66 research outputs found

    An Informational Algorithm as the Basis for Perception-Action Control of the Instantaneous Axes of the Knee

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    Traditional locomotion studies emphasize an optimization of the desired movement trajectories while ignoring sensory feedback. We propose an information based theory that locomotion is neither triggered nor commanded but controlled. The basis for this control is the information derived from perceiving oneself in the world. Control therefore lies in the human-environment system. In order to test this hypothesis, we derived a mathematical foundation characterizing the energy that is required to perform a rotational twist, with small amplitude, of the instantaneous axes of the knee (IAK). We have found that the joint’s perception of the ground reaction force may be replaced by the co-perception of muscle activation with appropriate intensities. This approach generated an accurate comparison with known joint forces and appears appropriate in so far as predicting the effect on the knee when it is free to twist about the IAK

    Building new indicators for researchers’ careers and mobility based on electronic curriculum vitae : the case of the DeGóis Platform

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    (Excerto) It is currently managed by FCT (Council for Science and Technology), which by Law is required to continuously promoting the advancement of scientific and technological knowledge in Portugal, exploring opportunities that become available in any scientific or technological domain to attain the highest international standards in the creation of knowledge, and to stimulate their diffusion and contribution to improve education, health, environment, and the quality of life and well being of the general public. This mission is mainly accomplished through the financing subsequent to the evaluation of the merit of proposals presented by institutions, research teams or individuals in public open calls, and through cooperation agreements and other forms of support in partnership with universities and other public or private institutions. The results of the activities of FCT are, in essence, the additional contributions of individuals, research groups and institutions who have been awarded financing

    HIV testing: knowledge, meanings and experiencesof pregnant women

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    Objective: To learn the knowledge, meanings and experiences of pregnant women on anti-HIV serological testing during pregnancy. Methods: This was an exploratory qualitative study was conducted in five Basic Health Units Iguatu, Ceará, with 20 pregnant women through semi-structured interview in December 2010and January 2011, after signing the agreement. We used analysis technique of the content. Results: Knowledge of the purpose of the review was limited by some, but attributed meanings representing maternal instinct, social responsibility and prevention of vertical transmission. All serology performed without difficulties of access, although some did not want to do it for fear of discovery of the disease. Conclusion: It is considered that these rological testis always offered to minimize the transmission of HIV

    Diabetic rats lose A2A receptor-mediated facilitation of ileal myenteric cholinergic neurotransmission

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    Enteric dysmotility is a long-term complication of Diabetes mellitus that causes significant discomfort in 76% of diabetic outpatients. Knowing that purines may be involved in synaptic transmission modifications in the CNS of diabetic rats, we decided to investigate if purinergic dysfunction could also play a role in diabetic enteric neuropathy in rats.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Cardiac molecular remodeling by anticancer drugs: Doxorubicin affects more metabolism while mitoxantrone impacts more autophagy in adult CD-1 male mice

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    Doxorubicin (DOX) and mitoxantrone (MTX) are classical chemotherapeutic agents used in cancer that induce similar clinical cardiotoxic effects, although it is not clear if they share similar underlying molecular mechanisms. We aimed to assess the effects of DOX and MTX on the cardiac remodeling, focusing mainly on metabolism and autophagy. Adult male CD-1 mice received pharmacologically relevant cumulative doses of DOX (18 mg/kg) and MTX (6 mg/kg). Both DOX and MTX disturbed cardiac metabolism, decreasing glycolysis, and increasing the dependency on fatty acids (FA) oxidation, namely, through decreased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) content and decreased free carnitine (C0) and increased acetylcarnitine (C2) concentration. Additionally, DOX heavily influenced glycolysis, oxidative metabolism, and amino acids turnover by exclusively decreasing phosphofructokinase (PFKM) and electron transfer flavoprotein-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETFDH) content, and the concentration of several amino acids. Conversely, both drugs downregulated autophagy given by the decreased content of autophagy protein 5 (ATG5) and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3B), with MTX having also an impact on Beclin1. These results emphasize that DOX and MTX modulate cardiac remodeling differently, despite their clinical similarities, which is of paramount importance for future treatments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    P-glycoprotein activation by 1-(propan-2-ylamino)-4-propoxy-9H-thioxanthen-9-one (TX5) in rat distal ileum: ex vivo and in vivo studies

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    In vitro studies showed that 1-(propan-2-ylamino)-4-propoxy-9H-thioxanthen-9-one (TX5) increases P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression and activity in Caco-2 cells, preventing xenobiotic toxicity. The present study aimed at investigating TX5 effects on P-gp expression/activity using Wistar Han rats: a) in vivo, evaluating intestinal P-gp activity; b) ex vivo, evaluating P-gp expression in ileum brush border membranes (BBM) and P-gp activity in everted intestinal sacs; c) ex vivo, evaluating P-gp activity in everted intestinal sacs of the distal and proximal ileum. TX5 (30 mg/kg, b.w.), gavage, activated P-gp in vivo, given the significant decrease in the AUC of digoxin (0.25 mg/kg, b.w.). The efflux of rhodamine 123 (300 μM), a P-gp fluorescent substrate, significantly increased in TX5-treated everted sacs from the distal portion of the rat ileum, when P-gp activity was evaluated in the presence of TX5 (20 μM), an effect abolished by the P-gp inhibitor verapamil (100 μM). No increases on P-gp expression or activity were found in TX5-treated BBM of the distal ileum and everted distal sacs, respectively, 24 h after TX5 (10 mg/kg, b.w.) administration. In vivo, no differences were found on digoxin portal concentration between control (digoxin 0.025 mg/kg, b.w., intraduodenal) and TX5-treated (digoxin+TX5 20 μM, intraduodenal) rats. The observed discrepancies in digoxin results can be related to differences in TX5 dose administered and used methodologies. Thus, the results show that TX5 activates P-gp at the distal portion of the rat ileum, and, at the higher dose tested (30 mg/kg, b.w.), seems to modulate in vivo the AUC of P-gp substrates.Fil: Rocha-Pereira, Carolina. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Ghanem, Carolina Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas; ArgentinaFil: Silva, Renata. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Casanova, Alfredo G.. Universidad de Salamanca; EspañaFil: Duarte Araújo, Margarida. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Gonçalves Monteiro, Salomé. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Sousa, Emília. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Bastos, Maria de Lourdes. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Remião, Fernando. Universidad de Porto; Portuga

