Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação

Background: The Minho Integrative Neuroscience Database (MIND)-Ageing project aims to identify predictors of healthy cognitive ageing, including socio-demographic factors. In this exploratory analysis we sought to establish baseline cohorts for longitudinal assessment of age-related changes in cognition.

It is critical to investigate reactions to the various name and logo redeployment alternatives available in the context of a brand merger. Yet research on this topic is relatively limited. This paper aims to start filling this gap in the literature, by developing a typology of the visual identity structures that may be assumed in the context of a merger, as well as an exploratory study (n = 467) analysing consumers' preferences regarding the alternative branding strategies. It uses an innovative design, which gives respondents freedom to choose their preferred solution. Results suggest that there is a clear preference for figurative logos. Furthermore, there is evidence that the logo may play a role as important as the name in a merger, ensuring consumers that there will be a connection with the brand's past. Data also show that the choice of the logo reflects consumers' aesthetic responses, whereas the choice of the name reflects consumers' evaluation of the brand's offer or off the brand's presence in the market. These results should guide managers in the evaluation and choice of the postmerger branding strategy.

Concerns about public understanding of biotechnology have motivated educational initiatives to improve students' competency to make scientifically sustained decisions regarding controversial issues. Understanding students' perceptions about biotechnology is essential to determine the effectiveness of these programmes. To assess how students' perceptions are modulated, this study evaluates education and gender effects on knowledge, attitudes, interest, and importance given to biotechnology. Following a quantitative assessment approach, a questionnaire was administered to 698 high-school students engaged in three curricular formats: science students attending biology (n = 225); non-biology science students (n = 210); and non-science students (n = 263). The outcomes of this study suggest that education is more determining than gender in shaping students' perceptions and behavioural intentions, which are modulated by cognitive, affective and motivational elements. Students, particularly from non-science courses, revealed knowledge and interest limitations, but acknowledged the importance of biotechnology. Most students demonstrated positive attitudes towards different applications, except when animal manipulation was involved. Positive correlations between knowledge, attitudes, interest and importance attributed to biotechnology were identified. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Background: The Minho Integrative Neuroscience Database (MIND)-Ageing project aims to identify predictors of healthy cognitive ageing, including socio-demographic factors. In this exploratory analysis we sought to establish baseline cohorts for longitudinal assessment of age-related changes in cognition.

It is critical to investigate reactions to the various name and logo redeployment alternatives available in the context of a brand merger. Yet research on this topic is relatively limited. This paper aims to start filling this gap in the literature, by developing a typology of the visual identity structures that may be assumed in the context of a merger, as well as an exploratory study (n = 467) analysing consumers' preferences regarding the alternative branding strategies. It uses an innovative design, which gives respondents freedom to choose their preferred solution. Results suggest that there is a clear preference for figurative logos. Furthermore, there is evidence that the logo may play a role as important as the name in a merger, ensuring consumers that there will be a connection with the brand's past. Data also show that the choice of the logo reflects consumers' aesthetic responses, whereas the choice of the name reflects consumers' evaluation of the brand's offer or off the brand's presence in the market. These results should guide managers in the evaluation and choice of the postmerger branding strategy.

Concerns about public understanding of biotechnology have motivated educational initiatives to improve students' competency to make scientifically sustained decisions regarding controversial issues. Understanding students' perceptions about biotechnology is essential to determine the effectiveness of these programmes. To assess how students' perceptions are modulated, this study evaluates education and gender effects on knowledge, attitudes, interest, and importance given to biotechnology. Following a quantitative assessment approach, a questionnaire was administered to 698 high-school students engaged in three curricular formats: science students attending biology (n = 225); non-biology science students (n = 210); and non-science students (n = 263). The outcomes of this study suggest that education is more determining than gender in shaping students' perceptions and behavioural intentions, which are modulated by cognitive, affective and motivational elements. Students, particularly from non-science courses, revealed knowledge and interest limitations, but acknowledged the importance of biotechnology. Most students demonstrated positive attitudes towards different applications, except when animal manipulation was involved. Positive correlations between knowledge, attitudes, interest and importance attributed to biotechnology were identified. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Empathy is a key aspect of the physician-patient interactions. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) is one of the most used empathy measures of medical students. The development of cross-cultural empathy studies depends on valid and reliable translations of the JSE. This study sought to: (1) adapt and assess the psychometric properties in Spanish students of the Spanish JSE validated in Mexican students; (2) test a second order latent factor model. The Spanish JSE was adapted from the Spanish JSE-S, resulting in a final version of the measure. A non-probabilistic sample of 1104 medical students of two Spanish medical schools completed a socio-demographic and the Spanish JSE-S. Descriptive statistics, along with a confirmatory factor analysis, the average variance extracted (AVE), Cronbach's alphas and composite reliability (CR) coefficients were computed. An independent samples t-test was performed to access sex differences. The Spanish JSE-S demonstrated acceptable to good sens...

