At plant, from lab bench to bedside: A translational approach

Extracts, infusions, or other types of preparations from medicinal plants have been used since ancient times for the treatment of several diseases, in what is commonly designated as folk medicine. In recent years, science has proven that some plant extracts, fractions or specific compounds may have an important role as drug sources with relevant properties. In this work, particular emphasis will be given to neuroprotection, antiinflammatory and skin healing properties of specific plants extracts/ compounds in in vitro as well as in vivo models. New approaches, including nanotechnology, will be addressed. Based on specific extracts some particular topical formulations were developed, used in real situations for skin problems like psoriasis, pressure ulcers, and chronic wounds. The synergy of the properties of selected plant constituents, gave very positive results associated with a high degree of skin hydration, contributing to cell regeneration. In all cases, after repeated applications, notorious improvements or complete treatment were observed, without significant side effects.This work was supported by national funds from FCT—Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the projects PTDC/AGR-ALI/105169/2008, PEst-OE/AGR/UI4033/2014, and INTERACT—ISAC project, no. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000017, cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through NORTE 2020 (North Regional Operational Program 2014/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wound healing and antimicrobial activities of topical formulations containing natural products and their nananoparticles

Extracts, infusions, or other types of preparations from medicinal plants have been used since ancient times for the treatment of several diseases, in what is commonly designated as "folk medicine". In recent years, science has proven that some plant extracts, fractions or specific compounds may have an important role as drug sources with relevant properties. In this work, particular emphasis will be given to antimicrobial and healing properties of specific plants/compounds in in vitro as well as in vivo models. New approaches, including nanotechnology, will be addressed. Based on specific plants some particular cosmeceutical formulations were developed, used in clinical practice for skin problems, namely recalcitrant injuries, diabetic foot, sores and scars. The synergy of the properties of selected plant constituents, gave very positive results associated with a high degree of skin hydration, contributing to cell regeneration. In all cases, after repeated applications, notorious improvements or complete treatment were observed, without significant side effects. Formulations revealed to be associated to a high degree of skin hydration, cellular skin regeneration, and antimicrobial activity. The results demonstrated, at least, a similar effectiveness when comparing to the conventional treatments. Based on scientific knowledge it was possible to produce cosmecuticals of vegetable origin, with high quality and established bioactivities. Acknowledgements This work is supported by national funds from FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the projects PTDC/AGR­ALI/105169/2008 and PEst­OE/AGR/UI4033/2014, and INTERACT project – “Integrative Research in Environment, Agro-Chains and Technology”, no. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000017This work is supported by national funds from FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the projects PTDC/AGR-ALI/105169/2008 and PEst-OE/AGR/UI4033/2014, and INTERACT project – “Integrative Research in Environment, Agro-Chains and Technology”, no. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000017info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of the use of occlusal splints on the neuromuscular function

