Browsing by Author "Costa, Carla"
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- General knowledge and attitudes about safety and emergency evacuation: the case of a higher education institutionPublication . Carvalhais, Carlos; Dias, Ricardo; Costa, Carla; Vieira da Silva, ManuelaThe implementation of a safety culture and awareness of emergency issues in buildings has been growing in more developed societies. It is essential that all occupants know how to act in an emergency situation, particularly during an emergency evacuation. In higher education institutions (HEIs), which annually host not only their many employees, but also national and international students, it is essential to know and understand the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that the academic community demonstrates in this matter. This study aimed to characterize the perception of occupants regarding safety, specifically in the emergency evacuation phase, within the academic community of an HEI. In this observational cross-sectional study, data on general knowledge and attitudes regarding safety and actions during emergency situations were collected through an anonymous questionnaire targeting students, faculty, and non-teaching staff, which was sent via institutional email. Valid responses were received from 392 participants and then scored and assessed on different domains. The results obtained showed that, despite a reasonable average regarding the general level of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the occupants on the subject, the community falls somewhat short in terms of training. It is noteworthy that approximately 64% of the sample has never received awareness or training related to emergency evacuation, and around 68% are unaware of the location of their institution’s meeting/gathering point. Finally, by identifying the most common gaps, namely the training dimension, some simple measures could be improved, such as the dissemination of safety instructions accessible through QR codes placed in strategic locations or even conducting small drills during class sessions, as well as learning with simulation concerning different scenarios of emergency.
- Occupational dermal exposure to alcohol-based desinfectant products against COVID-19: a protocol for a systematic reviewPublication . Domingos, Catarina; Costa, Carla; Oliveira, Ana; Carvalhais, Carlos; Santos, JoanaThe COVID-19 pandemic has increased the use of hand sanitisers and surface disinfectants in the workplaces as a preventive measure for disease transmission. These are biocidal products that may be associated with adverse health outcomes. Skin reactions, as irritant contact dermatitis or allergic contact dermatitis, are the most commonly reported health effects. The aim of this work is to present the protocol for a systematic review, intending to describe potential skin health effects associated with occupational dermal exposure to alcohol-based hand sanitisers and surface disinfectants and identify dermal exposure assessment methods applicable in manufacturing environment. To ensure that the review methods are transparent and reproducible, it is essential to describe the protocol before the review. For this systematic review, studies will be searched through Pubmed and Web of Science databases. The search strategy developed will comprise the following terms (not exhaustive list): “SARS-Cov2”; “Skin exposure”; “chemical-skin interactions” “skin exposure assessment”; “skin diseases”; “Alcohol-based hand sanitisers”; “surface disinfectants”; “alcoholic antiseptic agents”. Eligible studies will be descriptive or analytical studies that report occupational dermal exposure to alcohol-based formulations used in manufacturing to control SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Only articles written in English, published in the period from 2010 to the year 2021, will be included. Studies about domestic uses of these products, developed in non-industrial activities, which do not include evaluations of occupational dermal exposure, will be excluded. A narrative synthesis of the available evidence will be adopted. Data synthesis will focus on the reported skin effects and dermal exposure assessment methods used, identify possible inconsistencies found across studies, and examine the strength and robustness of retrieved data. This review will identify and synthesize studies that establish the association between occupational dermal exposure to alcohol-based formulations and skin effects and also that describe methods to dermal exposure risk assessment. Additionally, needs for future research in this field, will be identified.
