This paper reports the methods and preliminary findings of Germina, an ongoing cohort study to identify biomarkers and trajectories of executive functions and language development in the first 3 years of life. 557 mother-infant dyads (mean age of mothers 33.7 years, 65.2% white, 48.7% male infants) have undergone baseline and are currently collecting data for other timepoints. A linear regression was used to predict baseline Bayley-III using scores derived from data-driven sparse partial least squares utilizing a multiple holdout framework of 15 domains. Significant associations were found between socioeconomic/demographic characteristics (B = 0.29), epigenetics (B = 0.11), EEG theta (B = 0.14) and beta activity (B = 0.11), and microbiome functional pathways (B = 0.08) domains, and infant development measured by the Bayley-III at T1, suggesting potential interventions to prevent impairments.

The cause of megafauna extinction in South America remains clouded in controversy, since it took place at a time of intense climate change and almost at the same time as the initial human influx into the continent. In this paper, we aimed to assess the effects of climate change on open vegetation habitats and, consequently, on megafauna extinction in South America by using a species distribution model, fossil records, and paleoclimatic projections. In addition, we evaluated the effects of climatic variables on the distribution of suitable habitats across South America. Our results demonstrated alternating intervals of expansion and contraction of suitable areas for megafauna persistence, mainly in response to lower and higher precipitation, in the last 21 ka in all regions of South America. However, the amplitude of this oscillation was more significant in the Brazilian Northeast. In the Andean and Chaco–Pampas regions, greater precipitation stability resulted in greater stability in habitat suitability; therefore, for these regions, other factors must have predominated for the extinction of the megafauna. We therefore concluded that in the Andean and Chaco–Pampas regions, climate change was not solely responsible for the disappearance of megafauna, but in the Brazilian Northeast, it may have been decisive.

Several models of maternal undernutrition reveal impairment of testicular development and compromise spermatogenesis in male offspring. The expansion of the litter size model, valuable for studying the impact of undernutrition on early development, has not yet been used to evaluate the consequences of early undernutrition in the adult male reproductive system. For this purpose, pups were raised in either normal litter (ten pups/dam) or large litter (LL; sixteen pups/dam). On postnatal day 90, sexual behaviour was evaluated or blood, adipose and reproductive tissues were collected for biochemical, histological and morphological analysis. Adult LL animals were lighter and thinner than controls. They showed increased food intake, but decrease of retroperitoneal white adipose tissue weight, glycaemia after oral glucose overload and plasma concentration of cholesterol. Reproductive organ weights were not altered by undernutrition, but histopathological analysis revealed an increased number of abnormal seminiferous tubules and number of immature spermatids in the tubular lumen of LL animals. These animals also showed reduction in total spermatic reserve and daily sperm production in the testes. Undernutrition decreased the number of Sertoli cells, and testosterone production was increased in the LL group. Mitochondrial activity of spermatozoa remained unchanged between experimental groups, suggesting no significant impact on the energy-related processes associated with sperm function. All animals from both experimental groups were considered sexually competent, with no significant difference in the parameters of sexual behaviour. We conclude that neonatal undernutrition induces histological and physiological testicular changes, without altering sperm quality and sexual behaviour of animals.

The nature and processing of semantic illusions (SI; when speakers fail to notice an anomalous word in a sentence that is contextually perfectly aligned with world knowledge) have been largely studied during first language comprehension. Although this issue is not free of controversy, findings sustain The Node Structure Theory, according to which SI is a phonological and/or semantic priming effect which occurs due to phonological and/or semantic links existing between the correct and the anomalous word. However, the question as to whether the same underlying mechanisms can be found in bilinguals and whether the effect is modulated by age of language acquisition (AoA) and language dominance remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to examine this issue on sequential European Portuguese-German bilinguals (and their respective control groups) using a self-paced reading paradigm. The sentences’ language, AoA (early vs. late), and type of target word used (correct vs. anomalous) were manipulated. Results showed the occurrence of SI, independently of language and AoA. Therefore, findings suggest that SI occur due to a semantic overlap between critical words and are similarly processed in L1 and L2.

