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- Deus, Pátria e Família: Análise da propaganda política de António Salazar e Jair BolsonaroPublication . Albernaz, V. B.Este trabalho procura analisar a doutrina Deus, Pátria e Família presente na propaganda política dos políticos António Salazar e Jair Bolsonaro e os seus impactos nas sociedades portuguesas e brasileiras. A metodologia utilizada na presente investigação faz-se através da pesquisa teórica, exploratória com revisão bibliográfica e utilização do método de comparativo entre a propaganda salazarista e a propaganda bolsonarista. Este trabalho divide-se em três grandes eixos sendo apresentado: 1 – propaganda política – conceitos chave, 2 – análise da propaganda política salazarista e 3 – análise da propaganda política de Jair Bolsonaro. No final do artigo, apresenta-se a ideia central acerca dos principais pontos entre a doutrina/propaganda salazarista e a doutrina/propaganda bolsonarista.
- Repositórios de Instituições de Ensino Superior na Produção e Comunicação de Ciência em Portugal: Políticas, Práticas e UtilizaçãoPublication . Ramos, Cecília da Conceição Reis; Pedrosa, Pedro Jerónimo; Rockembach, MoisésCom base nos princípios do Acesso Aberto, surgem os Repositórios Institucionais (RI) com a finalidade de armazenar, preservar e divulgar, gratuitamente, o acesso à produção científica. Deste modo, pode ser expandida, consultada e reutilizada, aprimorando a comunicação científica, interna e externa, de uma determinada instituição. O presente estudo pretendeu analisar a utilização dos RI dos institutos politécnicos e universidades em Portugal e, deste modo, ser um contributo relevante para a investigação, nesta área. Avaliou-se a atividade dos utilizadores, numa dinâmica de consultas e de downloads dos conteúdos dos RI, aferiram-se as práticas exercidas pelos professores e investigadores, nos diversos processos de partilha dos seus outputs científicos nos RI e verificaram-se as políticas e técnicas de comunicação instituídas, incentivando à sua utilização. O estudo foi efetivado mediante uma metodologia assente no paradigma de métodos mistos - Mixed Methods Approach – com caráter quantitativo e qualitativo, substanciada em três tipos de instrumentos de recolha de dados: a análise documental das páginas web de 28 RI, um questionário aplicado aos professores e investigadores (n=692) e entrevistas a 25 gestores e administradores dos RI, de uma amostra constituída por 13 universidades e 15 politécnicos públicos. Os resultados apurados permitiram extrair conclusões sobre a atividade dos RI nos três âmbitos. Os downloads apresentam-se em valores superiores, face ao número de consultas, em todos os RI. Os afiliados das universidades são os que atribuem mais importância aos RI. Não obstante, são estes inquiridos que publicam menos nos mesmos e os que mais desconhecem a existência da Política de Depósito Documental. Quando a conhecem, são os que mais confessam não a cumprir. São, ainda, os que mais sugerem maior divulgação e informação sobre as vertentes do RI, solicitam maior interoperabilidade e que o depósito seja responsabilidade das instituições (universidades e politécnicos). Demonstraram também estar menos familiarizados com as diversas dinâmicas do RI. Relativamente às técnicas de comunicação instituídas, concluiu-se que as iniciativas predominantes se direcionam para o público interno e que são as universidades as mais ativas. Ainda assim, assumem que essas ações foram mais intensas aquando da implementação do RI.
- “Prefácio” in: Poesia de Amor nos versos de António SalvadoPublication . Rosa, José Maria SilvaAs mesmíssimas "enérgeai" que desabrocham e florescem intensamente nos poemas de A. Salvado ("Para o Regresso da Primavera", "Interior", "De Espera", "A Tristeza se vai", "Chegada", "Vejo pulsar", "Adormecer em ti", "Manter a Flor", etc.), nas figuras do mosto, do vinho e da seiva / sémen, da terra desalinhada sob o arado, do mel e das papoilas, das pétalas e das rosas, dos trigais maduros e dos molhos de espigas repletas de grão, do feno, dos cachos bêbados e das vindimas, dos pomos e das romãs abertas, apetitosas... Eis toda uma antiquíssima orografia mítica em toada albicastrense. Eis a sofreguidão, a volúpia e o cio, qual "Terre érotique" (A. Masson, 1955), do luxurioso "pagus" raiano que vai da Soalheira ao Rosmaninhal, raptando, desflorando e ressuscitando uma e outra vez Perséfone, filha de Deméter, ao ritmo vibrante e cadenciado das adufeiras em roda, percutindo o afogueado hímen dos seus adufes. E os rufos propagam-se pelos longes da planura, pelas florestas, searas e intumescidos pomares, impregnando tudo - para gáudio de Tammuz e de Isthar, com capelas na cabeça, do Grande Pã "redivivus", da "domina" Atégina, da Bandis Isibraia e até, porque não?, da Senhora do Almurtão na sua orada.
