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- Ionic Liquids Synthesis – MethodologiesPublication . Ferraz, Ricardo; Prudêncio, Cristina; Vieira, Mónica; Fernandes, Rúben; Noronha, João Paulo; Petrovski, ZeljkoIonic Liquids (IL) are salts with at least one organic cation. The term “Ionic Liquid” has been restricted to salts with melting point below 100° C [1]. In the recent years, (ILs) have gained popularity in science and technology. The large number of possible cation/ anion combinations allows a great variety of tunable interactions; also their unique properties and characteristics make it a promising and an attractive to work with in several fields. However, how ILs are produced? This editorial pretends to make a brief commentary of some of the main methodologies of ILs synthesis
- Estudo de novos compostos sintéticos para o tratamento do cancro da mamaPublication . Magalhães, Ângela; Vieira, Filipa Quintela; Vieira, Mónica; Ferraz, Ricardo; Prudêncio, Cristina; Jerónimo, Carmen; Silva, ReginaO cancro da mama (CaM) apesar dos avanços no tratamento e deteção precoce desta neoplasia, permanece como uma das principais causas de morte por cancro nas mulheres devido à progressão e disseminação sistémica. Cerca de 80% dos CaM invasivos são positivos para o recetor de estrogénios sendo candidatos à terapia de bloqueio. No entanto, 30- 40% das doentes desenvolvem recidiva, evoluindo para um fenótipo hormono-resistente. Nestes estadios, as opções terapêuticas apresentam uma reduzida eficácia. Assim, é importante a descoberta de novos agentes anti-neoplásicos. Os líquidos iónicos e as quinoxalinas são sais orgânicos com potencial anti-tumoral que têm vindo a ser alvo de estudo na indústria farmacêutica devido às suas propriedades medicinais e composição flexível no caso dos líquidos iónicos.
- Stalling the course of neurodegenerative diseases: could cyanobacteria constitute a new approach toward therapy?Publication . Ramos, Vitória; Reis, Mariana; Ferreira, Leonor; Silva, Ana Margarida; Ferraz, Ricardo; Vieira, Mónica; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Martins, RosárioNeurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are characterized by progressive and irreversible neuronal loss, accompanied by a range of pathological pathways, including aberrant protein aggregation, altered energy metabolism, excitotoxicity, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Some of the most common NDs include Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington’s Disease (HD). There are currently no available cures; there are only therapeutic approaches that ameliorate the progression of symptoms, which makes the search for new drugs and therapeutic targets a constant battle. Cyanobacteria are ancient prokaryotic oxygenic phototrophs whose long evolutionary history has resulted in the production of a plethora of biomedically relevant compounds with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective properties, that can be valuable in this field. This review summarizes the major NDs and their pathophysiology, with a focus on the anti-neurodegenerative properties of cyanobacterial compounds and their main effects.
- Ensino e aprendizagem da Bioquímica em Ciências da Saúde: retenção de conhecimentos adquiridos e sucesso académico versus tipo de exame preferido, sua preparação e stress associadoPublication . Prudêncio, Cristina; Fernandes, Rúben; Ferraz, Ricardo; Vieira, Mónica; Fonte, RosáliaNum contexto de reestruturação da formação em Ciências da Saúde baseada em competências, torna-se necessário estudar as diferentes formas de avaliação e o stress que lhe está associado, observando de que forma estas poderão interferir no sucesso académico dos alunos e real aquisição de competências. O objectivo do trabalho foi avaliar estas questões no âmbito da Bioquímica de diferentes cursos de Tecnologias da Saúde. A metodologia foi adaptada de controlled pre-test-postest, e os resultados obtidos apontam para que os alunos que mais estudam, ao longo do ano e não no “sprint final”, parecem possuir menor stress e serem melhor sucedidos.
- Desenvolvimento de uma aplicação informática para a promoção da auto-aprendizagem da Química Orgânica no contexto das Ciências SociaisPublication . Ferraz, R.; Fernandes, R.; Vieira, M.; Fonte, R.; Prudêncio, C.De acordo com o constante na declaração de Bologna, na qual se preconiza a promoção da competência da autoaprendizagem num processo long-life learning e a utilização do ensino à distância, foi utilizado o Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) um sistema de gestão de cursos de livre distribuição no âmbito da disciplina de Química Orgânica. Esta aplicação visou o desenvolvimento de competências no âmbito da autoaprendizagem dos alunos e a preparação dos mesmos para o momento final de avaliação da disciplina. Esta aplicação foi trabalhada em formato de Quizze. Este quizze foi intitulado de QOjogo. A aplicação está organizada em 23 níveis, correspondendo cada um deles a uma pergunta de escolha múltipla (PEM), as hipóteses poderiam variar entre 2 a 5 e a avaliação seria feita de 0-20.
- Quinoxaline, its derivatives and applications: A state of the art reviewPublication . Almeida, Joana; Pessoa, Ana M.; Cordeiro, M. Natália D. S.; Fernandes, Rúben; Prudêncio, Cristina; Noronha, João Paulo; Vieira, MónicaQuinoxaline derivatives are an important class of heterocycle compounds, where N replaces some carbon atoms in the ring of naphthalene. Its molecular formula is C8H6N2, formed by the fusion of two aromatic rings, benzene and pyrazine. It is rare in natural state, but their synthesis is easy to perform. In this review the State of the Art will be presented, which includes a summary of the progress made over the past years in the knowledge of the structure and mechanism of the quinoxaline and quinoxaline derivatives, associated medical and biomedical value as well as industrial value. Modifying quinoxaline structure it is possible to obtain a wide variety of biomedical applications, namely antimicrobial activities and chronic and metabolic diseases treatment.