Dispositivos orais, tais como as goteiras, têm sido promovidos como um meio para aumentar a performance desportiva. As goteiras promovem variações na posição do maxilar e como conseguinte criam alterações na articulação temporomandibular (ATM) e nos músculos masticatórios. Estudos têm sido feitos sobre os seus efeitos, a nível neuromuscular e fisiológico, para determinar as mudanças causadas pela sua utilização. Contudo, devido à escassez de estudos nesta área, bem como a lacunas nas metodologias usadas, não é possível dar uma resposta definitiva sobre a possível influência das goteiras na capacidade neuromuscular e na performance desportiva. Deste modo, o objetivo desta tese foi determinar os efeitos agudos da utilização de goteiras em diferentes aspetos da função neuromuscular. Para tal, cinco estudos foram realizados: 1) Uma revisão sistemática, que revelou evidências do efeito positivo das goteiras em tarefas isométricas do trem superior, para sujeitos destreinados; 2) Um estudo que demonstrou que as goteiras melhoram a força e atividade muscular em tarefas isocinéticas do trem superior, para sujeitos destreinados; 3) Um estudo que determinou que, em jogadores de rugby, as goteiras não aumentaram a força do trem superior num movimento balístico, mas com protetores bocais customizados aumentavam o pico de força e o pico de aceleração, embora outros parâmetros de força e potência não tenham sido afetados; 4) Um estudo que analisou a oscilação do corpo na marcha e corrida através da análise cinemática e não encontrou diferenças em função da utilização de goteiras; e 5) Um estudo que observou a oscilação do centro de pressão, a atividade EMG de músculos do membro superior e a precisão no alvo de atletas do tiro enquanto utilizavam goteiras e não encontrou diferenças em nenhum dos parâmetros. O efeito ergogénico das goteiras, ocorreu de forma clara em ações de força dinâmica do trem superior e em sujeitos destreinados. Protetores bocais customizados, que reposicionam em atletas treinados a ATM numa posição idêntica ás goteiras, melhoraram alguns parâmetros de força e aceleração em movimentos balísticos do trem superior, mas não afetaram outros parâmetros. Futuras investigações devem confirmar estas hipóteses, bem como averiguar o efeito a longo prazo da utilização de goteiras.Oral appliances, such as occlusal splints (OS), have been advocated as a mean to improve high-level sports performance. OS promote variations in jaw position and therefore create a change in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and on the masticatory muscles. They have been a subject of research, at neuromuscular and physiological level, to determined changes derived from the use of such devices. However, due to a paucity of research studies, and limitations on the used methods in the performed studies, it is not possible to give a correct and definite answer to the possible influence of OS on neuromuscular function and in the human sports performance. Therefore, this thesis aimed to ascertain the acute effects of occlusal splints on neuromuscular function. Five studies were conducted to achieve this purpose: 1) a systematic review, which revealed evidence of the effects of OS in upper body isometric tasks, for untrained healthy subjects; 2) a study that showed that OS enhance strength and muscle activity in upper body isokinetic tasks for untrained subjects; 3) a study which determined that for rugby athletes, OS did not increase strength in an upper body power movement, but a customized mouthguard increased peak force and peak acceleration despite other force and power did not change; 4) a study that analyzed kinematic body oscillation in gait and running and found no changes when using OS; and 5) a study that found no changes in body sway, EMG from upper limb muscles and shooting accuracy in pistol shooters while using OS. The ergogenic effect of OS was found in the dynamic strength performed by untrained subjects. Customized mouthguards, that reposition, for trained athletes, TMJ in an identical position as OS, increased some parameters of strength and acceleration but did not change other parameters. Future research should confirm these findings, while also determining the long-term effect of using OS

Long-Term Hourly Scenario Generation for Correlated Wind and Solar Power combining Variational Autoencoders with Radial Basis Function Kernels

Accurate generation of realistic future scenarios of renewable energy generation is crucial for long-term planning and operation of electrical systems, especially considering the increasing focus on sustainable energy and the growing penetration of renewable generation in energy matrices. These predictions enable power system operators and energy planners to effectively manage the variability and intermittency associated with renewable generation, allowing for better grid stability, improved energy management, and enhanced decision-making processes. In this paper, we propose an innovative method for generating long-term hourly scenarios for wind and solar power generation, taking into consideration the correlation between these two energy sources. To achieve this, we combine the capabilities of a Variational Autoencoder (VAE) with the additional benefits of incorporating the Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernel in our artificial neural network architecture. By incorporating them, we aim to obtain a latent space with improved regularization properties. To evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed method, we conduct experiments in a representative study scenario, utilizing real-world wind and solar power generation data from the Brazil system. We compare the scenarios generated by our model with the observed data and with other sets of scenarios produced by a conventional VAE architecture. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can generate long-term hourly scenarios for wind and solar power generation that are highly correlated, accurately capturing the temporal and spatial characteristics of these energy sources. Taking advantage of the benefits of RBF in obtaining a well-regularized latent space, our approach offers improved accuracy and robustness in generating long-term hourly scenarios for renewable energy generation

Study of the leaching process of precious metals from waste electrical and electronic equipment

