Percorrer por autor "Portela, Mariana"
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- Home Assistive Robot for Alzheimer's PatientsPublication . Nóbrega, Antónia; Portela, Mariana; Tavares, Sofia; Guimarães, Pedro; Marques, Maria Arcelina; Lázaro Jacob, FredericoWith the increase in the senior population, especially patients with dementia and Alzheimer's, healthcare professionals are increasingly overwhelmed. Existing assistive technologies to improve these patients’ quality of life and their caregivers are scarce given the daily challenges they face. To tackle this issue, a domestic assistive robot was developed for Alzheimer's patients – AlzheimerAlly - which encompasses the functionalities of a service robot, and a companion robot. AlzheimerAlly's functionalities involve tracking continuous monitoring of the patient's anatomical points to detect the type of movement and medication intake. The movement of the robot follows the movement of the patient. Additionally, the graphical interface allows cognitive and stimulation tests to be carried out. The medication dispenser, implemented, contains compartments, each with a LED. Finally, there is a website, which allows you to enter and access relevant data about the medication dispenser and cognitive tests. The functionalities described were thoroughly tested, demonstrating effective implementation. However, the prototype still remains subject to improvements. Although AlzheimerAlly requires improvements, it is already a significant and functional contribution to the area of care for Alzheimer's patients. This robot represents innovation and improvement in the quality of life of patients, their caregivers and healthcare professionals.
- Phytosome-based nanocarriers enhanced with seaweed extracts: Overcoming the blood–brain barrierPublication . Portela, Mariana; Silva, Aurora; Carpena, Maria; Grosso, Clara; Barroso, Maria Fátima; Oliveira, Ana Isabel; Martins, Claudia; Ribeiro, Cristina; Prieto, Miguel A.; Oliveira, Ana IsabelNeurodegenerative diseases impact millions of people globally and are emerging as an imminent challenge due to the rapid aging of the population. The current treatments only focus on relieving their symptoms, so it is necessary to adopt innovative strategies. However, delivering pharmacological agents directly into the brain is difficult because of the presence of the Blood–Brain Barrier (BBB). To overcome this obstacle, nanotransporters such as phytosomes have been developed. This study reports the preparation and characterization of phosphatidylcholine (PC) phytosomes based on hydroethanolic extracts of three macroalgae: Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jolis (AN), Bifurcaria bifurcata R.Ross (BB), and Fucus spiralis L. (FS). Additionally, some phytosomes were functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and apolipoprotein E (ApoE). Phytosome characterization was carried out in terms of encapsulation rate, size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and stability, and the efficacy of passage through the BBB was tested using an in vitro transwell model based on hCMEC/D3 cells. The results showed a high percentage of extract bound to PC (from 74.9 to 80.3%), and tests conducted over three weeks showed the stability of the phytosomes developed. There was a notable distinction between the functionalized and non-functionalized phytosomes, reflected in the values of their sizes (from 117.71 to 167.73 nm for non-functionalized and from 277.07 to 361.44 nm for PEG-ApoE phytosomes), PDIs (0.286–0.411 for non-functionalized and 0.389-0.539 for functionalized phytosomes), and zeta potentials (1.91–2.22 and −3.31–−0.68 mV for non-functionalized and functionalized phytosomes), respectively. Regarding their ability to cross the BBB, the functionalization of phytosomes with ApoE did not prove to be a crucial step, perhaps due to the low amount of ApoE used (1%), as all of the nanotransporters always passed through the hCMEC/D3 cell monolayer, regardless of their formulation.