| 1. |
- Barbieri, Shayla Fernanda, et al.
(author)
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Extraction, purification and structural characterization of a galactoglucomannan from the gabiroba fruit (Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg), Myrtaceae family
- 2017
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In: Carbohydrate Polymers. - : Elsevier BV. - 0144-8617 .- 1879-1344. ; 174, s. 887-895
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, we isolated and structurally characterized, for the first time, a galactoglucomannan (GGM) from the pulp of gabiroba, a Myrtaceae family species. The HPSEC-MALLS-RI analysis showed a homogeneous polysaccharide with molar mass of 25,340 g mol(-1). The monosaccharide composition showed that the GGM consisted of Man:Glc:Gal in a molar ratio of 1:1:0.6. Methylation and 1D and 2D NMR analyses suggested that the main chain of the GGM consisted of beta-D-Glcp and beta-D-Manp units (1 -> 4)-linked. The alpha-D-Galp substitutions occur mainly at O-6 position of beta-D-Manp units. The glycosidic linkages of the GGM were evident by the presence of the characteristic signals of 4-O-substituted residues at delta 78.6/3.69 for both beta-D-Glcp and beta-D-Manp. Furthermore, the 0-6 substitutions for both beta-D-Glcp and beta-D-Manp units were confirmed by signals at delta 67.1/4.00 and 3.93. The interglycosidic correlations, obtained through the analysis of the HMBC spectrum, further confirm the structure. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 2. |
- Cima, Joana, et al.
(author)
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EQ-5D and Activity Inventory : Measures of Visual Health Outcome
- 2015
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In: European Journal of Public Health. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1101-1262 .- 1464-360X. ; 25:Suppl 3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of the study is to test if EQ-5D, a more generic instrument, and Activity Inventory, a more specific instrument to the visual condition, produce consistent results when considering the different levels of visual impairment. By assessing how these instruments reflect visual status in a sample of patients with visual impairment, we will help to understand how they can work in cultural context and population in which they were never tested before.Method is based on Multivariate Analysis of Variance, in which the levels of visual impairment (slightly, moderate, severe/blindness) are defined through the visual acuity values, and the utility values derived from EQ-5D and the Activity Inventory.Participants were recruited in 3 public hospitals as a part of an ongoing study of prevalence and costs of visual impairment in Portugal. Patients attending outpatient appointments in these hospitals with acuity in the better eye of 0,30logMAR or worse and/or visual field in the better eye <20 degrees were invited to take part in face-to-face interviews. Additional visual measures, as acuity was collected using standardize methods. Visual acuity was assessed using an internally illuminated ETDRS chart at 4 m with room lights extinguished.The results show that both instruments have a good explanatory power. However when considering different clinical conditions, the AI presents better results. The EQ-5D due its low sensitivity/adaptability does not capture differences in health status in patients with slightly and moderate visual impairment.Since EQ-5D is the instrument most used in the evaluation of public health programs performance, the results suggest that its use should be more cautious in a situation of different difficulty levels. The results indicate that in these cases the EQ-5D should be used with a complementary instrument more specific to the clinical condition.Key messagesThe results suggest that with different difficulty levels the EQ-5D should be used with a complementary instrument more specific to the clinical condition to be produced more reliable resultsThis study is supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) -POCTI & FSE GRANT: PTDC/DPT-EPI/0412/2012
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| 3. |
- Hernández-Moreno, Laura, et al.
(author)
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The Portuguese version of the activity inventory
- 2015
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In: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 56:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: To characterize interventions needed by the population with visual impairment or to assess interventions in vision rehabilitation validated and standardized instruments used in different cultural contexts are necessary. The aim of this work was to characterize the functional status of a sample of people with visual impairment with the Portuguese version of the activity inventory (AI)Methods: A group of participants in the study Prevalence and Costs of Visual Impairment in Portugal (PC-VIP) was recruit to face-to-face interviews and the activity inventory was administered. The AI examines 50 goals split between three objectives: social functioning, recreation and daily living. Goals rated ‘not important’ were skipped, but for all other goals the participant was asked to rate its difficulty on a five point scale ranging from ‘not difficult’ to ‘impossible without help’. The difficulty responses were Rasch analysed (Winsteps v3.81.0) to produce a continuous measure of visual ability (AI score). Additional information about distance and near visual acuity (ETDRS scale), contrast sensitivity (MARS test) and critical print size (MNREAD test) was collected.Results: A total of 94 persons participated in this study. Some participants were not able to read or recognize letters due to their poor vision or poor literacy and were excluded from further analysis. Data reported here are from 62 participants, median age 63y (range=12-85) and the most common cause of visual impairment were retinal diseases. Mean presenting acuity in the better eye was 0.93logMAR (SD=0.5). The mean difficulty (item measure) in the AI was -0.33 logits (SD=0.96). The most difficult items were "sew or do needlework", "read the newspaper", "drive" and the easiest items were "provide care for a pet", "eat your meals", "use the restroom in a public place". The mean ability score (person measures) was 1.11 logits (SD=2.04). The ability measures in the AI were correlated with distance visual acuity (r=-0.57, p<.001), near visual acuity (r=-0.66, p<0.001), contrast sensitivity (r=0.62, p<.001) and critical print size (r=-0.60, p<.001).Conclusions: Our results indicate that the AI scores in a sample of people Portuguese people with visual impairment were in line with what has been found in other cultural contexts. The visual ability measured by the AI was correlated with visual function assessed by different visual tests, which shows that this instrument can be used with confidence.
