Cannabis: the new trendy ingredient in skincare

Trabalho Final de Mestrado Integrado, Ciências Farmacêuticas, 2021, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia.Cannabis sativa L. é uma planta utilizada há milhares de anos com múltiplos e variados objetivos, desde o fornecimento de fibras, alimento, óleo, mas também para fins medicinais, fins recreativos e/ou religiosos. Nos últimos anos tem-se verificado um aumento no interesse pelas aplicações terapêuticas e cosméticas da cannabis e dos seus constituintes, o que se pode justificar tanto pelas constantes descobertas do seu valor terapêutico no tratamento de várias doenças, como pelas suas inúmeras aplicações como precursor ou agente de soluções ecológicas para o desenvolvimento sustentável em várias indústrias, uma preocupação que é muito atual. A utilização de C sativa L. em dermatologia tem sido cada vez mais estudada e documentada, revelando um imenso potencial no tratamento de uma grande variedade de distúrbios da pele, e identificando vários mecanismos através dos quais esta planta, e especialmente os seus canabinóides, têm a capacidade de apurar a função protetora da pele, e de controlar as respostas inflamatórias e neuroendócrinas na pele danificada. Tendo em consideração estas mais recentes tendências, esta monografia irá incluir uma visão geral da Cannabis sativa L, e posteriormente focar-se-á nas suas aplicações em dermatologia, descrevendo os mecanismos de ação do sistema endocanabinóde na pele, associando-os à patologia das doenças inflamatórias da pele mais prevalentes. Por último, irá ser realizada uma análise das terapêuticas atualmente disponíveis e perspetivas futuras da utilização da Cannabis sativa L. no tratamento de doenças dermatológicas, bem como uma pesquisa sobre as suas possíveis e potenciais aplicações cosméticas, de forma a proporcionar uma visão atualizada da cannabis e do seu mercado em constante evolução.Cannabis sativa L. has been used for millennia due to multiple and diverse purposes, such as providing for fibres, food, oil, medicine, but also for recreational and/or religious practices. Recent years have registered an increasing interest in therapeutic and cosmetic applications for cannabis and its constituents, which can be justified by the continuous research of its therapeutic activities value in several diseases, and also because it can be used as an environmentally friendly component and sustainable development in numerous industries, which is a very current concern. Recently, the usefulness of Cannabis sativa L. in dermatology has been explored and documented, revealing an enormous therapeutic potential for the treatment of numerous skin conditions. Several studies have reported various ways this plant, and especially its cannabinoid components, can improve the skin's function as a protective barrier, and modulate inflammatory and neuroendocrine responses in damaged skin. This monograph comprises an overview on Cannabis sativa L, then it discusses its applications in dermatology and describes the mechanisms of the endocannabinoid system in the skin, and how these relate with the most prevalent inflammatory skin diseases. Last, a review on the current available therapies and future prospects using Cannabis sativa L. for skin disorders, and on existing and developing cosmetic applications will be presented, to provide an update on the ever-evolving cannabis market

actual situation and future perspectives.

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Sustainable Food Packaging with Chitosan Biofilm Reinforced with Nanocellulose and Essential Oils

Funding Information: Nsewolo Samba would like to thank for grant number BIU114-M and the financial support received from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia for the funding of the FibEnTech-UBI Research Unit, project UIDB/00195/2020. This research was funded by national funding by the FCT, Foundation for Science and Technology, through the individual research grants of Carolina Rodrigues (2020.04441.BD) and João R.A. Pires (SFRH/BD/144346/2019). This work was also supported by the Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center—MEtRICs, which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/04077/2020 and UIDP/04077/2020). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.Active packaging with biobased polymers aim to extend the shelf life of food and to improve the environmental sustainability of the food industry. This new concept was tested with samples of fresh poultry meat wrapped with chitosan reinforced with 2.5% of commercial nanocellulose (NC) incorporating 1% of essential oils (EO) from Aloysia citrodora (ACEO) and Cymbopogon citratus (CCEO). The performance of the bionanocomposites containing EOs was assessed and compared with unwrapped meat samples and samples wrapped with chitosan/NC, during a 13 day period of refrigerated storage for several physicochemical parameters related to food deterioration and microbial growth. Wrapping the meat with the chitosan/NC polymer helped to increase the shelf life of the meat. The incorporation of EOs added extra activity to the biocomposites, further delaying the meat deterioration process, by halting the lipid oxidation and the Enterobactereaceae growth until the 9th day. The composition of both EOs was similar, with the main components contributing to the increased activity of the biopolymers being geranial and neral. The performance of ACEO surpassed that of CCEO, namely on the Enterobactereaceae growth. This trend may be associated with ACEO’s higher phenolic content and the higher antioxidant activity of the compounds released by the ACEO biopolymers.publishersversionpublishe

Phase Competitions behind the Giant Magnetic Entropy Variation: Gd5Si2Ge2 and Tb5Si2Ge2 Case Studies