There is a general consensus that providing care for a relative that has dementia is associated with negative outcomes for caregivers’ mental health. There seem to be also associations with negative physical health outcomes, although the literature on this topic is more scarce. Most of the available research consist in studies with a cross-sectional design. Longitudinal studies focused on psychosocial correlates of mental and physical health of the caregivers are lacking, mostly those analyzing the influence of factors such as behavioral and psychological symptoms of the dementia, caregivers` dysfunctional thoughts, and caregivers’ ambivalent and guilt feelings. The aim of this presentation will be to describe the findings from the Madrid Caregivers Longitudinal Study, that consist in a two year follow-up of family caregivers of people with dementia. Several models will be described testing the longitudinal effect of psychosocial variables on caregivers’ distress (depression and anxiety) and cardiovascular health (measured through biomarkers of inflammation). The practical implications of the findings will be discussed.

Protein restriction during early phases of body development, such as intrauterine life can favor the development of vascular disorders. However, it is not known if peripubertal protein restriction can favor vascular dysfunction in adulthood. The present study aimed to evaluated whether a protein restriction diet during peripubertal period favors endothelial dysfunction in adulthood. Male Wistar rats from postnatal day (PND) 30 until 60 received a diet with either 23% protein (CTR group) or with 4% protein (LP group). At PND 120, the thoracic aorta reactivity to phenylephrine, acetylcholine, and sodium nitroprusside was evaluated in the presence or absence of: endothelium, indomethacin, apocynin and tempol. The maximum response (Rmax) and pD2 (-log of the concentration of the drug that causes 50% of the Rmax) were calculated. The lipid peroxidation and catalase activity were also evaluated in the aorta. The data were analyzed by ANOVA (one or two-ways and Tukey’s) or independent t-test; the results were expressed as mean ± S.E.M., p < 0.05. The Rmax to phenylephrine in aortic rings with endothelium were increased in LP rats when compared with the Rmax in CTR rats. Apocynin and tempol reduced Rmax to phenylephrine in LP aortic rings but not in CTR. The aortic response to the vasodilators was similar between the groups. Aortic catalase activity was lower and lipid peroxidation was greater in LP compared to CTR rats. Therefore, protein restriction during the peripubertal period causes endothelial dysfunction in adulthood through a mechanism related to oxidative stress.

Topiramate (TOP) is a psychotropic drug prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy in children older than 2 years of age and for migraine prophylaxis in adolescents. There is evidence that TOP promotes negative effects on the reproductive system of male rats. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate and late treatment effects of TOP during childhood and adolescence on the male rat reproductive system. Two experimental groups received 41 mg/kg of TOP daily, by gavage, from postnatal day (PND) 16 to 28 (TOPc group) or from PND 28 to 50 (TOPa group). Control groups (CTRc group or CTRa group) received water daily. Half of the anim–als were evaluated 24 h after the end of treatment (PND 29 and PND 51, respectively) and the remainder were evaluated in adulthood (PND120). The following parameters were determined: anogenital distance, sperm evaluation, testis’ histomorphometry and plasma testosterone concentration. At PND 120, the volume (CTRc:62.58 ± 2.13; TOPc: 54.54 ± 2.10*%, p = 0.018) and total length (CTRc: 25.48 ± 1.61; TOPc: 18.94 ± 2.41*, p = 0.035) of seminiferous tubules were decreased and the volume of interstitial tissue (CTRc:37.41 ± 2.13; TOPc: 45.45 ± 2.09*%, p = 0.018) and number of Leydig cells/testis (CTRc: 277.00 ± 36.70; TOPc: 400.20 ± 13.23*, p = 0.013) were increased in the TOPc group. The other parameters remained similar between the groups. Therefore, the present study contributes to our understanding that childhood treatment with TOP has an impact on the rat reproductive system in adulthood, suggesting that this period is more sensitive to TOP exposure than adolescence.

Family firms (FF) represent an important business segment worldwide, contributing greatly to their country's GDP and social well-being, giving employment and contributing to communities' development. Due to their particularities, these organizations also face various challenges, one of the most relevant being inter-generational succession – transversal to all FF and their consequent sustainability over time. Given the importance of this issue, through a systematic literature review (SLR), the intention is to provide a general, wide-ranging view of the succession strategies most used by FF, mapping the existing literature. A total of 84 articles from the Scopus database were analysed. Through content analysis and bibliographic coupling techniques (VosViewer), four thematic groups of articles were identified, namely: (i) socio-emotional wealth and corporate governance, (ii) leadership and inter-generational conflicts, (iii) managing succession process and (iv) succession planning drivers. These themes/clusters originated a theoretical framework that depicts the investigation status of the field, and detailed suggestions for future investigations by cluster were also provided. Despite the relevance and long age of succession in FF, this is the first SLR to directly address succession strategies, offering implications for academics and practitioners, to guide a smooth succession.