- Cidade(s) em Rutura: A representação da cidade no Novo Cinema portuguêsPublication . Cardoso, Ana Rita Bastos; Cunha, Paulo Manuel Ferreira da; Ferreira, Jorge Manuel Fernandes FigueiraEsta tese pretende analisar a representação da cidade no Novo Cinema português, compreendendo a sua relevância dentro da inauguração de um cinema de arte moderno. Para tal, na primeira parte, centramos a nossa atenção na revisão bibliográfica sobre quatro grandes tópicos: a metodologia e o desenho de investigação; a cidade; a paisagem cinematográfica; e o Novo Cinema português. No primeiro tópico, salientamos, sobretudo, a nossa linha de pensamento em diálogo próximo com a grounded theory apresentada por Kathy Charmaz, e com a compositional interpretation (the good eye) de Gillian Rose, pela sua natureza de aprendizagem e flexibilidade, fundamentais para a construção do nosso percurso de análise face à heterogeneidade estética do nosso corpus fílmico. Relativamente à cidade, preocupamo-nos por compreender a amplitude deste conceito, sublinhando a intrínseca relação entre a morfologia urbana e a realidade social. No terceiro tópico, optamos por desenvolver a ideia de representação do conceito de paisagem, definindo uma inovadora matriz de análise da cidade na paisagem cinematográfica. Dentro do último tópico, procuramos uma aproximação do Novo Cinema português ao cinema de arte moderno, tornando-se relevante o momento de rutura com o velho cinema enquanto legitimação da individualidade artística de cada autor. Na segunda parte, olhamos para o nosso corpus: onze longas-metragens do Novo Cinema português, produzidas entre 1963 e 1974. Começamos por uma leitura narrativa de cada filme, propondo de seguida uma detalhada e documentada análise, estruturada em cinco grandes eixos (a tipologia, a morfologia, a presença, a função, a dimensão), a propósito da presença da cidade na sua dupla definição (morfologia urbana e realidade social).
- The Choroid Plexus as a source and target of Prolactin in the brainPublication . Brito, Ana Raquel Costa; Santos, Cecília Reis Alves; Gonçalves, Isabel Maria Theriaga Mendes VarandaThe choroid plexuses (CPs) are composed of a single layer of cuboid epithelial cells laying on highly irrigated connective tissue. In addition to being the main producer of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the central nervous system, the CPs are also responsible for the production and secretion of peptides that modulate brain function. CP-derived peptides have been associated with several physiological functions, including inflammation and immune response, signaling, cell growth and cell proliferation, cell death, metabolism, and angiogenesis, among others. Proteins present in the CP secretome have been implicated in the modulation of neurogenesis during developmental stages and adult life. The identification of new neurogenic factors is highly relevant considering the increasing ageing of the population and the incidence of neurodegenerative disorders. Preliminary data from a rat CP microarrays study from our research group suggested local expression of several factors with the potential to promote neurogenesis that had never been associated with the CP before. One of the most relevant transcripts identified was prolactin. Amongst the numerous distinct biological functions attributed to prolactin, this hormone has been described as a neurogenic factor at specific stages of pregnancy and lactation in rodents. In addition, the presence of prolactin transcripts was higher in CPs collected from female rats than male rats, suggesting that sex hormones could modulate prolactin expression in the CP. The first aim of this thesis was to investigate if the rat CP could indeed be an alternative source of prolactin to the brain. In Chapter 4 we provide evidence that prolactin transcripts were present in pregnant rat CP, CP epithelial cells (CPEC) and in the rat immortalized CP cell line, Z310. Furthermore, a 63 kDa immunoreactive PRL was detected by Western blot in CP protein extracts as well as in culture medium supernatants after the incubation with rat pituitary and samples of rat cerebrospinal fluid and serum. Moreover, prolactin immunoreactive