ESS - TBIO/Rise Health - Posters apresentados em eventos científicos
URI permanente para esta coleção:
Navegar
Entradas recentes
- Segurança e saúde em laboratórios académicos: conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas de estudantes do Ensino SuperiorPublication . Ribeiro, Inês; Carvalhais, Carlos; Alberto Alves Carvalhais, CarlosAs instituições de ensino superior, particularmente aquelas que dispõem de laboratórios de ensino e investigação nas suas infraestruturas, desempenham um papel importante na transmissão de conhecimentos e atitudes sobre segurança química aos seus estudantes (Walters et al., 2017). O presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar o conhecimento e as atitudes dos estudantes do ensino superior de diferentes cursos relativamente à segurança química em laboratório. Foi realizado um estudo transversal, recorrendo a um questionário adaptado e traduzido para português (Al-Zyoud et al., 2019). O instrumento incluiu um total de vinte e sete questões e foi aplicado a estudantes inscritos em cursos de licenciatura e pós-graduação que integram práticas laboratoriais nos seus planos curriculares, entre março e julho de 2025. Participaram no estudo 284 estudantes, provenientes dos diferentes ciclos de ensino superior politécnico e universitário nas áreas das ciências da vida e da saúde (CTeSP = 4,2%; Licenciatura = 70,4%; Mestrado = 21%; Doutoramento = 4,2%). Os resultados evidenciaram que, apesar de uma elevada proporção de estudantes demonstrar um bom nível de conhecimento sobre pictogramas de perigo — sendo o pictograma comburente o menos reconhecido (55% de respostas corretas) e o tóxico o mais conhecido (99% de respostas corretas) — as atitudes relatadas nem sempre são as mais adequadas. Cerca de 20% dos participantes referiram que os equipamentos de proteção individual são obrigatórios apenas quando se manuseiam produtos químicos, e 34,5% afirmaram nunca ter consultado as fichas de dados de segurança dos produtos utilizados, o que pode comprometer a sua própria segurança e a de terceiros. Não foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os diferentes níveis de ensino relativamente ao conhecimento sobre a temática. Os resultados obtidos evidenciam a necessidade de ajustes curriculares. A exposição precoce a conceitos de segurança química e laboratorial tem o potencial de promover o desenvolvimento de estudantes e futuros profissionais mais conscientes. A integração de módulos de segurança nos planos de estudo poderá aumentar o conhecimento e as competências necessárias para tomar decisões informadas que contribuam para a redução de acidentes e incidentes em ambiente laboratorial.
- Efeitos na saúde associados à exposição ocupacional à radiação ultravioleta solar: Uma revisão sistemática da literaturaPublication . Rocha, Ricardo; Guedes, Joana; Santos, Joana; Carvalhais, Carlos; Alberto Alves Carvalhais, Carlos; Santos, JoanaA exposição ocupacional à radiação ultravioleta solar (UVR) é um dos principais riscos para os trabalhadores ao ar livre, associada a cancro, lesões oculares e envelhecimento precoce da pele. Embora seja crucial na síntese de vitamina D, a exposição excessiva é reconhecida como carcinogénico do Grupo 1 pela Organização Mundial da Saúde. A caracterização dos efeitos desta exposição, em diferentes contextos profissionais, é essencial para a adoção de medidas de proteção eficazes. Identificar os efeitos na saúde relacionados com a exposição ocupacional à UVR, descrevendo os grupos profissionais mais afetados, as medidas de proteção adotadas e as limitações metodológicas reportadas nos estudos. Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática segundo a metodologia PRISMA 2020. A pesquisa foi efetuada nas bases de dados Scopus, Web of Science e PubMed, com término a 19 de novembro de 2024. Foram incluídos estudos originais em humanos, publicados entre 2019 e 2024, em inglês e revistos por pares, que abordassem os efeitos da exposição ocupacional à UVR. O risco de viés foi avaliado através da checklist do Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).Foram incluídos 16 estudos, abrangendo trabalhadores de vários setores profissionais, tais como agricultura, construção, pesca, docência, forças armadas e trabalho offshore. Os efeitos negativos mais identificados foram carcinoma basocelular e espinocelular, melanoma maligno, cataratas, fotoenvelhecimento, queratose actínica e lesões labiais. Em contrapartida, níveis moderados de exposição foram associados a uma redução do risco de cancro do cólon e da próstata. A utilização de medidas de proteção revelou-se inconsistente, com baixa adesão no uso de protetor solar e chapéus. As principais limitações metodológicas incluíram heterogeneidade dos desenhos de estudo, ausência de dados sobre exposição não ocupacional e falta de padronização na medição da dose cumulativa de UVR. A exposição ocupacional à UVR representa um risco significativo e persistente para a saúde dos trabalhadores ao ar livre, mas também pode conferir alguns efeitos protetores quando moderada. Estes resultados reforçam a necessidade de políticas públicas robustas, programas de vigilância ocupacional e uma maior uniformização dos métodos de avaliação. Estudos quantitativos de longo prazo são fundamentais para sustentar estratégias de prevenção eficazes e adaptadas aos diferentes contextos profissionais.
