonor Pereira da; Mourão, Ana Filipa; Silva, Inês; Rego, Tânia; Laires, Pedro; André, Rui; Mauricio, Luís; Romeu, José C.; Tavares, Viviana; Cerol, Jorge; Canhão, Helena; Branco, Jaime C.BACKGROUND: The aim of this article was to describe and discuss several strategies and standard operating procedures undertaken in the EpiReumaPt study - which was the first Portuguese, national, cross-sectional population-based study of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMD). METHODS: The technical procedures, legal issues, management and practical questions were studied, analyzed and discussed with relevant stakeholders. During the 1st phase of EpiReumaPt the coordination team and Centro de Estudos de Sondagens e Opinião (CESOP) worked to recruit and interview 10,661 subjects. The 2nd phase involved the participation of a multidisciplinary team, several local authorities, a specialized vehicle ("mobile unit") and a specific software program for the clinical appointments. The development of specific recruitment strategies improved the participation rate. Blood samples were collected and sent to Biobanco-IMM and to a central lab for immediate measurements. In the 3rd phase the RMD diagnosis were validated by a team of three experienced rheumatologists - clinical data, imaging and lab test results were revised according to previously published classification criteria. CONCLUSION: EpiReumaPt was a nationwide project successfully conducted, which followed critical logistic/coordination and research strategies. EpiReumaPt methodology and coordination could be used as an example for other epidemiologic endeavors and public health policies.
- Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion following relieve of confinement measuresPublication . Gonçalves, Juliana; Sousa, Rita L.; Jacinto, Maria J.; Silva, Daniela A.; Paula, Filipe; Sousa, Rute; Zahedi, Sara; Carvalho, Joana; Cabral, M. Guadalupe; Costa, Manuela; Branco, Jaime C.; Canhão, Helena; Alves, José D.; Rodrigues, Ana M.; Soares, HelenaSeroprevalence studies are crucial both for estimating the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and to provide a measure for the efficiency of the confinement measures. Portuguese universities were closed on March 16th 2020, when Portugal only registered 62 SARS-CoV-2 infection cases per million. We have validated a SARS-CoV-2 ELISA assay to a stabilized full-length spike protein using 216 pre-pandemic and 19 molecularly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 positive individual's samples. At NOVA University of Lisbon, presential work was partially resumed on May 25th with staggered schedules. From June 15th to 30th, 3–4 weeks after the easing of confinement measures, we screened 1,636 collaborators of NOVA university of Lisbon for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike specific IgA and IgG antibodies. We found that spike-specific IgG in 50 of 1,636 participants (3.0%), none of which had anti-spike IgA antibodies. As participants self-reported as asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic, our study also provides a measurement of the prevalence of asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our study suggests that essential workers have a 2-fold increase in viral exposure, when compared to non-essential workers that observed confinement. Additional serological surveys in different population subgroups will paint a broader picture of the effect of the confinement measures in the broader community.
- The impact of osteoarthritis on early exit from work: results from a population-based studyPublication . Laires, Pedro A.; Canhão, Helena; Rodrigues, Ana M.; Eusébio, Mónica; Gouveia, Miguel; Branco, Jaime C.Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of pain and disability, which may be a source of productivity losses. The objectives of this study were to describe the impact of OA, namely through pain and physical disability, on early exit from work and to calculate its economic burden. Methods: We analysed data from the national, cross-sectional, population-based EpiReumaPt study (Sep2011-Dec2013) in which 10,661 individuals were randomly surveyed in order to capture all cases of rheumatic diseases. We used all participants aged 50-64, near the official retirement age, who were clinically validated by experienced rheumatologists (n = 1286), including OA cases. A national database was used to calculate productivity values by gender, age and region, using the human capital approach. The impact of OA on the likelihood of early exit from work and the population attributable fractions used to calculate due economic burden (indirect costs) were obtained at the individual level by logistic regression. All results were based on weighted data. Results: Almost one third of the Portuguese population aged 50-64 had OA (29.7%; men: 16.2% and women: 43.5%) and more than half were out of paid work (51.8%). Only knee OA is associated with early exit from work (OR: 2.25; 95%CI: 1.42-3.59; p = 0.001), whereas other OA locations did not reach any statistical difference. Furthermore, we observed an association between self-reported longstanding musculoskeletal pain (OR: 1.55; 95%CI: 1.07-2.23; p = 0.02) and pain interference (OR: 1.35; 95%CI: 1.13-1.62; p = 0.001) with early exit from work. We also detected a clear relationship between levels of disability, measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and the probability of work withdrawal. The estimated annual cost of early exit from work attributable to OA was €656 million (€384 per capita; €1294 per OA patient and €2095 per OA patient out-of-work). Conclusions: In this study, we observed an association between OA and early exit from work, largely dependent on pain and disability. This relationship translates into a meaningful economic burden amounting to approximately 0.4% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The high prevalence and the impact of this disabling chronic disease highlight the need to prioritize policies targeting early exit from work in OA.
- Usability and utility of a mobile app to deliver health-related content to an older adult population: pilot noncontrolled quasi-experimental studyPublication . Lemos, Marta; Henriques, Ana Rita; Lopes, David Gil; Mendonça, Nuno; Victorino, André; Costa, Andreia; Arriaga, Miguel; Gregório, Maria João; Sousa, Rute de; Canhão, Helena; Rodrigues, Ana M.Background: Digital patient-centered interventions may be important tools for improving and promoting social interaction, health, and well-being among older adults. In this regard, we developed a mobile app called DigiAdherence for an older adult population, which consisted of easy-to-access short videos and messages, to improve health-related knowledge among them and prevent common health conditions, such as falls, polypharmacy, treatment adherence, nutritional problems, and physical inactivity. Objective: This study aimed to assess the usability and utility of the DigiAdherence app among Portuguese older adults 65 years or older. Methods: In this pilot noncontrolled quasi-experimental study, older adults who were patients at the primary health care center in Portimão, Portugal, and owned a smartphone or tablet were recruited. Participants were assessed at baseline, given access to the DigiAdherence app for 1 month, and assessed again immediately after 30 days (first assessment) and 60 days after stopping the use of the app (second assessment). App usability and utility (primary outcomes) were analyzed in the first follow-up assessment using a structured questionnaire with 8 items. In the second follow-up assessment, our focus was on knowledge acquired through the app. Secondary outcomes such as treatment adherence and health-related quality of life were also assessed. Results: The study included 26 older adults. Most participants rated the different functionalities of the app positively and perceived the app as useful, attractive, and user-friendly (median score of 6 on a 7-point Likert scale). In addition, after follow-up, participants reported having a sense of security and greater knowledge in preventing falls (16/24, 67%) and managing therapies and polypharmacy (16/26, 62%). Conclusions: The DigiAdherence mobile app was useful and highly accepted by older adults, who developed more confidence regarding health-related knowledge.