protein was present in both compartments of the blood-CSF barrier model which may indicate that CPEC can secrete prolactin not only through the apical membrane facing the CSF but also through the basal membrane facing the blood. To ascertain the possible influence of sex hormones in the production of prolactin in the rat CP as initially hypothesized, we performed 24-hour incubations of CP explants with different concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, or dihydrotestosterone. Nonetheless, neither of the hormones seem to modulate the levels of 63 kDa prolactin in the CP tissues, at least at the concentrations tested in this work, as described in Chapter 5. Besides being a source of prolactin, the CP is the brain structure with the higher expression of prolactin receptors (PRLR). The high expression of PRLR at the CP was initially associated with the existence of a receptor-mediated mechanism responsible for prolactin transport to the brain present. Nevertheless, considering recent evidence, it is now accepted that prolactin uptake is independent of its receptors. Information about the exact function of prolactin in the CP is still very scarce, especially in the postnatal stages. As so, another main goal of this thesis was to evaluate the effects of prolactin in the transcriptome of postnatal rat CP. In Chapter 6 we observed that prolactin exposure was associated with a reduction in neurogenesis-factor osteopontin, barrier protein claudin 5, and proliferation-related cyclin D1. On the other hand, prolactin incubation also led to an increase in pro-inflammatory interleukin 1 beta expression, suggesting that at a postnatal stage, prolactin exposure may increase the CP permeability, reduce the cellular proliferation and have a proinflammatory effect on the rat CP. Another goal of this thesis was to identify additional neurogenic factors secreted by the CP. In Chapter 7 we provide evidence that the rat CP may be a source of secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2), previously described as a regulator of neural stem cells proliferation, differentiation and homeostasis. Notably, estradiol seems to modulate the levels of SFRP2 in the rat CP. In summary, the evidence reported throughout this work supports the relevance of the CP as a source of new peptides with the potential to modulate brain function, like prolactin and SFRP2. Further studies are necessary to understand the relevance of CP-derived prolactin and SFRP2 in brain function, especially in neurogenesis.
- Avaliação da Literacia em Saúde Mental e do Estigma numa amostra de Cuidadores Formais de adultos idososPublication . Domingos, Adriana Filipa Ingrês; Carvalho, Paula Susana Loureiro Saraiva de; Nascimento, Carla Sofia Lucas doO presente estudo teve como objetivos avaliar a Literacia em Saúde Mental (LSM) e o estigma em Cuidadores Formais (CF) de adultos idosos, bem como relacionar estas duas variáveis com as habilitações literárias e o nível socioeconómico. Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo, descritivo, exploratório e transversal. A amostra consistiu em 125 indivíduos, CF de adultos idosos que residem e, exercem em Estruturas Residenciais para Pessoas Idosas (ERPI), no distrito de Castelo Branco. Estes apresentam idades compreendidas entre os 22 e os 66 anos (M=48.42; DP=11.09), com uma prevalência significativa do sexo feminino (94.4% de mulheres e 5.6% de homens). Os participantes responderam ao Questionário de Literacia em Saúde Mental – jovem adulto (LSMq – jovem adulto) e ao Questionário de Atribuição (AQ-9). A amostra revelou níveis moderados de LSM, mas também existência de estigma. Foram encontradas algumas relações entre fatores da LSM e estigma com as habilitações literárias e o nível socioeconómico, bem como relações negativas entre a LSM e o estigma. O modelo de regressão linear múltipla explicou 6.3% da variabilidade do Fator 2 da LSM (Crenças erróneas/estereótipos). Este estudo acrescenta uma importante contribuição à investigação no que concerne a estas variáveis em CF de adultos idosos em Portugal e, destaca a importância de desenvolver intervenções que visem aumentar a LSM e reduzir o estigma nos contextos de ERPI.