- Uso de filtros no processamento de Citologia de base líquida: Importante discriminar?Publication . Monteiro, Tiago; Fernandes, Sílvia; Silva, Regina; Silva, ReginaRegularmente em todo o mundo, sendo a filtração com recurso a filtros descartáveis a metodologia mais utilizada. Apesar de existirem filtros específicos para diversos tipos de processamento, pouco se sabe acerca das suas características, da forma como são empregues e do impacto da sua utilização no processamento de citologia de base líquida e consequente diagnóstico citológico. O estudo teve como principal objetivo avaliar e registar as características dos filtros usados em citologia de base líquida, e avaliar o impacto do seu uso indiscriminado, em Portugal. Para tal, estudou-se microscopicamente os poros de uma área de 7500µm2 de membrana de policarbonato de filtros de citologia de base líquida, indicados para processamento de amostras ginecológicas (Gyn) e não ginecológicas (Não Gyn), de três marcas diferentes. Procedeu-se à sua caracterização quanto ao número, diâmetro e distribuição dos poros. Foi ainda administrado um questionário a laboratórios de citologia em Portugal, e os dados recolhidos foram analisados com o intuito de caracterizar o uso das metodologias, os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que existem diferenças entre os filtros destinados aos vários tipos de processamento e entre filtros de diferentes marcas. Os filtros destinados ao processamento de amostras Gyn, para além de poros de maiores dimensões (7.2-7.5 µm), apresentam um menor número de poros (92-98) e respetiva sobreposição em 55 a 58% da área em análise. Por sua vez, os filtros recomendados para amostras Não Gyn apresentam menor diâmetro (5.7-6.1 µm), maior número de poros (107-122) e respetiva sobreposição numa maior área (60 a 83%).Considerados globalmente, os resultados revelam que as diferenças verificadas entre os filtros podem resultar na alteração ao nível da representação de estruturas celulares e de microrganismos, e o seu uso indiscriminado a nível laboratorial pode comprometer a avaliação citopatológica.
- Focused Neuroprotection in Parkinson's Disease: Effects of N-Acetylcysteine and MRI-guided Ultrasound NeuromodulationPublication . Silva, Rita Caridade; Araújo, B.; Vilaça-Ferreira, A. C.; Vilela, C.; Teixeira, C.; Martins-Macedo, J.; Soares-Guedes, C.; Gomes, Eduardo D.; Meriaux, S.; Larrat, B.; Wade-Martins, R.; Fernandes, H. J.; Teixeira, F.; Gomes, EduardoParkinson’s Disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons (DAn) in the brain, leading to severe symptomatology. Current treatments mainly address motor symptoms rather than preventing DAn damage or degeneration. Hence, there is an urgent need for novel strategies, particularly those that can combine neuroprotective and neuroregenerative approaches [1]. Drug repurposing is a powerful method for identifying new applications for approved drugs outside the scope of the original medical indication [2]. Under this concept, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a potent antioxidant, has shown therapeutic abilities in modulating oxidative stress and preventing dopamine-induced cell death [3], suggesting potential disease-modifying actions in PD. Notably, recent data from our team revealed that NAC could restore dopamine transporter (DAT) levels in the dorsal striatum of PD animals [4].
