Background: The anatomical complexity of the aortic arch poses significant challenges to its repair, particularly in high-risk patients. The introduction of branched endografts, specifically designed to overcome these challenges, has revolutionized this field as demonstrated in the present case-report.   Report: A 60-year-old male, with a prior history of smoking and neurosyphilis, was referenced to our outpatient clinic due to a CT finding of a 66mm aortic arch aneurysm with complex anatomical features, including a short brachiocephalic trunk and narrow iliac arteries. Thus, a staged hybrid approach was meticulously planned. The patient was initially submitted to a left carotid-subclavian bypass, followed by a right subclavian-carotid bypass. Later, an endoconduit was constructed using two GORE-Viabahn® stent grafts (11x100mm), deployed in the left common and external iliac arteries, facilitating subsequent TEVAR. Finally, the aneurysm was excluded using a custom-made Terumo-Relay® double inner-branched endograft (46x32x270mm) deployed in zone 0, with two inner branches for the brachiocephalic trunk (BCT)/right subclavian artery (RSA) and left common carotid artery (LCCA). The inner branches were catheterized via trans-carotid (left) and trans-axillary (right) accesses. An iliac extension GORE-Excluder® (16x12x100mm) to the BCT/RSA and a GORE-Viabahn® stent graft (7x75mm) to the LCCA were deployed. An additional extension endograft (34x30x150mm) was deployed to complete distal exclusion. The left subclavian artery was subsequently occluded using a vascular plug. Postoperatively, the patient experienced a minor posterior circulation stroke, with full recovery within two weeks. Six-month follow-up imaging showed patency of the endografts with complete exclusion of the aneurysm and no evidence of endoleaks. The patient remained asymptomatic, with no further vascular or neurological events.   Conclusion: This case highlights the feasibility of a staged hybrid approach for complex aortic arch aneurysms in patients with challenging anatomy. The use of a custom-made endograft and careful preoperative planning proved critical to the success of the procedure.

INTRODUCTION: Endovascular approaches have emerged as promising alternatives for treating aortic arch pathology, particularly in high-risk patients. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of total endovascular aortic arch reconstruction, focusing on Parallel Graft Techniques (PGTs) and Custom-Made Devices (CMDs). METHODS: PubMed and Scopus were searched to conduct a comprehensive review comparing the technical aspects, clinical outcomes, strengths, and limitations of PGTs and CMDs. Only studies reporting on total endovascular aortic aneurysm repair were considered. Studies with fewer than five patients, published in a language other than Portuguese, English, or Spanish, and reporting hybrid/open procedures or partial aortic arch reconstructions were excluded. Findings were summarised descriptively. RESULTS: A total of 38 studies comprising 871 patients were included (214 in PGT and 657 in the CMD group). Technical success rates were high in both groups, mostly ranging from 80%80% to 100%100%. No clear superiority was observed between the two approaches for thirty-day, aorta-related, or overall mortality. However, stroke and spinal cord ischaemia (SCI) rates appeared higher in the CMD group, ranging from 0 to 42.9%42.9% and 0 to 9.1%9.1% respectively. The occurrence of type I and III endoleaks was higher in the PGT group (0-45.5% versus 0-32.4%), though this did not translate into a clear difference in reintervention rates. During follow-up, high target vessel patency rates were observed in both groups, typically exceeding 95%95% . CONCLUSION: PGTs appear to have non-inferior outcomes in terms of stroke rate and in-hospital and overall mortality. Although the occurrence of type I/III endoleaks remains higher in PGTs, this does not seem to affect reintervention rates. Thus, PGTs should be considered a viable option for treating complex aortic arch pathology, particularly in fragile patients, those with adverse anatomy, or in emergent situations. Large-volume prospective studies directly comparing these two techniques are currently warranted.