- Effect of TBBPA on arterial contractile regulation and possible implications for the development of hypertensive diseasesPublication . Feiteiro, Joana Rita Oliveira; Oliveira, Maria Elisa Cairrão Rodrigues; Baptista, Cláudio Jorge MaiaThe endocrine disruptor (EDCs) is a compound that has been defined as “an exogenous agent that interferes with the production, release, transport, metabolism, binding, action or elimination of natural hormones in the body responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis and the regulation of developmental processes.” This compound can affect the endocrine function via interference with hormone pathways (e.g., oestrogen, androgen, or thyroid hormone). The constant human exposure to endocrine disruptors has raised some concerns. Some of these components are suspected of being harmful to human health. Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are chemicals widely used in consumer products, including electronics, vehicles, plastics, and textiles, to reduce flammability. These compounds can interfere with hormone homeostasis, so they are considered endocrine disruptors. Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is the most studied BFRs due to its toxicity and presence in a variety of environmental media and the human being. The exposure to this compound is associated with several health risks: thyroid disorders, diabetes, reproductive health, cancer, and neurobehavioral development disorders. In addition, TBBPA exposure can be correlated with some cardiovascular disorders, such as diabetes and obesity. This compound has also been detected in biological samples such as human serum, urine, and breast milk. Moreover, TBBPA has also been detected in the umbilical cord of Japanese pregnant women, proving a prenatal exposure to this compound. This observation suggests that TBBPA can cross the human placenta. In this scenario, it is important to understand how the TBBPA exposure effects the vascular tonus and if the endocrine disrupting effects from that exposure can be detected in future generations. In this project, organ bath and patch clamp techniques were developed and applied to achieve the main goal of this doctoral thesis: to study the effect of TBBPA on arterial contractility and analyse the mode of action of TBBPA as a human EDCs and understand its involvement in vascular disorders. This study was performed in two different study models: in the human umbilical artery (HUA) and in the rat aorta. Additionally, the cGMP compartmentation in human vascular smooth muscle was also analysed. Therefore, in the first research work presented, we infected smooth muscle cells with adenovirus containing mutants of the rat olfactory cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channel-subunit to understand how the cGMP conveys different information and we recorded the associated cGMP-gated current (ICNG). The whole cell configuration of the patch clamp technique was used to measure the ICNG and the potassium current (IK) in human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells (HUASMC). Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP) induced an activation of basal ICNG, whereas sodium nitroprusside (SNP) had a slight effect. IBMX (nonselective PDE inhibitor), T0-156 (PDE5 inhibitor), and cilostamide (PDE3 inhibitor) all had a small effect on the basal ICNG current. Concerning potassium channels, we observed that ANP and testosterone induced activation of IK and this effect is bigger than that induced by SNP, cilostamide and T0-156. Cilostamide and T0-156 decreased the ICNG stimulation induced by ANP and testosterone, suggesting that the pGC pool is controlled by PDE3 and PDE5. Thus, the effects of SNP show the presence of two separated pools, one next to the plasma membrane and controlled by the PDE5 and PDE3, and a second pool in the cytosol of the cells that is regulated mainly by PDE3. These findings show the existence of cGMP compartmentalization in human vascular smooth muscle cells, and this phenomenon is controlled by PDE3 and PDE5. The second research work evaluated the direct effects and the 24 h exposure of TBBPA on the HUA and also its mode of action (MOA). The viability of HUASMC was analysed using MTT assay and the cells exposed to high concentrations of TBBPA (500 and 1000 μM) showed a decrease in cell viability. Using the organ bath technique, endothelium-denuded HUA rings were contracted with serotonin (5-HT), histamine (His), and potassium chloride (KCl), and then the direct effects of TBBPA (0.01- 100 μM) were analysed. The effects of 24 hours TBBPA exposure (1, 10, and 50 μM) were also analysed on contractile responses of HUA to 5-HT, His, and KCl. Furthermore, the vascular MOA of