Background: The smads are intracellular proteins critical to the transmission of signals from the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway to the nucleus. SMAD7 is a potent antagonist of TGF-β signalling pathways and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) linked three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SMAD7 gene (rs4464148, rs4939827 and rs12953717) to a modest increase in the susceptibility to colorectal cancer (CRC) development. Some studies even hypothesized that SMAD7 correlates with the development of metastasis and prognosis of CRC. The main aim of this study is to investigate the association between these three SNPs and the risk of CRC in an independent Portuguese population. The authors also accessed the eventual impact on the prognosis of this disease. Methods: This was a population-based case-control retrospective study that included 202 patients diagnosed with CRC and 197 healthy controls, from northern Portugal. The DNA (obtained from nucleated blood cells) was genotyped for a panel of 3 SNPs (rs4464148, rs4939827 and rs12953717) using a Sequenom® MassARRAY platform. We performed a multivariate logistic regression analysis (which included age and sex as covariates) to calculate Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of association between SMAD7 SNPs and risk of CRC. A Cox regression model was used to calculate Hazard ratios (HR), adjusted to age and sex, in the survival analysis. Results: The median age of patients at diagnosis was 66 years old and the majority of the tumors were located in the colon (61%). The median age of controls was 50 years old. Median time of follow up was 40 months. We replicated the association of the SNP rs4939827 with the risk of CRC. Compared with the TT genotype, the carriers of the CT genotype had an adjusted OR of 2.38 (95% CI: 1.03-5.46; p = .04). The analysis of the SNP rs12953717 revealed a strong tendency for association of the genotype TT with increased risk of CRC (OR = 3.87, 95% CI: 0.99-15.2; p = .052). The rs4464148 did not show any association with cancer risk. None of the SNPs depicted an association with patient's survival. Conclusion: Replications of findings in GWAS are important to secure that the evidence of association with disease risk is robust. This is the first study that analyzes the SMAD7 SNPs in the Portuguese population. We found an association between the genotype CT in the SNP rs4939827 and increased risk of CRC. The other two SNPs studied did not correlate with CRC risk in our population. Overall survival of the patients also did not relate to the variants of these three SMAD7 polymorphisms.

This work was presented at the 28 th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). This study is part of The Copenhagen Multi-Centre Psychosocial Infertility Research Program (COMPI). COMPI is a multi-centre programme in collaboration between the following public Fertility Clinics at

She teaches and researches in the fi elds of branding, corporate identity and communication. Her doctoral research at Instituto das Ci ê ncias do Trabalho e da Empresa (ISCTE) was dedicated to the perception of brand identity signs, in the particular context of a brand merger. She is co-author of the book ' O Livro da Marca ' (The Brand Book), which is a book of reference on branding in Portugal.

Individuals perceiving high social support tend to perceive better adjustment to infertility. However, it remains unclear whether this benefit is affected by the actual disclosure of the infertility condition. The present study aimed to examine the role of disclosure of fertility status in moderating the relationship between perceived social support and fertility-related stress. The study population ( N = 698) was drawn from a longitudinal cohort design of Danish men and women beginning fertility treatment with a 12-month follow-up. Participants were 698 subjects (364 women and 334 men) who completed self-administered questionnaires measuring perceived social support at T1, and fertility status disclosure and fertility stress at T2. Results indicated that when infertility is not disclosed to at least a close relationship, the beneficial effects of social support on both social and personal stress cease to exist. Also, when participants perceived high social support, higher levels of...

CD4 + regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for the maintenance of the immune system's equilibrium, by dampening the activation of potential auto-reactive T cells and avoiding excessive immune activation. To correctly perform their function, Tregs must be maintained at the right proportion with respect to effector T cells. Since this equilibrium is frequently disrupted in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), we hypothesize that its deregulation could hamper immune reconstitution in patients with poor CD4 + T cell recovery under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). We analysed Tregs percentages amongst CD4 + T cells in 53 HIV-infected patients under HAART, with suppression of viral replication and distinct levels of immune reconstitution. As controls, 51 healthy individuals were also analysed. We observed that amongst the patients with Nadir values (the lowest CD4 + T cell counts achieved) ,200 cells/mL, the individuals with high Tregs percentages ($10% of total CD4 + T cells) had the worse CD4 + T cell reconstitution. In accordance, the well-described direct correlation between the Nadir value and CD4 + T cell reconstitution is clearly more evident in individuals with high Tregs proportions. Furthermore, we observed a strong negative correlation between Tregs percentages and CD4 + T cell recovery among immunological non-responder HIV + individuals. All together, this work shows that high Tregs frequency is an important factor associated with sub-optimal CD4 + T cell recovery. This is particularly relevant for immunological non-responders with low Nadir values. Our results suggest that the Tregs proportion might be of clinical relevance to define cut-offs for HAART initiation.