The development of modern society is anchored in the advancement of technology, and as a collateral consequence, waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is increasing rapidly. This alarming trend poses a serious concern for the depletion of our planet's resources, as the extraction of elements such as metals from the Earth's crust intensifies, pollution and stress on ecosystems increases. Nevertheless, WEEE still hold significant potential, particularly in recycling valuable elements like precious metals and base metals. Recycling these materials can offer substantial economic and environmental benefits, making it a crucial aspect in the circular economy. Common processes for metal recovery from WEEE often rely on classic establish techniques such as pyrometallurgy, which raises concerns about energy consumption and pollution, or classic hydrometallurgy, using aggressive solvents harmful to humans and the environment leading stakeholders to seek alternatives, more eco-friendly lixiviants to ensure sustainable and responsible metal recovery. The work intended to shed some light in the leaching ability of more sustainable agents on printed circuit boards (PCB) and compare their efficiency in the leaching process with classical approaches. Silver recovery from Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) using thiourea, thiosulfate and sulfuric acid as leaching agents, was studied to compare the effectiveness of alternative leaching agents and validate the methodology. Quantification was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy and AAS atomic absorption spectroscopy. Sulfuric acid as predicted was the most effective lixiviant (99,7% yield) followed by Ammonium thiosulfate (72,5% yield) on silver powder samples. In PCBs and complex samples, the use of thiosulfate and thiourea solutions for silver extraction, under the tested conditions, did not show promising results, requiring more studies

A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF PUBLICATIONS IN STUDIES OF THE BIOINDICATOR SPECIES OF HUMAN IMPACTS Emerita brasiliensis SCHMITT, 1935 (DECAPODA: HIPPIDAE) IN 20 YEARS

This work corresponds to an analysis of the scientific production on the species Emerita brasiliensis Schmitt, 1935 through bibliometric indicators. Emerita brasiliensis is a decapod crustacean belonging to the Hippidae family. This species inhabits the intertidal benthic zone of beaches and, despite being distributed in great abundance along the Brazilian coast, has been suffering anthropic impacts on its habitat. The research object was chosen due to the need to understand the level of knowledge about the characteristics of this organism, which point to it as a potential bioindicator, in addition to having great ecological importance on sandy beaches and having considerable relevance in marine food chains. Bibliometric research is a method of quantitative analysis on a given subject. Through this method, it was possible to detect different lines of research on the subject, recognize limitations and determine patterns to research on this species. The collected data expose the contribution of the scientific community to that area of study. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the scientific production on the species Emerita brasiliensis based on the analysis of articles published in journals or conference proceedings indexed in the Scopus database. The amount of information collected corresponds to a search of articles published over the 20 years (1981-2021).

Wound healing and antimicrobial activities of cosmeceuticals containing natural products and their nananoparticles: A translational approach

Extracts, infusions, or other types of preparations from medicinal plants have been used for the treatment of various diseases, in what is commonly designated as "folk medicine". In recent years, science has prove that some plant extracts, fractions or specific compounds may have an important role as drug sources with relevant properties. Over the last years the incorporation of natural products, particularly plant based products, in cosmeceuticals has also increased. In this work, particular emphasis will be given to antimicrobial and wound healing properties of specific plants/compounds incorporated in some cosmeceuticals. New approaches, including nanotechnology, will be addressed. Based on specific plant extracts and oils it was possible to develop some particular cosmeceuticals used clinicaly. These formulations were applied into adult volunteers (more then 150) with skin disorders, namely skin burns, recalcitrant wounds, and psoriasis. The synergy of the properties of the plant extracts and oils, in specific treatment situations, resulted in very positive results. In all cases, after repeated applications, notorious improvements or complete treatment were observed, without side effects. The action of the formulations revealed to be associated to a high degree of skin hydration, cellular skin regeneration, and antimicrobial activity. The results demonstrated, at least, a similar effectiveness when comparing to the conventional treatments.This work is supported by national funds from FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the projects PTDC/AGR­ALI/105169/2008 and PEst­OE/AGR/UI4033/2014.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Proposta de uma plataforma de integração para a administração pública

Neste artigo propomos uma plataforma genérica para a integração de serviços na administração pública. Trata-se de uma plataforma simples, versátil e segura, que se baseia em tecnologias normalizadas e facilmente disponíveis, como sejam o XML (Extensible Markup Language), o HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), o SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) e o PKI. (Public Key Infrastructure). A plataforma facilita a integração na administração pública tanto por via da coordenação de serviços no front-office como por via da integração de processos no back-office; suporta o desenvolvimento de balcões únicos de acesso, reais ou virtuais; e permite a prestação concorrente de serviços, a organização por acontecimentos da vida, a existência de prestadores concorrentes e a integração de diferentes canais de atendimento