TBBPA was studied through the analysis of cGMP and calcium (Ca2+) channels activity, these pathways are involved in the relaxation and contraction of HUA, respectively. Our results demonstrated that the direct effects of TBBPA induce a vasorelaxation of HUA. The 24h TBBPA exposure changed the vasoconstrictor response pattern of 5-HT, His and KCl and the vasorelaxant response pattern of SNP and nifedipine. This effect is due to the involvement of TBBPA with the NO/sGC/cGMP/PKG pathway and the interference in Ca2+ influx. Furthermore, using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), TBBPA clearly modulates L-type Ca2+ and large-conductance Ca2+ 1.1 α- and β1 subunit channels, and soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) and protein Kinase G. In this sense, our data demonstrated that TBBPA induces changes in the vascular homeostasis of HUA. In the last part of this work, the effect of TBBPA in rat aortic smooth muscle and the possible mechanisms involved were investigated and to achieve these goals, we started with the analysis of A7r5 cells viability. These cells were exposed to different TBBPA concentrations, and the results showed that the high concentrations of TBBPA (500 and 1000 μM) decreased the viability of the A7r5 cells. Then, using the organ bath technique, rat aorta rings without endothelium were contracted with Phenylephrine, Noradrenaline, and isosmotic KCl solution to evaluate the vascular effect of TBBPA (0.01–100 μM). Furthermore, MOA of TBBPA was studied through Nifedipine (specific blocker of L-type VGCC), tetraethylammonium (TEA), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), and glybenclamide (Gly) (K+ channel inhibitors). Our results suggest that the direct effects of TBBPA induced vasorelaxation of rat aorta, involving the inhibition of Ca2+ channels and activation of potassium channels. Moreover, through RT-qPCR, it was demonstrated that TBBPA clearly modulates L-type Ca2+ and large-conductance Ca2+ 1.1 α- and β1 subunit channels, and sGC and protein Kinase G. Overall, it was shown that TBBPA exposure also interferes with vascular homeostasis of rat aorta through Ca2+ and K+ channels. In conclusion, the main findings of this thesis confirmed the crucial actions of TBBPA in vascular smooth muscle. These effects demonstrate that TBBPA induces smooth muscle relaxation through an endothelium-independent MOA. Due to sGC activation that increases the cGMP intracellular levels, inhibition of L-Type VGCC and activation of K+ channels were verified. Another innovative result of the present thesis was the identification of cGMP compartmentalization in human vascular smooth muscle cells. Further understanding and targeting of these results might be exploited in future studies to acknowledge the effects of TBBPA at the vascular level and its complexity in environmental and human exposure.
- Modelling Road Work Zone Crashes’ Nature and Type of Person Involved Using Multinomial Logistic RegressionPublication . Vieira, Adriana; Santos, Bertha; Picado-Santos, LuisThe sustainable development goals “Good health and well-being” and “Sustainable cities and communities” of the United Nations and World Health Organization, alert governments and researchers and raise awareness about road safety problems and the need to mitigate them. In Portugal, after the economic crisis of 2008–2013, a significant amount of road assets demand investment in maintenance and rehabilitation. The areas where these actions take place are called work zones. Considering the particularities of these areas, the proposed work aims to identify the main factors that impact the occurrence of work zones crashes. It uses the statistical technique of multinomial logistic regression, applied to official data on road crashes occurred in mainland Portugal, during the period of 2010–2015. Usually, multinomial logistic regression models are developed for crash and injury severity. In this work, the feasibility of developing predictive models for crash nature (collision, run off road and running over pedestrians) and for type of person involved in the crash (driver, passenger and pedestrian), considering only one covariate (the number of persons involved in the crash), was studied. For the two predictive models obtained, the variables road environment (urban/rural), horizontal geometric design (straight/curve), pavement grip conditions (good/bad), heavy vehicle involvement, and injury severity (fatalities, serious and slightly injuries), were identified as the preponderant factors in a universe of 230 investigated variables. Results point to an increase of work zone crash probability due to driver actions such as running straight and excessive speed for the prevailing conditions.