- Role of oxidative stress-induced systemic and cavernosal molecular alterations in the progression of diabetic erectile dysfunctionPublication . Castela, Angela; Gomes, Pedro; Domingues, Valentina F.; Paíga, Paula; Costa, Raquel; Vendeira, Pedro; Costa, CarlaBackground Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent complication of diabetes, and oxidative stress is an important feature of diabetic ED. Oxidative stress-induced damage plays a pivotal role in the development of tissue alterations. However, the deleterious effects of oxidative stress in the corpus cavernosum with the progression of diabetes remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate systemic and penile oxidative stress status in the early and late stages of diabetes. Methods Male Wistar streptozotocin-diabetic rats (and age-matched controls) were examined 2 (early) and 8 weeks (late) after the induction of diabetes. Systemic oxidative stress was evaluated by urinary H2O2 and the ratio of circulating reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG). Penile oxidative status was assessed by H2O2 production and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) formation. Cavernosal endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was analyzed by quantitative immunohistochemistry. Dual immunofluorescence was also performed for 3-NT and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and eNOS–α-SMA. Results There was a significant increase in urinary H2O2 levels in both diabetic groups. The plasma GSH/GSSG ratio was significantly augmented in late diabetes. In cavernosal tissue, H2O2 production was significantly increased in late diabetes. Reactivity for 3-NT was located predominantly in cavernosal smooth muscle (SM) and was significantly reduced in late diabetes. Quantitative immunohistochemistry revealed a significant decrease in eNOS levels in cavernosal SM and endothelium in late diabetes. Conclusions The findings indicate that the noxious effects of oxidative stress are more prominent in late diabetes. Increased penile protein oxidative modifications and decreased eNOS expression may be responsible for structural and/or functional deregulation, contributing to the progression of diabetes-associated ED.
- Self-reportefd dermal effects of hand sanitisers in industrial workersPublication . Costa, Carla; Carvalhais, Carlos; Domingos, Catarina; Oliveira, Ana; Santos, JoanaDuring COVID-19 pandemic, preventing the virus spread was extremely important to reduce the overall burden of the disease, to maintain the companies running and to remain safe. WHO recommended physical distances, appropriate use of personal protective equipment and hand hygiene practices to reduce the spread. Hand hygiene practice by using alcohol-based hand sanitisers was generalized in all sectors of activity, including those with no previous need to implement preventive measures against biological risks. The aim of this study was to obtain self-reported data on hand hygiene habits and perceived symptomatology regarding skin health effects associated with skin exposure to alcohol-based hand sanitisers of industrial workers during COVID-19 pandemic. Between November 2021 and April 2022, a questionnaire-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using 97 study participants. The reported information on hands sanitisers used show that most of the participants at work, use the hand sanitizer provided by the company a alcoholic solution of 2-propanol 70%. Nearly half of the workers disinfected their hands more than 3 times per day, but at work, there was a concern to also disinfect wrists and forearms. Self-reported dermal effects show that half of the participants noticed skin dryness with the increased use of hand sanitisers. The novelty of this work is posed by the type of sample under study (industrial rather than hospital context) which allow gathering data to build knowledge in this field and to develop guidelines of good practices on how to make adequate disinfection and to promote skin health in industrial settings.
- Wood smoke exposure of Portuguese wildland firefighters: DNA and oxidative damage evaluationPublication . Abreu, Ana; Costa, Carla; Pinho e Silva, Susana; Morais, Simone; Pereira, Maria do Carmo; Fernandes, Adília; Moraes de Andrade, Vanessa; Teixeira, João Paulo; Costa, SolangePortugal is among the European Union countries most devastated by forest fires each year. In the last three decades, more than 3.8 million hectares of forest were burned. Wildland firefighters are exposed to a variety of hazards, including many toxic combustion products that may lead to deleterious health effects. Epidemiological studies showed a positive association between firefighting and several chronic diseases, including cancer. Results from biomonitoring studies in firefighters, particularly concerning genotoxicity evaluation, constitute a valuable tool for investigating important occupational hazards. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess genotoxicity in a group of wildland firefighters using the comet assay for DNA damage and oxidative stress. Both parameters were increased in firefighters compared to controls, but significance was only found for basal DNA damage. No significant influence was found regarding major confounding variables on the genotoxic endpoints studied, with the exception of age. Data obtained provide preliminary information on human health effects of wildland firefighting exposure at genetic and molecular levels. These findings may also provide new important data to serve as public awareness to the potential adverse health risks involving wildland firefighting. Implementation of security and hygiene measures in this sector as well as good practices campaigns may be crucial to decrease risk.