This work investigated the effects of inorganic mercury (iHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) on the fish optic tectum morphology, viz. in relation to: i) vulnerability of specific optic tectum layers; ii) preferential targeting of Hg forms to neurons or glial cells; iii) comparative toxicity of iHg and MeHg in this brain area that is in the maintenance of several fish behaviors. Two experiments exposing juvenile white seabream (Diplodus sargus) to waterborne iHg [HgCl2 (2 μg L−1)] and dietary MeHg (8.7 μg g−1) were performed, comprising both exposure (7 and 14 days; E7 and E14, respectively) and post-exposure (28 days; PE28) periods. Morphometric assessments were performed using stereological methods where the layers of the optic tectum were outlined, while its area and the number of neurons and glial cells were estimated. A histopathological assessment was also performed per section and per layer of optic tectum. iHg exposure did not trigger the loss of neurons during the exposure periods, while a decrease of glial cells was detected in a single layer of the optic tectum at E14. Differently, upon MeHg exposure, a decrease on the number of neurons and glial cells was found in several layers of optic tectum. In the post-exposure, both Hg forms triggered the loss of neurons, while only MeHg exposure led to a decrease on the number of glia cells. The histopathological assessment pointed out a higher toxicity of MeHg in the optic tectum layers, particularly in the post-exposure period, while no significant alterations were found in fish exposed to iHg. Hg forms targeted preferentially neurons. iHg and MeHg are relevant neurotoxicants to fish, with MeHg exposure leading to a higher toxicity than iHg in the optic tectum. After 28 days of post-exposure, iHg and MeHg neurotoxicity remained prominent, suggesting long-term effects of these toxicants.

Over the years, the scientific importance of nanoparticles for biomedical applications has increased. The high stability and biocompatibility, together with the low toxicity of the nanoparticles developed lead to their use as targeted drug delivery systems, bioimaging systems, and biosensors. The wide range of nanoparticles size, from 10 nm to 1 μm, as well as their optical properties, allow them to be studied using microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. In order to be effectively used, the physicochemical properties of nanoparticle formulations need to be taken into account, namely, particle size, surface charge distribution, surface derivatization and/or loading capacity, and related interactions. These properties need to be optimized considering the final nanoparticle intended biodistribution and target. In this review, we cover light scattering based techniques, namely dynamic light scattering and zeta-potential, used for the physicochemical characterization of nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering is used to measure nanoparticles size, but also to evaluate their stability over time in suspension, at different pH and temperature conditions. Zeta-potential is used to characterize nanoparticles surface charge, obtaining information about their stability and surface interaction with other molecules. In this review, we focus on nanoparticle characterization and application in infection, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

O “Dicionário Lúdico Luso-Brasileiro” trata-se de um projeto que possui como principal objetivo integrar e facilitar a comunicação verbal entre Portugal e Brasil, apontando as diferenças de algumas palavras usadas em cada país. Para romper a sobriedade do texto, o dicionário apresenta ilustrações que descrevem cenas específicas, divididas por temas, nas quais possam estar inseridas as palavras, porém sem legendas, para despertar a curiosidade do leitor. O relatório de Projeto Final do Mestrado em Ilustração Artística integra as referências artísticas, a descrição do processo criativo e as pesquisas realizadas até à execução do projeto prático

O “Dicionário Lúdico Luso-Brasileiro” trata-se de um projeto que possui como principal objetivo integrar e facilitar a comunicação verbal entre Portugal e Brasil, apontando as diferenças de algumas palavras usadas em cada país. Para romper a sobriedade do texto, o dicionário apresenta ilustrações que descrevem cenas específicas, divididas por temas, nas quais possam estar inseridas as palavras, porém sem legendas, para despertar a curiosidade do leitor. O relatório de Projeto Final do Mestrado em Ilustração Artística integra as referências artísticas, a descrição do processo criativo e as pesquisas realizadas até à execução do projeto prático