Introduction: In chronic pain disorders, galanin (GAL) is able to either facilitate or inhibit nociception in the spinal cord but the contribution of supraspinal galanin to pain signalling is mostly unknown. The dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (DMH) is rich in galanin receptors (GALR) and is involved in behavioural hyperalgesia. In this study, we evaluated the contribution of supraspinal GAL to behavioural hyperalgesia in experimental monoarthritis. Methods: (PWL) was assessed before and after DMH administration of exogenous GAL, a non-specific GALR antagonist (M40), a specific GALR1 agonist (M617) and a specific GALR2 antagonist (M871). Additionally, the analysis of c-Fos expression after GAL injection in the DMH was used to investigate the potential involvement of brainstem pain control centres. Finally, electrophysiological recordings were performed to evaluate whether pronociceptive On-or antinociceptive Off-like cells in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) relay the effect of GAL. Results: Exogenous GAL in the DMH decreased PWL in ARTH and SHAM animals, an effect that was mimicked by a GALR1 agonist (M617). In SHAM animals, an unselective GALR antagonist (M40) increased PWL, while a GALR2 antagonist (M871) decreased PWL. M40 or M871 failed to influence PWL in ARTH animals. Exogenous GAL increased c-Fos expression in the RVM and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), with effects being more prominent in SHAM than ARTH animals. Exogenous GAL failed to influence activity of RVM On-or Off-like cells of SHAM and ARTH animals. Conclusions: Overall, exogenous GAL in the DMH had a pronociceptive effect that is mediated by GALR1 in healthy and arthritic animals and is associated with alterations of c-Fos expression in RVM and DRN that are serotonergic brainstem nuclei known to be involved in the regulation of pain.

Alterations in hormone levels during aging have been shown to impact on cognitive functioning and mood. However, with respect to sex and sex-related hormones research has mainly focused on testosterone and estradiol. Serum concentration levels of testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating Q2 hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and prolactin (PRL) were assessed at fasting in 120 community-dwellers (51+ years of age, males and females), in a crosssectional approach. An extensive battery of neurocognitive/psychological and quality of life instruments was administered. Performance clusters based on executive functioning (GENEXEC), memory (MEM), mood and well-being (sleep, quality of life and nutritional status) measures were obtained. In males, higher PRL levels were associated with worse cognitive performance, lower well-being scores, and higher scores in depression scales. Additionally, E2 levels were significantly lower in individuals with higher depressive mood and poorer cognitive functioning. Linear regression analyses revealed that in males DHEAS is positively associated with GENEXEC and MEM, after adjustment of the remaining hormones and socio demographic variables. Higher PRL levels were associated with higher depressive mood and lower well-being. Nutritional status was significantly associated with PRL (positively) and with DHEAS (negatively). These findings indicate that besides the more exhaustively studied impact of E2 and TT on cognition and depression, variations in the levels of sex-related hormones such as PRL, FSH, LH and DHEAS are of interest for the mental health aging profile.

Chronic mild stress (CMS) protocols are widely used to create animal models of depression. Despite this, the inconsistencies in the reported effects may be indicative of crucial differences in methodology. Here, we considered the time of the diurnal cycle in which stressors are applied as a possible relevant temporal variable underlying the association between stress and behavior. Most laboratories test behavior during the light phase of the diurnal cycle, which corresponds to the animal's resting period. Here, rats stressed either in their resting (light phase) or active (dark phase) periods were behaviorally characterized in the light phase. When exposure to CMS occurred during the light phase of the day cycle, rats displayed signs of depressive and anxiety-related behaviors. This phenotype was not observed when CMS was applied during the dark (active) period. Interestingly, although no differences in spatial and reference memory were detected (Morris water maze) in animals in either stress period, those stressed in the light phase showed marked impairments in the probe test. These animals also showed significant dendritic atrophy in the hippocampal dentate granule neurons, with a decrease in the number of spines. Taken together, the observations reported demonstrate that the time in which stress is applied has differential effects on behavioral and neurostructural phenotypes.