University of Coimbra

About: University of Coimbra is a education organization based out in Coimbra, Portugal. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Mitochondrion. The organization has 14318 authors who have published 43067 publications receiving 994733 citations. The organization is also known as: UC & Universidade dos Estudos Gerais.

Effectiveness and safety of bedaquiline-containing regimens in the treatment of MDR- and XDR-TB: a multicentre study

Abstract: Large studies on bedaquiline used to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR-) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) are lacking This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of bedaquiline-containing regimens in a large, retrospective, observational study conducted in 25 centres and 15 countries in five continents428 culture-confirmed MDR-TB cases were analysed (615% male; 221% HIV-positive, 456% XDR-TB) MDR-TB cases were admitted to hospital for a median (interquartile range (IQR)) 179 (92-280) days and exposed to bedaquiline for 168 (86-180) days Treatment regimens included, among others, linezolid, moxifloxacin, clofazimine and carbapenems (820%, 584%, 526% and 153% of cases, respectively)Sputum smear and culture conversion rates in MDR-TB cases were 636% and 301%, respectively at 30 days, 811% and 567%, respectively at 60 days; 855% and 805%, respectively at 90 days and 887% and 912%, respectively at the end of treatment The median (IQR) time to smear and culture conversion was 34 (30-60) days and 60 (33-90) days Out of 247 culture-confirmed MDR-TB cases completing treatment, 713% achieved success (624% cured; 89% completed treatment), 134% died, 73% defaulted and 77% failed Bedaquiline was interrupted due to adverse events in 58% of cases A single case died, having electrocardiographic abnormalities that were probably non-bedaquiline relatedBedaquiline-containing regimens achieved high conversion and success rates under different nonexperimental conditions

Electron and photon performance measurements with the ATLAS detector using the 2015-2017 LHC proton-proton collision data

Abstract: This paper describes the reconstruction of electrons and photons with the ATLAS detector, employed for measurements and searches exploiting the complete LHC Run 2 dataset. An improved energy clustering algorithm is introduced, and its implications for the measurement and identification of prompt electrons and photons are discussed in detail. Corrections and calibrations that affect performance, including energy calibration, identification and isolation efficiencies, and the measurement of the charge of reconstructed electron candidates are determined using up to 81 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data collected at √s=13 TeV between 2015 and 2017.

In vitro study of the insulin-mimetic behaviour of vanadium(IV, V) coordination compounds

Abstract: A representative set of vanadium(IV and V) compounds in varying coordination environments has been tested in the concentration range 1 to 10–6 mM, using transformed mice fibroblasts (cell line SV 3T3), with respect to their short-term cell toxicity (up to 36 hours) and their ability to stimulate glucose uptake by cells. These insulin-mimetic tests have also been carried out with non-transformed human fibroblasts (cell line F26). The compounds under investigation comprise established insulin-mimetic species such as vanadate ([H2VO4]–), [VO(acetylacetonate)2], [VO2(dipicolinate)]– and [VO(maltolate)2], and new systems and coordination compounds containing OO, ON, OS, NS and ONS donor atom sets. A vitality test assay, measuring the reduction equivalents released in the mitochondrial respiratory chain by intracellular glucose degradation, is introduced and the results are counter-checked with 3H-labelled glucose. Most compounds are toxic at the 1 mM concentration level, and most compounds are essentially non-toxic and about as effective as or more potent than insulin at concentrations of 0.01 mM and below. VV compounds tend to be less toxic than VIV compounds, and complexes containing thio functional ligands are somewhat more toxic than others. Generally, ON ligation is superior in insulin-mimetic efficacy to OO or O/NS coordination, irrespective of the vanadium oxidation state. There is, however, no striking correlation between the nature of the ligand systems and the insulin-mimetic potency in these cell culture tests, encompassing 41 vanadium compounds, the results on 22 of which are reported in detail here. The syntheses and characteristics of various new compounds are provided together with selected speciation results. The crystal and molecular structures of {[VO(naph-tris)]2} [where naph-tris is the Schiff base formed between o-hydroxynaphthaldehyde and tris(hydroxymethyl)amine] are reported. Electronic supplementary material to this paper can be obtained by using the Springer Link server located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00775-001-0311-5

Whole-stream nitrate addition affects litter decomposition and associated fungi but not invertebrates

Abstract: We assessed the effect of whole-stream nitrate enrichment on decomposition of three substrates differing in nutrient quality (alder and oak leaves and balsa veneers) and associated fungi and invertebrates. During the 3-month nitrate enrichment of a headwater stream in central Portugal, litter was incubated in the reference site (mean NO3-N 82 μg l−1) and four enriched sites along the nitrate gradient (214–983 μg NO3-N l−1). A similar decomposition experiment was also carried out in the same sites at ambient nutrient conditions the following year (33–104 μg NO3-N l−1). Decomposition rates and sporulation of aquatic hyphomycetes associated with litter were determined in both experiments, whereas N and P content of litter, associated fungal biomass and invertebrates were followed only during the nitrate addition experiment. Nitrate enrichment stimulated decomposition of oak leaves and balsa veneers, fungal biomass accrual on alder leaves and balsa veneers and sporulation of aquatic hyphomycetes on all substrates. Nitrate concentration in stream water showed a strong asymptotic relationship (Michaelis–Menten-type saturation model) with temperature-adjusted decomposition rates and percentage initial litter mass converted into aquatic hyphomycete conidia for all substrates. Fungal communities did not differ significantly among sites but some species showed substrate preferences. Nevertheless, certain species were sensitive to nitrogen concentration in water by increasing or decreasing their sporulation rate accordingly. N and P content of litter and abundances or richness of litter-associated invertebrates were not affected by nitrate addition. It appears that microbial nitrogen demands can be met at relatively low levels of dissolved nitrate, suggesting that even minor increases in nitrogen in streams due to, e.g., anthropogenic eutrophication may lead to significant shifts in microbial dynamics and ecosystem functioning.