Browsing by Author "Ferreira, M."
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- Are coffee silverskin extracts safe for topical use? An in vitro and in vivo approachPublication . Rodrigues, F.; Pereira, C.; Pimentel, F. B.; Alves, R. C.; Ferreira, M.; Sarmento, B.; Amaral, Maria Helena; Beatriz, M.; Oliveira, P. P.Recent changes in regulatory requirements and social views on animal testing have incremented the development of reliable alternative tests for predicting skin and ocular irritation potential of products based on new raw materials. In this regard, botanical ingredients used in cosmetic products are among those materials, and should be carefully reviewed concerning the potential presence of irritant constituents. In particular, cosmetic products used on the face, in vicinity of the eyes or that may come in contact with mucous membranes, should avoid botanical ingredients that contain, or are suspected to contain, such ingredients. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of a new cosmetic ingredient, namely, coffee silverskin (CS), with an in vitro skin and ocular irritation assay using reconstructed human epidermis, EpiSkin™, and human corneal epithelial model, SkinEthics™ HCE, and an in vivo assay. Three different extracts of CS were evaluated. The histology of the models after extracts applications was analysed. The in vitro results demonstrated that extracts were not classified as irritant and the histological analyses proved that extracts did not affect both models structure. The content of caffeine, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural and chlorogenic acid was quantified after the epidermal assay. The in vivo test carried out with the most promising extract (hydroalcoholic) showed that, with respect to irritant effects, these extracts can be regarded as safe for topical application.
- Idiopathic facial palsy and physical therapy: a guideline proposal following a review of practicePublication . Ferreira, M.; Santos, P.; Duarte, J.To evaluate the efficacy of physical therapy in different phases of idiopathic facial palsy.
- In vivo activity of peptide-ionic liquid conjugates against diabetic woundsPublication . Gomes, A.; Ferraz, Ricardo; Ferreira, M.; Maciel, J.; Plácido, A.; Leal, E.; Gameiro, P.; Gonçalves, Teresa; Carvalho, E.; Gomes, P.Due to widespread multidrug-resistant (MDR) microbes, efficient treatments for infected wounds are being exhausted, which means that there is an alarming lack of effective antibiotics to treat diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). The increasing life expectancy of the population and the growing incidence of unhealthy lifestyles is leading to a concerning rise in the number of people affected with diabetes and related complications, being DFU amongst the most troublesome. In 2014, already about 11% of the Portuguese population had diabetes and this number is continuously growing every year. [1] Like other chronic wounds, DFU are difficult to heal, but their association with other diabetes complications, such as peripheral neuropathy and ischemia, underpin an exceedingly low healing rate and high propensity for persistent infections. In connection with the above, we have recently advanced peptide-ionic liquid conjugates (PILC) as potential active pharmaceutical ingredients for topical formulations to tackle DFU. PILC combine a short cosmeceutical peptide with collagenboosting action, with an ioni q b , k “ k” -catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction. This revealed one conjugate with an outstanding performance in vitro, namely, potent collagen-inducing effect, alongside microbicidal (bactericidal and fungicidal) action.[2] This conjugate was now tested for its wound healing ability in a mouse model of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes. The promising results obtained thus far in this animal model, alongside biophysical investigations on the potential antimicrobial mechanism of action of PILC, will be presented in this communication.
- Influence of clinical pilates on pelvic floor functionality and psychological well-being of women with urinary incontinencePublication . Clara Santos, Paula; Mesquita, Cristina; Lopes, Sofia; Macedo, C.; Ferreira, M.; Moreira, C.; Mota, J.Urinary Incontinence (UI) is considered a public health problem. The evidence is still scarce in Clinical Pilates in women with this condition. This study analyses the influence of the application of an exercise program according to the Clinical Pilates method in the self-efficacy of the pelvic floor and the psychological well-being of women with UI.
- Influence of home-based and supervised exercise programs on women stress urinary incontinence: a randomized trialPublication . Ferreira, M.; Santos, Paula Clara; Duarte, J.To analyze the advantage of associating a supervised pelvic floor exercise program (SEP) to the conventional home prescribed exercise program (HEP) in the effectiveness of treatment of mild–moderate stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women.
- A large area TOF-tracker device based on multi-gap Resistive Plate ChambersPublication . Assis, P.; Bernardino, A.; Blanco, A.; Luz, R.; Mendes, L.; Michel, J.; Neiser, A.; Pereira, A.; Pimenta, M.; Shellard, R.; Traxler, M.; Clemêncio, Filomena; Carolino, N.; Cunha, O.; Ferreira, M.; Fonte, P.; Lopes, L.; Loureiro, C.The TOF-tracker concept, the simultaneous measurement of accurate time and bi-dimensional space coordinates in a single gaseous detector, has been previously demonstrated. The detector yielded a time resolution of 77 ps σ along with a bi-dimensional position resolution of 38 μm σ over a full active area of 60 × 60 mm2. In here, we report about a large area, 1550 × 1250 mm2, TOF-tracker device, tested by tracking cosmic muons, yielding a position resolution down to 1.33 mm σ, a simultaneous time resolution of 150 ps σ and 92% detection efficiency, over the entire area of the detector. The sub-millimetre electronic resolution of the readout chain suggests that the position resolution here reported could be dominated by non-corrected systematic effects and therefore it could be yet significantly improved.