- Potentional radiosensitizer effect of TUDCA in a obesity model of brain tumor cellsPublication . Silva, Liliana; Almeida, Joana; Coelho, Pedro; Faria, Isabel; Monteiro, Armanda; Soares, Raquel; Vieira, Mónica; Prudêncio, Cristina; Fernandes, RúbenObesity may play an important role in the biology of seve ral types of cancer, but the correlation with glioma Is still not very well defined. Former studies indicated that obesity may be related with an decreased resistance to radiation and increased redox status in brain tumors. Since radiothetapy is the most commonly treatment modality used in this type of tumor, we creale a new model of experiments to determinate the influence of obesity in glioma cells [n the presence of radiation with an imbalance of redox status, BC3H1 glioma cells were treated with t-BOOH (150~M), TUDCA (25~M) and a mix of t-BOOH and TUOCA{150~M and 25~M respectively) in serum-free OMEM or conditioned media (CM) from differentiated 3T3-L 1 adj pocytes. Afterwards the cells were irradiated with a total dose of 2 Gy. Subsequently BC3H1 viability was evaluated, by MTT assay, after 4 and 12 hours. We observed an increase in viability In all cells treated solely with 3T3-L 1 eM. Interestingly, in the presence of CM plus TUDCA or t-BOOH, the viability of 6C3H1 was inferior of TUOCA or t~BOOH treatments alone, this effect was independent of irradia tion. After 12 hours the I/iability of the glioma cells was significantly higher on irradiated ceUs treated only with eM, this effect was not yet observed at the 4 hours time point But, in the presence of mix of t~BOOH and TUDCA, with eM and irradiation the cells viability decrea se significanUy. The 3T3-L 1 Me increase (he cell viabrlity in the presence of radiation or not, after 12 hours expose" But in the presence of oxidatIve inducer and, In specially, with the antioxidant TUDCA, the BC3Hi viability significantly decrease. So, we observed a potential radiosensitfzer effect of TUDCA in BC3H1 in the presence of 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
- Biogame e QOjogo duas aplicações informáticas para a auto-aprendizagem e avaliação formativa em Ciências da SaúdePublication . Prudêncio, C.; Ferraz, R.; Vieira, M.; Fernandes, R.; Fonte, R.O desenvolvimento de uma aplicação informática para a promoção da auto-aprendizagem da Bioquímica no contexto das ciências da saúde intitulada Biogame foi já descrito por esta equipa em trabalhos anteriores, na senda da implementação do processo de Bologna, desenvolvendo a auto-aprendizagem e a utilização do ensino à distância. No presente trabalho foi utilizado o Moodle (Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) um sistema de gestão de cursos de livre distribuição no âmbito da disciplina de Química Orgânica de diferentes cursos de Tecnologias da Saúde. Esta aplicação visou o desenvolvimento de competências no âmbito da auto-aprendizagem dos alunos e a preparação dos mesmos para o momento final de avaliação da disciplina. Foi trabalhada em formato de Quizze intitulado de QOjogo.
- Development of a new method for the detection and quantification of 3-nitrotyrosinePublication . Teixeira, Dulce; Prudêncio, Cristina; Fernandes, Rúben; Vieira, MónicaThe nitration of Tyrosine residues in proteins is associated with nitrosative stress, resulting in the formation of 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT). Different methods have been described for the quantification of this molecule. Regarding chromatographic methods, they seem to be very accurate, showing very good sensibility and specificity. Gas chromatography-based methods exhibit the highest sensibility, however a derivatization step prior analysis is required, which ends up being time-consuming for the analyst. Conversely, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) may not require such derivatization.
- Adipocyte secretome increases radioresistance of malignant melanocytes by improving cell survival and decreasing oxidative statusPublication . Coelho, Pedro; Silva, Liliana; Faria, Isabel; Vieira, Mónica; Monteiro, Armanda; Pinto, Gabriela; Prudêncio, Cristina; Fernandes, Rúben; Soares, RaquelRadiotherapy is a treatment option for the majority of malignancies. However, because melanoma is known to be radioresistant, the use of ionizing radiation as an adjuvant therapy in cutaneous melanoma patients is ineffective. Obesity has now been recognized as a risk factor for melanoma. High adiposity is generally associated with a more pro-oxidative status. Oxidative stress is a major player in radiation therapy and also a common link between obesity and cancer. Several adipocyte-released proteins are known to have a role in controlling cellular growth and pro-survival signaling. For that reason, we investigated the influence of 3T3-L1 mature adipocyte secretome in B16-F10 malignant melanocyte radiosensitivity. We evaluated B16-F10 cell survival and redox homeostasis when exposed to four daily doses of ionizing radiation (2 Gy per day) up to a total of 8 Gy in a medical linear accelerator. B16-F10 melanocytes exhibited slight alterations in survival, catalase activity, nitrative stress and total oxidant concentration after the first 2 Gy irradiation. The motility of the melanocytes was also delayed by ionizing radiation. Subsequent irradiations of the malignant melanocytes led to more prominent reductions in overall survival. Remarkably, 3T3-L1 adipocyte-secreted molecules were able to increase the viability and migration of melanocytes, as well as lessen the pro-oxidant burden induced by both the single and cumulative X-ray doses. In vitro adipocyte-released factors protected B16-F10 malignant melanocytes from both oxidative stress and loss of viability triggered by radiation, enhancing the radioresistant phenoyype of these cells with a concomitant activation of the AKT signaling pathway These results both help to elucidate how obesity influences melanoma radioresistance and support the usage of conventional medical linear accelerators as a valid model for the in vitro radiobiological study of tumor cell lines.