    Pullulan microneedle patches for the efficient transdermal administration of insulin envisioning diabetes treatment

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    The present study reports the fabrication of dissolvable microneedle (MN) patches using pullulan (PL), a water-soluble polysaccharide with excellent film-forming ability, for the transdermal administration of insulin, envisioning the non-invasive treatment of diabetes. PL MNs patches were successfully prepared by micromoulding and revealed good thermal stability (Tdmax = 294 °C) and mechanical properties (>0.15 N needle-1), penetrating skin up to 381 μm depth, as revealed by in vitro skin tests. After application into human abdominal skin in vitro, the MNs dissolved within 2 h releasing up to 87% of insulin. When stored at 4, 20 and 40 °C for 4 weeks, insulin was able to retain its secondary structure, as shown by circular dichroism spectropolarimetry. The prepared PL MNs were non-cytotoxic towards human keratinocytes, being suitable for skin application. These findings suggest that PL MNs have potential to deliver insulin transdermally, thus avoiding its subcutaneous administration.publishe

    Boas práticas para a promoção da sustentabilidade no ensino e curricula nas instituições de ensino superior

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    Reconhece-se que a sustentabilidade é um conceito interdisciplinar vital (Siller et al., 2022) e um dos maiores desafios que se colocam, não só atualmente, mas também às sociedades futuras (Suárez-López & Eugenio-Gozalbo, 2022). Por esse motivo, é necessária uma maior ênfase e enquadramento no ensino e curricula das Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES), motivando definir estratégias de aprendizagem que possibilitem preparar os e as estudantes para uma melhor consciencialização dos temas da sustentabilidade nas suas várias dimensões. Incluir a sustentabilidade nas políticas da educação é imperioso e reflete o reconhecimento dos particulares desafios, bem como das oportunidades que o novo século apresenta, impondo-se que os curricula permitam transmissão de conhecimento, valores e competências, de forma multidimensional, alinhada com a cidadania global. Num estudo realizado com Universidades públicas em Portugal, Farinha et. al (2020) concluíram que existem várias iniciativas relacionadas com a educação para a sustentabilidade, resultando principalmente da proatividade das IES, avançando cada uma a seu ritmo e de forma isolada, apesar de haver redes de colaboração entre docentes e investigadores. É neste espírito colaborativo que a Rede Campus Sustentável (RCS) desenvolve a sua atividade e realizou, em 2021, um inquérito no qual foi possível recolher informação sobre boas práticas para a promoção da sustentabilidade no ensino e curricula das IES portuguesas (Madeira et. al, 2022). Neste levantamento (N=30), alguns dos tópicos abordados foram a/o: i) promoção da revisão e melhoria dos curricula dos ciclos de estudos para integração da sustentabilidade; ii) promoção do desenvolvimento de competências em sustentabilidade na oferta formativa; iii) apoio dado aos e às docentes na promoção de competências em sustentabilidade nas unidades curriculares (UCs) que lecionam; iv) existência de outros espaços/ instalações, que não salas de aulas, onde decorram atividades letivas ou extracurriculares sobre sustentabilidadeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    A colecção de estirpes autóctones de Saccharomyces cerevisiae das principais regiões vitivinícolas portuguesas

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    Apresentação efectuada no "Simpósio de Vitivinicultura do Alentejo, 7, Évora, 2010"A levedura Saccharomyces cerevisiae é caracterizada por uma elevada variabilidade fenotípica, que está associada à ocorrência de estirpes em habitats naturais diversificados. Em trabalhos anteriores, demonstrámos a elevada diversidade de estirpes isoladas a partir de ambientes vitivinícolas na Região dos Vinhos Verdes, bem como a ocorrência de estirpes características para cada terroir. A recolha de estirpes autóctones foi alargada a outras regiões (Alentejo, Açores, Bairrada, Dão, Douro, Estremadura e Ribatejo), incluindo as castas mais representativas (Alvarinho, Aragonês, Arinto, Avesso, Baga, Bical, Castelão, Loureiro, Maria Gomes, Terrantez, Touriga Nacional e Verdelho). Pelo uso de diferentes marcadores moleculares foram identificadas 662 estirpes a partir dos 4470 isolados recolhidos. A colecção de S. cerevisiae de ambientes vitivinícolas é utilizada para a selecção de estirpes mais apropriadas para vinificação e que realçam as propriedades sensoriais características. Adicionalmente, constitui um recurso para a conservação da biodiversidade e partilha de dados genéticos.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Programa Operacional Ciência e Inovação POCI2010 , POCI/AGR/56102/2004), PTDC(AGR-ALI/103392/2008)Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT)Direcção Regional para a Ciência e Tecnologia (DRCT
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