- Development of a cellprofiler pipeline to evaluate adipocyte differentiationPublication . Andrade, João; Torres, Sílvia; Coelho, Pedro; Coelho, PedroObesity is a complex chronic disease characterized by excessive body fat accumulation, with increasingly prevalence worldwide, burdening individuals and healthcare systems, thus urgent research is needed. (1,2) Adipocytes, the major cellular component of adipose tissue, are cells vastly used by the scientific community for in vitro studies of obesity. (3) Oil red O (ORO) staining and quantification is widely used for intracellular lipid staining and adipogenesis evaluation. Modern microscopy and image analysis software like CellProfiler enable efficient, high-throughput cellular image analysis, improving biological understanding and overcoming manual microscopy processing limitations. (4) The present work aimed to develop an in silico image-based method to evaluated lipid accumulation along the differentiation and adipogenesis of adipocytes. Briefly, 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were differentiated with a cocktail of insulin (10 µg/mL), dexamethasone (1 µM) and 3- isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (0.25 mM) and maintained in culture for 12 days. Brightfield contrast phase images, before and after ORO staining, were captured every two days. Lipid-droplet accumulation was evaluated by both CellProfiler analysis and ORO quantification. Throughout differentiation, 3T3-L1 cells exhibited adipocyte- like morphological changes, with increasing lipid accumulation, detected by ORO staining. CellProfiler automated image analysis was comparable to ORO staining quantification, both detecting, approximately after day 4, the presence and accumulation of lipid droplets. The results showed that along differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells into mature adipocytes, CellProfiler evaluation of lipid accumulation provided similar results as ORO staining. Altogether, automated in silico image-based protocols can be used to investigate adipogenic differentiation in vitro, overcoming the demanding conventional quantitative methods.
- Neurophysiological markers of cardiac interoceptive processing in expectant parents: a study with heartbeat-evoked potentialsPublication . Braga, Patrícia Vilela; Marshall, Amanda; Lamela, Diogo; Jongenelen, Inês; Rocha, Nuno Barbosa; Costa, Raquel; Pasion, Rita; Schütz-Bosbach, Simone; Pinto, Tiago Miguel; Feldman, Ruth; Campos, Carlos; Campos, Carlos; Rocha, NunoPregnancy and parenthood are associated with functional and morphological brain changes. Specifically, the parental caregiving network encompasses key structures implicated in interoception, that is, the ability to perceive and subjectively experience inner bodily states. Interoceptive processing may be critical for successful caregiving, allowing parents to integrate perceived changes in their own bodily states with information stemming from their child. Thus, it is feasible to hypothesize that pregnancy-related neurophysiological changes can modify interoception in expectant parents. Objective: To compare neural markers of cortical interoceptive processing (heartbeat-evoked potentials; HEP) between first-time expectant parents (mothers and fathers) and matched non-parents. First-time expectant heterosexual couples at 26-34 weeks gestational age (n = 70) and matched non-parents (n = 140, 70 female) will complete a multilevel interoception assessment protocol. Neural markers of interoception will be indexed by HEP, that is, neurophysiological responses to cardiac afferent inputs which are obtained through electroencephalography recordings (EEG) time-locked to electrocardiography events (ECG). HEP will be recorded while participants complete the Baby Face Repetition Suppression Paradigm in which sad or neutral infant facial expressions are either repeated or alternated in a 500 ms interstimulus interval. This manipulation induces an emotion-specific repetition modulation on HEP amplitude (differential effects for sad vs. neutral facial expressions). A condition with adult facial expressions will be employed to examine domain-general vs. infant-specific effects. Expectant parents will display increased allocation of neural resources to interoceptive inputs (larger repetition-induced HEP modulation) in contrast to non-parents, particularly when considering infant facial expressions. Effect sizes will be larger when contrasting sad vs. neutral infant facial expressions. Findings from this pioneering study will provide further understanding of the parental brain and the role of interoception during pregnancy, contributing to the comprehension of complex processes involved in caregiving and the development of the parent-infant bond.