Magnetic materials with strong spin-lattice coupling are a powerful set of candidates for multifunctional applications because of their multiferroic, magnetocaloric (MCE), magnetostrictive and magnetoresistive effects. In these materials there is a strong competition between two states (where a state comprises an atomic and an associated magnetic structure) that leads to the occurrence of phase transitions under subtle variations of external parameters, such as temperature, magnetic field and hydrostatic pressure. In this review a general method combining detailed magnetic measurements/analysis and first principles calculations with the purpose of estimating the phase transition temperature is presented with the help of two examples (Gd5Si2Ge2 and Tb5Si2Ge2). It is demonstrated that such method is an important tool for a deeper understanding of the (de)coupled nature of each phase transition in the materials belonging to the R5(Si,Ge)4 family and most possibly can be applied to other systems. The exotic Griffiths-like phase in the framework of the R5(SixGe1-x)4 compounds is reviewed and its generalization as a requisite for strong phase competitions systems that present large magneto-responsive properties is proposed

Artistas sobre outras obras

Ninguém vive sem passar uma parte muito importante da sua vida fazendo tarefas sem nada de especial, ou habitando espaços quotidianos, caseiros, sem muito interesse. E, contudo, essas ações constituem a identidade profunda, a singularidade radica na banalidade. Na maior parte do tempo, os humanos têm pouco interesse, ocupados em repetir gestos e funções vitais. Convivemos com a alienação há pouco tempo: ela é denunciada na sociedade industrial através da relação prioritária do homem com os objetos, e pela redução crescente da relação do homem consigo próprio, e com os seus semelhantes. O homem, mais rico, hoje, é no fundo muito mais pobre. Assim se apontem instâncias de auto-descolonização, de reflexão, de resistência, de libertação, de emancipação: a arte pode ser uma delas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Real-Time PCR in HIV/Trypanosoma cruzi Coinfection with and without Chagas Disease Reactivation: Association with HIV Viral Load and CD4+ Level

Chagas disease is endemic in Latin America and is caused by the flagellate protozoan T. cruzi. The acute phase is asymptomatic in the majority of the cases and rarely causes inflammation of the heart or the central nervous system. Most infected patients progress to a chronic phase, characterized by cardiac or digestive involvement when not asymptomatic. However, when patients are also exposed to an immunosuppressant (such as chemotherapy), neoplasia, or other infections such as HIV, T. cruzi infection may develop into a severe disease (Chagas disease reactivation) involving the heart and central nervous system. The current microscopic methods for diagnosing Chagas disease reactivation are not sensitive enough to prevent the high rate of death observed in these cases. Therefore, we propose a quantitative method to monitor blood levels of the parasite, which will allow therapy to be administered as early as possible, even if the patient has not yet presented symptoms

High anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroconversion rates before the second wave in Manaus, Brazil, and the protective effect of social behaviour measures: results from the prospective DETECTCoV-19 cohort

Background: The city of Manaus, Brazil, has seen two collapses of the health system due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We report anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG antibody seroconversion rates and associated risk factors in Manaus residents before the second wave of the epidemic in Brazil. Methods: A convenience sample of adult (aged ≥18 years) residents of Manaus was recruited through online and university website advertising into the DETECTCoV-19 study cohort. The current analysis of seroconversion included a subgroup of DETECTCoV-19 participants who had at least two serum sample collections separated by at least 4 weeks between Aug 19 and Oct 2, 2020 (visit 1), and Oct 19 and Nov 27, 2020 (visit 2). Those who reported (or had no data on) having a COVID-19 diagnosis before visit 1, and who were positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG antibodies at visit 1 were excluded. Using an in-house ELISA, the reactivity index (RI; calculated as the optical density ratio of the sample to the negative control) for serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG antibodies was measured at both visits. We calculated the incidence of seroconversion (defined as RI values ≤1·5 at visit 1 and ≥1·5 at visit 2, and a ratio >2 between the visit 2 and visit 1 RI values) during the study period, as well as incidence rate ratios (IRRs) through cluster-corrected and adjusted Poisson regression models to analyse associations between seroconversion and variables related to sociodemographic characteristics, health access, comorbidities, COVID-19 exposure, protective behaviours, and symptoms. Findings: 2496 DETECTCoV-19 cohort participants returned for a follow-up visit between Oct 19 and Nov 27, 2020, of whom 204 reported having COVID-19 before the first visit and 24 had no data regarding previous disease status. 559 participants were seropositive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG antibodies at baseline. Of the remaining 1709 participants who were seronegative at baseline, 71 did not meet the criteria for seroconversion and were excluded from the analyses. Among the remaining 1638 participants who were seronegative at baseline, 214 showed seroconversion at visit 2. The seroconversion incidence was 13·06% (95% CI 11·52–14·79) overall and 6·78% (5·61–8·10) for symptomatic seroconversion, over a median follow-up period of 57 days (IQR 54–61). 48·1% of seroconversion events were estimated to be asymptomatic. The sample had higher proportions of affluent and higher-educated people than those reported for the Manaus city population. In the fully adjusted and corrected model, risk factors for seroconversion before visit 2 were having a COVID-19 case in the household (IRR 1·49 [95% CI 1·21–1·83]), not wearing a mask during contact with a person with COVID-19 (1·25 [1·09–1·45]), relaxation of physical distancing (1·31 [1·05–1·64]), and having flu-like symptoms (1·79 [1·23–2·59]) or a COVID-19 diagnosis (3·57 [2·27–5·63]) between the first and second visits, whereas working remotely was associated with lower incidence (0·74 [0·56–0·97]). Interpretation: An intense infection transmission period preceded the second wave of COVID-19 in Manaus. Several modifiable behaviours increased the risk of seroconversion, including non-compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions measures such as not wearing a mask during contact, relaxation of protective measures, and non-remote working. Increased testing in high-transmission areas is needed to provide timely information about ongoing transmission and aid appropriate implementation of transmission mitigation measures. Funding: Ministry of Education, Brazil; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas; Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/WHO.World Health OrganizationRevisión por pare