- Development of electrospun wound-dressings incorporating medicinal plant-extractsPublication . Mouro, Cláudia Filipa Duarte; Gouveia, Isabel Cristina Aguiar de Sousa e Silva; Fangueiro, Raul Manuel Esteves de SousaHuman skin is a remarkably effective barrier against the invasion of external pathogens. However, when the occurrence of wounds compromises the skin’s integrity, the possibility of pathogenic microorganisms to colonize the wound site increase as well as the risk of acquiring an infection. In particular, the presence and permanence of high levels of pathogenic bacteria in the wound have been identified as the main responsible for the delay or failure in the healing process, especially in patients with a compromised immune system. The skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), particularly those caused by bacteria, are among the most common infections that can progress quickly to life-threatening complications. Besides, the aging population, combined with the increased rates of obesity and chronic diseases, like diabetes, have contributed to a higher prevalence of wounds susceptible to bacterial colonization and infection. In this context, to prevent the penetration of bacteria at the wound site and its growth and proliferation, wound dressings have been produced from different materials, with diverse shapes, containing antimicrobial agents into their structure. Among these agents, antibiotics, nanoparticles (NPs), and natural products have been the most used. However, the excessive and indiscriminate use of antibiotics has triggered an alarming rate of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Also, the possible toxicity associated with the use of NPs has limited its application in dressing materials. In this way, we have been witnessing an increasing demand for compounds obtained from natural sources, in particular from medicinal plants, as a more effective and efficient alternative. Medicinal plants are natural sources of bioactive substances that may exert significant effects on the management and treatment of wounds. Besides, the numerous therapeutic properties of the medicinal plants, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anesthetic, and analgesic, are helpful in the treatment of injured skin by enhancing fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, and collagen biosynthesis. Thus, wound dressing materials containing plant extracts and some compounds obtained from plants, with intrinsic antimicrobial activity and ability to accelerate the healing process, have captured the interest of researchers in recent years in order to avoid or even eliminate undesirable pathogenic infections. Among the different techniques used to produce wound dressing materials, the electrospinning has been highlighted in the development of wound dressings based on bioactive nanofibers due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and versatility. The nanofiber membranes produced by electrospinning have demonstrated properties with remarkable therapeutic potential, such as a 3D architecture that mimics the morphological features of the skin’s extracellular matrix (ECM), a high surface area to volume ratio, and porosity that allow them to control the exudate effectively. These characteristics are also able to maintain a moist environment at the wound site and ensure a continuous supply of nutrients and oxygen that promotes wound healing. Furthermore, the electrospun nanofibrous membranes have been incorporated with different types of bioactive or therapeutic agents, improving the desirable wound healing properties. Therefore, in this doctoral work, new electrospun wound dressing materials containing crude medicinal plant extracts and plant essential oils with remarkable antimicrobial and healing effects were developed from several strategies to protect the wound from both external agents and pathogenic invasion, as well as improve the skin tissue regeneration. In a first approach, Eugenol (EUG), an essential oil extracted from cloves, was incorporated into a polymeric blend composed of Polycaprolactone (PCL), Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), and Chitosan (CS) by electrospinning from water-in-oil (W/O) and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. From this work, it was achieved better wound healing properties when O/W emulsion was used. However, although emulsion electrospinning shows promising potential for preserving the EUG’s stability and bioactivity, the essential oils require large amounts of raw material, as well as multiple step preparation methods and special laboratory facilities. To overcome the limitations presented by essential oils, two different crude medicinal plant extracts, which are easily obtained from dried and milled plants, were prepared through a simple, easy to perform, and low-cost extraction method, and then incorporated in two different polymeric blends by emulsion electrospinning to corroborate the effectiveness and potential of this technique. Regarding that, a crude extract of Hypericum perforatum L. (HP) was incorporated into a polymeric blend of Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), PVA, and CS, while a crude extract of Chelidonium majus L. (CM) was loaded into a blend of PCL, PVA, and Pectin (PEC). The results revealed that the manufactured nanofiber membranes exhibited suitable properties for use as wound dressing materials. Besides, these membranes have been shown to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, namely Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and proved to be versatile systems for controlled release of bioactive and/or therapeutic agents. From these studies, the CM extract loaded into electrospun PCL/PVA_PEC nanofibrous membrane achieved a better antibacterial activity, reaching a ~4 Log reduction. Therefore, emulsion electrospinning has demonstrated to exhibit the incomparable ability to produce, in a single step, single-layer wound dressings incorporated with natural products, and the replacement of EUG by crude medicinal plant extracts proved to be an attractive and promising alternative. In a different approach, double-layered electrospun nanofibrous membranes containing crude medicinal plant extracts were produced, aiming to restore the structure and functions of the native skin. Concerning that, two different double-layer materials were developed from electrospinning. PLLA and PCL’s top layers were designed to act as breathable and waterproof protective barriers, capable of preventing bacteria penetration into the wound. In turn, lower layers of Polyethylene oxide (PEO), CS, and HP, as well as Chitosan-Sodium Tripolyphosphate (CS-TPP), combined with PVA and Centella asiatica L. (CA) were produced to improve the biologic performance of these materials. Due to their properties, the lower layers demonstrated to be able to promote the healing process and inhibit the growth of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa without inducing any cytotoxic effect. However, the PVA_CS-TPP_CA revealed a higher bacterial inhibitory effect, reaching a 3 Log reduction. Finally, a cotton gauze bandage, traditionally used to provide support and confer robust protection against external threats, was successfully combined with PVA and CS nanofibers containing Agrimonia eupatoria L. (AG) to produce a nano-coating capable of inhibiting the growth of bacteria at the wound site and support skin regeneration. Overall, the scientific work performed in this thesis has been conducted to encourage the scientific community to give more attention to the potential benefits of bioactive natural products as medicinal plants, which exhibit a low tendency to develop bacterial resistance. Moreover, it has been shown that the use of relatively simple, versatile, and low-cost strategies to produce wound dressing materials displaying antimicrobial properties have an essential impact on the control of bacterial colonization but also prevent bacterial wound infection and consequently accelerate the healing process.