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| 4. |
- Hudson, Lawrence N, et al.
(author)
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The database of the PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) project
- 2017
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In: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 7:1, s. 145-188
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.
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| 5. |
- Macedo, António Filipe, et al.
(author)
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Visual and health outcomes, measured with the activity inventory and the EQ-5D, in visual impairment
- 2017
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In: Acta Ophthalmologica. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1755-375X .- 1755-3768. ; 95:8, s. e783-e791
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PurposeGeneric instruments to assess health utilities can be used to express the burden of health problems in widely used indexes. That is in contrast with what can be obtained with condition-specific instruments, outcomes are very specific and difficult to compare across conditions. The purpose of this study was to assess health and visual outcomes and its determinants in patients with visual impairment (VI) using the EQ-5D-3L and the Activity Inventory (AI).MethodsParticipants were recruited in different hospitals during the PCVIP-study. A total of 134 patients with acuity 0.30 logMAR or less in the better eye were interviewed. The AI includes 46 goals split between three objectives: social functioning, recreation and daily living, and was used to measure visual ability. The EQ-5D consists of five questions covering one domain each and was used to provide a measure of health states. Responses to each domain were combined to produce a single individual index.ResultsThe AI and the EQ-5D-3L showed enough discriminatory power between VI levels (p < 0.001), and their results were strongly correlated r(134) = 0.825, (p < 0.001). Explanatory factors for visual ability were level of VI in better eye, age and gender, R2 = 0.43, (p < 0.001). Explanatory factors for the EQ-5D-3L were level of VI in the better eye, comorbidities and gender, R2 = 0.36, (p < 0.001).ConclusionOur results showed that the EQ-5D-3L is useful when characterizing the burden of VI and to compute, when necessary, quality-adjusted-life-years (QALY) changes due to VI. However, it is important to consider that the EQ-5D-3L uses a coarse response scale, assesses a limited spectrum of domains and is influenced by comorbidities. This might limit its responsiveness to small changes in visual ability.
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| 6. |
- Marques, Ana Patricia, et al.
(author)
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Estimating the cost of visual impairment : initial results
- 2015
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In: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 56:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: Vision loss can have a substantial human and economic impact on individuals and society that include disability, loss of productivity and reduction in quality of life. The purpose of this study was to estimate economic burden of visual impairment in Portugal.Methods: A prevalence-based cost of illness approach was adopted to estimate costs of vision impairment. We estimated direct medical costs and indirect economic costs. Direct medical hospital costs were determined using a bottom up approach. For those meeting the inclusion criteria (visual acuity of 20/40 or 0.5decimal or worse in the better eye and/or visual field of less than 20deg) we estimated direct costs by collecting information from administrative records that included: physician’s office visits, emergency and outpatient visits. We developed a survey based in parts of the annotated cost questionnaire-HERU Discussion Paper N.03/01 (UK Working Party on Patient Costs) and the Service Receipt Inventory-European Version. Using the questionnaire that we developed, in face-to-face interviews, we collect direct medical expenditures supported by patients that included: costs with medical prescriptions, low vision aids and devices. With the same questionnaire we collected information for indirect costs calculations. Indirect costs were calculated by estimating the value of productivity losses including employment participation, absenteeism and caregiver costs.Results: Results presented here correspond to 442 patients that met the inclusion criteria. The four main causes of visual impairment in this sample were Diabetic Retinopathy, Cataract, Glaucoma and Age-related macular degeneration. Direct medical hospital costs were accountable for 12% of total costs calculated. Patient expenditures represented 25% of expenses with visual impairment and indirect costs corresponded to 63% of the total. From this data we estimated that the average annual direct cost per patient with VI was 958 euro and average annual indirect cost was 1655 euro.Conclusions: With the instruments and methodology that was adopted we were able quantify direct medical hospital costs as well as indirect costs of visual impairment. Results of this study show that more than half of the costs with VI are indirect. This highlights that particular attention should be given to costs that arise for individuals with vision loss.
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