- Metaplasia transicional em citologia cérvico-vaginal: um estudo de casoPublication . Ferreira, Filipa; Ferreira, M.; Fialho, C.; Amaro, T.A metaplasia transicional cérvico-vaginal é uma condição benigna que está associada com atrofia e ocorre em mulheres na peri e pós-menopausa. O caso em análise reporta uma citologia cérvico-vaginal convencional corada pelo método de Papanicolaou de uma mulher de 57 anos de idade, cujo diagnóstico foi Células Pavimentosas Atípicas não excluindo Lesão Intraepitelial de Alto Grau (ASC-H). Posteriormente, o exame histológico revelou metaplasia transicional. A metaplasia transicional apresenta características citológicas que podem ser confundidas com atipia de células pavimentosas, dificultando a sua interpretação citológica. As caraterísticas mais determinantes para a sua identificação e distinção de situações de lesão são a ausência de atipia citológica e a presença de fendas longitudinais, apesar de estas não serem específicas desta condição.
- Outdoor systems performance and upgradePublication . Lopes, L.; Andringa, S.; Assis, P.; Blanco, A.; Carolino, N.; Cerda, M.A.; Clemêncio, Filomena; Conceição, R.; Cunha, O.; Dobrigkeit, C.; Ferreira, M.; Loureiro, C.; Mendes, L.; Nogueira, J.C.; Pereira, A.; Pimenta, M.; Saraiva, J.; Sarmento, R.; Teixeira, P.; Tomé, B.Over the last two decades, the possibility of using RPCs in outdoors systems has increased considerably. Our group has participated in this effort by installing several systems and continues to work on their optimization, while simultaneously studying and developing new approaches that can use RPCs in outdoor applications. In particular, four detectors were deployed in the field at the Pierre Auger Observatory in 2019 remained inactive, awaiting the commissioning of support systems. During the pandemic the detectors were left without gas flow for more thantwo years, but were recently reactivated with no major problems. The Lou Mu project combines particle physics and geophysics in order tomapmeter-scale geologic structures, using Muon Tomography. Transmission muography is sensitive to the total amount of matter crossed by the muons, allowing to separate targets of different densities. In this exploratory project, it serves to identify unconsolidated rockzones, like geological faults and ore masses around an old Pyritemine,now converted into a science center. The general goal is to compare how effective is the muographic survey when compared with the more standard geophysical techniques. The development of the RPC system used and the data from the last two years will be presented. Finally, recent advances in a large area(1m2) doubl egap-sealed RPC will be presented.
- Physical activity during pregnancy and its effects on fetal parameters in the second trimesterPublication . Santos, P. C.; Alves, V .; Couto, M.; Ferreira, M.; Alves A, O.; Mesquita, C.; Lopes, S.; Abreu, S.; Mota, J.The physical activity (PA) during pregnancy still remains controversial due to the risk and protective effects on the fetal parameters (cephalic perimeter, abdominal perimeter, femur length and fetal weight). The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that pregnant women do, at least, 150 weekly minutes of moderate PA during a week (WK). This study aimed to (1) verify the relation between the accomplishment of ACSM guidelines PA and the maternal individual characteristics; (2) verify the relation between accomplishment of these guidelines and the fetal parameters in the second trimester. Prospective study was conducted at Hospital S. João, with a sample of 137 pregnant women. Socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors were assessed via questionnaire. PA was assessed by accelerometry (used for 7 consecutive days) in the second trimester (20–22 weeks). The fetal parameters were assessed by ultrasound between the 20th and 22nd gestational week, always by the same medical. No relation was found between the participants’ individual characteristics and the accomplishment of the ACSM’s recommendations, with p-value for all the variables being >0.05. There is no difference between the fetal parameters in the second trimester of the women who follow the recommendations (p>0.05). The pregnant women’s individual characteristics were not related with the accomplishment of the ACSM’s recommendations. Any relation between the recommendations accomplishment and the fetal parameters in the second trimester was not found and no negative influence was found in the same parameters.
- Physical therapy with drug treatment in bell palsy: a focused reviewPublication . Ferreira, M.; Marques, E. E.; Duarte, J. A; Santos, Paula ClaraThe physical therapy (PT) associated with standard drug treatment (SDT) in Bell palsy has never been investigated. Randomized controlled trials or quasirandomized controlled trials have compared facial PT (except treatments such as acupuncture and osteopathic) combined with SDT against a control group with SDT alone. Participants included those older than 15 yrs with a clinical diagnosis of Bell palsy, and the primary outcome measure was motor function recovery by the House-Brackmann scale. The methodologic quality of each study was also independently assessed by two reviewers using the PEDro scale. Four studies met the inclusion criteria. Three trials indicate that PT in association with SDT supports higher motor function recovery than SDT alone between 15 days and 1 yr of follow-up. On the other hand, one trial showed that electrical stimulation added to conventional PT with SDT did not influence treatment outcomes. The present review suggests that the current practice of Bell palsy treatment by PT associated with SDT seems to have a positive effect on grade and time recovery compared with SDT alone. However, there is very little quality evidence from randomized controlled trials, and such evidence is insufficient to decide whether combined treatment is beneficial in the management of Bell palsy.