- Gestão da Rinite Alérgica em Adultos JovensPublication . Ferreira, Ana Filipa de Jesus; Lourenço, Olga Maria MarquesA presente dissertação para a obtenção do grau de mestre em Ciências Farmacêuticas encontra-se dividida em duas partes, a primeira parte incide sobre o trabalho de investigação e a segunda refere-se ao relatório desenvolvido durante o estágio curricular em farmácia comunitária. Na primeira parte é descrito todo o trabalho de investigação que incidiu no estudo da gestão da rinite alérgica (RA) em adultos jovens. Nesse sentido, o trabalho encontra-se segmentado em 5 componentes chave, a obtenção e caracterização sociodemográfica da amostra, caracterização dos sintomas associados à RA, terapêutica medicamentosa da RA, outras influências na gestão da RA e influências da Covid-19 na gestão da RA. Para a recolha dos dados, foi realizado um inquérito baseado num questionário online, que contou com 318 respondentes, sendo que 239 questionários foram considerados válidos. A análise estatística dos dados obtidos foi efetuada no Microsoft Office 365 - Excel e no IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), versão 27 para Windows, com nível de significância de 5%. Foi possível apurar que 1% dos participantes sofria de RA intermitente ligeira, 51% de RA intermitente moderada a grave e 48% de RA persistente moderada a grave. Verificou-se que os sintomas mais comuns eram a congestão nasal, os espirros e a rinorreia, e que todos os sintomas foram avaliados como extremamente incomodativos, afetando significativamente a qualidade de vida dos participantes. A esmagadora maioria dos participantes (93,3%) referiram que a RA interfere de alguma forma nas atividades do diaa-dia e 71,3% mencionou que pelo menos duas atividades são afetadas. No que se refere aos medicamentos as opções mais utilizadas para o controlo dos sintomas são os anti-histamínicos orais, os descongestionantes nasais, os anti-histamínicos intranasais e a solução salina, e constatou-se uma predominância da periocidade de toma “diariamente (ou quase diariamente) quando estou com sintomas”. Ao longo do estudo os profissionais de saúde foram sempre considerados as maiores influências na gestão da RA. As considerações relativas à Covid-19 e o seu impacto na gestão da RA foram discordantes. A segunda parte descreve as atividades desenvolvidas durante o estágio curricular em farmácia comunitária realizado na Farmácia Parente, entre 7 de fevereiro a 17 de junho de 2022. Este capítulo descreve todas funções do farmacêutico comunitário que tive oportunidade de experienciar, as mesmas encontram-se segmentadas em duas áreas, o trabalho de backoffice e o atendimento ao público. No backoffice realizei diversas atividades tais como aquisição, receção e armazenamento de encomendas, devolução de produtos, marcação de preços, controlo dos prazos de validade, entre outras tarefas. No atendimento ao público dispensei variados medicamentos/produtos de saúde e procurei efetuar sempre um aconselhamento individualizado para cada utente, promovendo a adesão à terapêutica e fornecendo informações sobre o modo de utilização, posologia, duração do tratamento, indicações de conservação, possíveis efeitos adversos e o uso seguro e racional dos medicamentos/ produtos de saúde. Adicionalmente, tive a oportunidade de colaborar ativamente nos serviços farmacêuticos disponibilizados na farmácia, nomeadamente na medição de parâmetros fisiológicos e bioquímicos e na preparação individualizada da medicação. O estágio permitiu-me consolidar e aplicar os conhecimentos adquiridos ao longo da formação académica e aprender mais sobre o funcionamento da farmácia e as funções e competências do farmacêutico.