Burden of disease attributable to risk factors in European countries: a scoping literature review

Objectives: Within the framework of the burden of disease (BoD) approach, disease, and injury burden estimates attributable to risk factors are a useful guide for policy formulation and priority setting in disease prevention. Considering the important differences in methods, and their impact on burden estimates, we conducted a scoping literature review to: (1) map the BoD assessments including risk factors performed across Europe, and (2) identify the methodological choices in comparative risk assessment (CRA) and risk assessment methods. Methods: We searched multiple literature databases, including grey literature websites, and targeted public health agencies' websites. Results: A total of 113 studies were included in the synthesis and further divided into independent BoD assessments (54 studies) and studies linked to the Global Burden of Disease (59 papers). Our results showed that the methods used to perform CRA varied substantially across independent European BoD studies. While there were some methodological choices that were more common than others, we did not observe patterns in terms of country, year, or risk factor. Each methodological choice can affect the comparability of estimates between and within countries and/or risk factors since they might significantly influence the quantification of the attributable burden. From our analysis, we observed that the use of CRA was less common for some types of risk factors and outcomes. These included environmental and occupational risk factors, which are more likely to use bottom-up approaches for health outcomes where disease envelopes may not be available. Conclusions: Our review also highlighted misreporting, the lack of uncertainty analysis, and the under-investigation of causal relationships in BoD studies. Development and use of guidelines for performing and reporting BoD studies will help understand differences, and avoid misinterpretations thus improving comparability among estimates.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Burden of disease attributable to risk factors in European countries: a scoping literature review

Objectives: Within the framework of the burden of disease (BoD) approach, disease, and injury burden estimates attributable to risk factors are a useful guide for policy formulation and priority setting in disease prevention. Considering the important differences in methods, and their impact on burden estimates, we conducted a scoping literature review to: (1) map the BoD assessments including risk factors performed across Europe, and (2) identify the methodological choices in comparative risk assessment (CRA) and risk assessment methods. Methods: We searched multiple literature databases, including grey literature websites, and targeted public health agencies' websites. Results: A total of 113 studies were included in the synthesis and further divided into independent BoD assessments (54 studies) and studies linked to the Global Burden of Disease (59 papers). Our results showed that the methods used to perform CRA varied substantially across independent European BoD studies. While there were some methodological choices that were more common than others, we did not observe patterns in terms of country, year, or risk factor. Each methodological choice can affect the comparability of estimates between and within countries and/or risk factors since they might significantly influence the quantification of the attributable burden. From our analysis, we observed that the use of CRA was less common for some types of risk factors and outcomes. These included environmental and occupational risk factors, which are more likely to use bottom-up approaches for health outcomes where disease envelopes may not be available. Conclusions: Our review also highlighted misreporting, the lack of uncertainty analysis, and the under-investigation of causal relationships in BoD studies. Development and use of guidelines for performing and reporting BoD studies will help understand differences, and avoid misinterpretations thus improving comparability among estimates.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Anais do V Encontro Brasileiro de Educomunicação: Educação midiática e políticas públicas

A presente coletânea, que chega ao público através de um suporte digital, tem como objetivo disponibilizar os papers, bem como os relatos de experiências educomunicativas apresentados durante o V ENCONTRO BRASILEIRO DE EDUCOMUNICAÇÃO, que teve como tema central: “Educação Midiática e Políticas Públicas”. O evento foi realizado em São Paulo, entre 19 e 21 de setembro de 2013, a partir de uma parceria entre o NCE/USP - Núcleo de Comunicação e Educação da USP, a Licenciatura em Educomunicação da ECA/USP, a ABPEducom – Associação Brasileira de Pesquisadores e Profissionais da Educomunicação e a FAPCOM – Faculdade Paulus de Tecnologia e Comunicação, que ofereceu seu campus, na Vila Mariana, para os atos do evento. Os presentes anais disponibilizam o texto de abertura, de autoria do coordenador geral do evento, denominado “Educação midiática e políticas públicas: vertentes históricas da emergência da Educomunicação na América Latina”. Na sequência, apresentam 61 papers sobre aspectos específicos da temática geral, resultantes de pesquisas na área, seguidos de 27 relatos de práticas educomunicativas, em nível nacional