- Cardiac interoceptive processing across psychopathy dimensions: evidence from the heartbeat tapping task and the attentional modulation of heartbeat-evoked potentialsPublication . Campos, Carlos; Sá, Catarina; Mazer, Prune; Pasion, Rita; Garcez, Helena; Paiva, Tiago O.; Braga, Patrícia Vilela; Rocha, Nuno Barbosa; Barbosa, Fernando; Rocha, Nuno; Campos, CarlosPsychopathy is a multidimensional personality structure encompassing interpersonal, affective, and behavioral traits. Interoception (ability to perceive and subjectively experience inner bodily states) may be a putative mechanism underlying the etiological pathways of psychopathy. Individual differences in interoceptive processing across psychopathy dimensions may interfere with the ability to perceive somatic sensations that signal the emotional valence of everyday events. To examine the association between psychopathy dimensions (triarchic phenotypes - boldness, meanness, and disinhibition; classical 4-facets - interpersonal, affective, impulsive, antisocial) and cardiac interoceptive processing, namely objectively measured cardiac interoceptive attention and accuracy. Fifty community-dwelling participants (25 women) were recruited and completed: (a) self-report measures indexing psychopathy, trait-based interoceptive attention and accuracy, and alexithymia; (b) modified Heartbeat Tapping Task to index cardiac interoceptive accuracy, where subjects were required to tap after each heartbeat under rest and breath hold conditions (the latter enhanced the magnitude of cardiac signals); (c) modified Heartbeat Attention Task for producing an attentional modulation of heartbeat-evoked potentials (HEP) - neuronal markers of cardiac interoceptive processing - where subjects were required to allocate their attention on their heart vs. an exteroceptive stimulus (objective measure of interoceptive attention). Cardiac interoception was only significantly related to boldness traits. Boldness was positively associated with cardiac interoceptive accuracy after the breath hold manipulation (non-significant after controlling for heart rate), despite no significant effects being observed at rest. Boldness was also negatively correlated with the attentional modulation of HEP due to atypical neuronal responses when allocating attentional resources to the heart. The current findings implicate cardiac interoception in the boldness phenotype, as this psychopathy dimension was associated with enhanced interoceptive-specific perceptual sensitivity and atypical neuronal responses to cardiac afferent inputs when attending to heart-related sensations. Future studies should examine how other interoceptive modalities (e.g., respiratory, gastric) are implicated in psychopathy.