Physalia physalis is a cosmopolitan colonial organism frequently observed in Portuguese waters. The species has long tentacles, provided with cnidocytes, which release a strong poison when in contact with other organisms, and cause skin reactions and severe pain in humans. Events of rapid reproduction, common in these species, may have important economic and social consequences. This study explores for the first time, the relationships between long-term assessment of P. physalis strandings, using data from the GelAvista citizen science project, and environmental variables - Sea Surface Temperature (SST), wind direction and intensity, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and upwelling indices - along the Portuguese coast, using a Generalized Linear Mixed-Effects Model. Strandings of P. physalis were concentrated along the western coast and were rare in the south. More than 54 % of the records corresponded to a single individual. Sightings peaked from November through May (winter and spring), mirroring the negative correlation with SST. Wind patterns strongly influenced stranding events: winds likely pushed colonies toward the shore, while calm conditions facilitated their arrival on beaches. In March 2018, an upwelling event in the south coast combined with a series of storms likely underlay the high stranding numbers observed in the southern area, with more than 50 individuals of P. physalis per record. A positive trend in sightings over the study period suggests that P. physalis occurrences may be rising, even after accounting for wind and SST, which might be linked to climate change. Our findings underscore the value of ongoing jellyfish monitoring via citizen science platforms like GelAvista and highlight the need for expanded high-resolution environmental datasets. Moreover, this work establishes a foundation for experimental studies to elucidate the mechanisms behind P. physalis strandings. For future research, time series techniques for imputing missing values may be utilized to enhance the completeness of environmental datasets and strengthen analytical robustness in subsequent studies focused on time series analysis.

Success rates in drug discovery are extremely low, and the imbalance between new drugs entering clinical research and their approval is steadily widening. Among the causes of the failure of new therapeutic agents are the lack of safety and insufficient efficacy. On the other hand, timely disease diagnosis may enable an early management of the disease, generally leading to better and less costly outcomes. Several strategies have been explored to overcome the barriers for drug development and facilitate diagnosis. Using lipid membranes as platforms for drug delivery or as biosensors are promising strategies, due to their biocompatibility and unique physicochemical properties. We examine some of the lipid membrane-based strategies for drug delivery and diagnostics, including their advantages and shortcomings. Regarding synthetic lipid membrane-based strategies for drug delivery, liposomes are the archetypic example of a successful approach, already with a long period of well-succeeded clinical application. The use of lipid membrane-based structures from biological sources as drug carriers, currently under clinical evaluation, is also discussed. These biomimetic strategies can enhance the in vivo lifetime of drug and delivery system by avoiding fast clearance, consequently increasing their therapeutic window. The strategies under development using lipid membranes for diagnostic purposes are also reviewed.

Physalia physalis is a cosmopolitan colonial organism frequently observed in Portuguese waters. The species has long tentacles, provided with cnidocytes, which release a strong poison when in contact with other organisms, and cause skin reactions and severe pain in humans. Events of rapid reproduction, common in these species, may have important economic and social consequences. This study explores for the first time, the relationships between long-term assessment of P. physalis strandings, using data from the GelAvista citizen science project, and environmental variables - Sea Surface Temperature (SST), wind direction and intensity, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and upwelling indices - along the Portuguese coast, using a Generalized Linear Mixed-Effects Model. Strandings of P. physalis were concentrated along the western coast and were rare in the south. More than 54 % of the records corresponded to a single individual. Sightings peaked from November through May (winter and spring), mirroring the negative correlation with SST. Wind patterns strongly influenced stranding events: winds likely pushed colonies toward the shore, while calm conditions facilitated their arrival on beaches. In March 2018, an upwelling event in the south coast combined with a series of storms likely underlay the high stranding numbers observed in the southern area, with more than 50 individuals of P. physalis per record. A positive trend in sightings over the study period suggests that P. physalis occurrences may be rising, even after accounting for wind and SST, which might be linked to climate change. Our findings underscore the value of ongoing jellyfish monitoring via citizen science platforms like GelAvista and highlight the need for expanded high-resolution environmental datasets. Moreover, this work establishes a foundation for experimental studies to elucidate the mechanisms behind P. physalis strandings. For future research, time series techniques for imputing missing values may be utilized to enhance the completeness of environmental datasets and strengthen analytical robustness in subsequent studies focused on time series analysis.