Lack of knowledge about iodine has been suggested as a risk factor for iodine deficiency in pregnant women, but no studies have addressed this issue in Portugal. So, the aim of this study was to investigate iodine knowledge among Portuguese pregnant women and its association with iodine status. IoMum, a prospective observational study, included 485 pregnant women recruited at Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de S. João, Porto, between the 10th and 13th gestational weeks. Partial scores for knowledge on iodine importance, on iodine food sources or on iodised salt were obtained through the application of a structured questionnaire. Then, a total iodine knowledge score was calculated and grouped into low, medium and high knowledge categories. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was measured in spot urine samples by inductively coupled plasma MS. Of the pregnant women, 54 % correctly recognised iodine as important to neurocognitive development, 32 % were unable to identify any iodine-rich food and 71 % presented lack of knowledge regarding iodised salt. Of the women, 61 % had a medium total score of iodine knowledge. Knowledge on iodine importance during pregnancy was positively associated with iodine supplementation and also with UIC. Nevertheless, median UIC in women who correctly recognised the importance of iodine was below the cut-off for adequacy in pregnancy (150 µg/l). In conclusion, knowledge on iodine importance is positively associated with iodine status. Despite this, recognising iodine importance during pregnancy may not be sufficient to ensure iodine adequacy. Literacy-promoting actions are urgently needed to improve iodine status in pregnancy.

The role of milk and dairy products in supplying iodine to pregnant women is unknown in Portugal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between milk and dairy product consumption and the iodine status of pregnant women in the IoMum cohort of the Oporto region. Pregnant women were recruited between 10 and 13 weeks of gestation, when they provided a spot urine sample and information on lifestyle and intake of iodine-rich foods. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was determined by inductively coupled plasma MS. A total of 468 pregnant women (269 iodine supplement users and 199 non-supplement users) were considered eligible for analysis. Milk (but not yogurt or cheese) intake was positively associated with UIC, in the whole population (P = 0·02) and in the non-supplement users (P = 0·002), but not in the supplement users (P = 0·29). In non-supplement users, adjusted multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that milk consumption <3 times/month was associated with a five times increased risk of having UIC < 50 µg/l when compared with milk consumption ≥2 times/d (OR 5·4; 95 % CI 1·55, 18·78; P = 0·008). The highest UIC was observed in supplement users who reported consuming milk once per d (160 µg/l). Milk, but not yogurt or cheese, was positively associated with iodine status of pregnant women. Despite the observed positive association, daily milk consumption may not be sufficient to ensure adequate iodine intake in this population.

For this research communication, 90 samples of a Brazilian dairy were combined into four groups (raw material, final product, food-contact and non-food contact surfaces) and analyzed by metataxonomics based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed high alpha-diversity indexes for final product and non-food contact surfaces but, overall, beta-diversity indexes were low. The samples were separated in two main clusters, and the core microbiota was composed by Macrococcus, Alkaliphilus, Vagococcus, Lactobacillus, Marinilactibacillus, Streptococcus, Lysinibacillus, Staphylococcus, Clostridium, Halomonas, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Bacillus and Psychrobacter. These results highlight that rare taxa occur in dairies, and this may aid the development of strategies for food protection.

The paleoclimatic record of Juréia Paleolagoon, coastal southeastern Brazil, includes cyclic and gradual changes with different intensities and frequencies through geological time, and it is controlled by astronomical, geophysical, and geological phenomena. These variations are not due to one single cause, but they result from the interaction of several factors, which act at different temporal and spatial scales. Here, we describe paleoenvironmental evidence regarding climatic and sea level changes from the last 9400 cal yr BP at the Juréia Paleolagoon – one of the main groups of protected South Atlantic ecosystems. Geochemical evidences were used to identify anomalies from multi-proxy analyses of a paleolagoon sediment core. The anomalies of centennial scale were correlated to climate and transgression–regression cycles from the Holocene period. Decadal scale anomalous oscillations in the Quaternary paleolagoon sediments occur between 9400 and 7500 cal yr BP, correlated with long- and short-term natural events, which generated high sedimentation rates, mainly between 8385 and 8375 cal yr BP (10 cm/yr). Our results suggest that a modern-day short-duration North Atlantic climatic event, such as the 8.2 ka event, could affect the environmental equilibrium in South America and intensify the South American Summer Monsoon.