- Modulation of brain structure and motor function by safinamide multimodal actions in a pre-clinical model of Parkinson’s DiseasePublication . Araújo, Bruna; Campos, Jonas; Silva, Rita Caridade; Pinheiro, Bárbara Mendes; Marques, Raquel; Barata, Sandra; Lima, Rui; Macedo, Joana Martins; Gomes, Eduardo; Larrat, Benoit; Salgado, António; Mériaux, Sébastien; Domingues, Sofia; Teixeira, Fábio; Gomes, EduardoTo date, no neuroprotective/disease-modifying strategy has been approved as a Parkinson’s Disease (PD) therapy, because of the‘one-disease-one-target’ view that has been followed. New drug-based therapeutic routes, namely Safinamide, have been introduced as a promising multimodal drug combining dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic (neuroprotective) actions, representing a new potential alternative therapy to prevent or delay PD progression. Thus, the present work addressed Safinamide's impact on PD, relying on the possibility of potentiating dopaminergic neurons (DAn) survival by tackling cellular/molecular impairments responsible for its failure. Safinamide (10mg/kg) was given by oral gavage to a 6-OHDA pre-clinical rat model. DAn survival, neuroinflammation, and redox system homeostasis were assessed by histological and molecular analysis. Additionally, to overpass the selective blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, which reduces drug bioavailability reaching PD brain regions, we conducted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided focused ultrasound (FUS) to transiently open the BBB to precisely deliver Safinamide in PD-affected areas. Results revealed that Safinamide monotherapy was able to potentiate the densities of DAn and fibers, revealing a protective effect when compared to the untreated group. To understand possible pathways associated with this improvement, we found that Safinamide appears to be a modulator of the antioxidant and autophagy systems since an increase in the expression levels of DJ-1, SOD-1, and LC3B was observed when compared to the non-treated group. Furthermore, Safinamide presents a potential modulatory activity on neuroinflammation and astrogliosis, as a decrease in microglia (CD11b+) and astrocytic (GFAP+) cells number was observed when compared to 6-OHDA group. Additionally, the anatomical and functional MRI analysis exhibited connectivity and metabolite alterations. Collectively, these data demonstrate the promising therapeutic potential of Safinamide as a neuroprotection strategy for PD, which may open new therapeutic opportunities for individuals in prodromal stages, potentially delaying clinical manifestation in high-risk patients.
- P-588 The impact of display screen use on visual function at an early agePublication . Mateus, Catarina; Dias, Libânia; Rodrigues, Matilde; Magalhães, Rúben; Ferreira, Simão; Rocha, Nuno; Mateus, Catarina; Dias, Libânia; Rodrigues, Matilde; Ferreira, Simão; Rocha, NunoAs the use of smartphones and other digital devices becomes an integral part of modern life, it is increasingly common to witness children engaging with these devices at younger ages and for extended periods. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated this trend, significantly impacting the way children interact with technology. This study aims to evaluate visual function and lacrimal volume in preschool-aged children and explore possible correlations with the age of screen usage initiation and daily screen time.
- Development of a stable melanoma dual reporter cell line expressing Luciferase and GFPPublication . Aguiar, Gonçalo; Torres, Sílvia; Prudêncio, Cristina; Soares, Raquel; Coelho, Pedro; Prudêncio, Cristina; Coelho, PedroMelanoma is the most aggressive and lethal form of skin cancer, with a high risk of metastatic spread. Obesity is recognized as a risk factor for various types of cancer. However, regarding melanoma, this association remains controversial. Obesity might act as a double-edged sword in melanoma, promoting primary tumour growth but at the same time limiting metastatic spread - the "obesity paradox”. Herein, we aimed to create a stable murine B16F10 melanoma cell line expressing both firefly luciferase (Luc) and green fluorescent protein (GFP), which will later be engrafted into diet induced-obesity animal model for future in vivo studies. B16F10-Luc-GFP cells were generated by transfection with premade lentiviral particles, featuring a construct with Luc and GFP under a cytomegalovirus promoter and mediated by a F2A element. The antibiotic selection marker (puromycin) is expressed under a Rous sarcoma virus promoter. Afterwards, the transfected cells were selected with 1 μg/ml of puromycin. The clones with the highest levels of GFP-positive cells and GFP fluorescence were purified by two rounds of cell sorting and submitted to fluorescence and bioluminescence quantification, morphology, injury, BrdU incorporation, 7-AAD, and PI cell cycle assays and compared to the parental cell line. B16F10-Luc-GFP were successfully generated, and both GFP fluorescence and D-luciferin bioluminescence are present and proportional to cell density. As expected, the parental cell line didn’t display GFP or Luc activities. Moreover, transduced cells exhibit similar morphology, motility, proliferation, viability, and cell cycle progression as B16F10 cells. Conclusions: Altogether, the future engraftment of B16F10-LucGFP in obese mice, will improve melanoma research models, enabling the in vivo and ex vivo visualization of primary tumours and metastasis, providing a better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms, to clarify the “obesity paradox” in melanoma.
- «
- 1 (current)
- 2
- 3
- »