Muito Mais que um jogo - Consultadoria em psicologia do desporto numa equipa de futebol de Formação

Relatório de Estágio apresentado para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Psicologia do Desporto e do Exercíci

The role of iron related gene variants in liver disease severity and iron metabolism parameters in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with direct-acting antivirals

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is usually associated with iron overload, which may modulate the severity of liver disease. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have made HCV treatment faster and more efficient. However, little is known about their effect on liver disease severity and iron metabolism disruption. This study aimed to evaluate the role of iron related gene variants in liver disease severity and iron status associated parameters in CHC patients treated with DAAs. A group of 118 out of 255 CHC patients (49±12 years) was treated with DAAs and clinical evaluation was performed after 3 to 6 months. Liver fibrosis stage was assessed by FibroScan and the following iron status parameters were evaluated: serum iron (Fe), ferritin (FT), transferrin (TF), transferrin saturation (TFS) and haptoglobin (Hp). HFE common variants (H63D and C282Y) were analysed by PCR-RFLP and the TF_rs3811647 by Sanger sequencing. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0. Before DAAs treatment, patients with higher fibrosis stage (F3/4) showed significantly higher Fe, FT and TF, and lower Hp (p=0.030; p=0.026; p=0.025; p=0.048). We found higher Fe, TFS and FT in patients HFE_CY or YY (p=0.008; p=0.003; p=0.002) and higher TF in patients TF_rs3811647_GA or AA (p=0.029). After DAAs treatment, patients presented: i) an improvement of liver fibrosis showed by a higher frequency of patients with lower fibrosis stage (F1/2) (p<0.001); and ii) an improvement of iron status revealed by lower Fe, TFS and FT (p=0.007; p=0.048; p<0.001) and higher Hp (p=0.001). We observed that only in patients HFE_CC and HFE_HD or DD, TF decreased after treatment (p=0.028; p=0.012). In these same patients and in those TF_rs3811647_GG or GA, Hp increased (p=0.003; p=0.006) after antiviral treatment. Specific genetic variants in iron related genes may have a relevant role in the predisposition for severe liver disease in CHC patients before DAAs treatment, and in the improvement of iron status after HCV clearance.FCT PDE/BDE/114585/2016 and CENCinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Efeitos do treino muscular respiratório no pós-operatório de revascularização do miocárdio

Projeto de Graduação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Licenciada em FisioterapiaObjectivo: Compreender a efectividade do treino muscular respiratório pré-operatório em pacientes submetidos a revascularização do miocárdio. Metodologia: Pesquisa computorizada nas bases de dados Pubmed/Medline, EBSCO, ScienceDirect e PEDro para identificar estudos randomizados controlados que avaliaram os efeitos do treino muscular respiratório em pacientes submetidos a revascularização do miocárdio. Resultados: Nesta revisão foram incluídos 6 artigos envolvendo 539 indivíduos, com classificação metodológica de 5.83 na escala de PEDro. Dos artigos mencionados nesta revisão, 4 referem-se ao TMI com incentivo do Threshold, 1 engloba espirometria de incentivo, educação do ciclo activo de técnicas respiratórias, técnicas de expiração forçada e TMI com incentivo do Threshold e 1 associa exercícios respiratórios ao TMI com incentivo do Threshold. Conclusão: O treino muscular respiratório pré-operatório representa um papel importante mostrando-se eficaz no aumento da força e endurance dos músculos inspiratórios, na prevenção/diminuição da incidência de complicações pulmonares e redução do tempo de internamento hospitalar. Objective: To understand the effectiveness of preoperative respiratory muscle training in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. Methodology: Research in computerized databases Pubmed/Medline, EBSCO, ScienceDirect e PEDro to identify randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of respiratory muscle training in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. Results: This review included 6 articles involving 539 individuals with methodological classification of 5.83 in the PEDro scale. Among the articles mentioned in this review, 4 refer to IMT with Threshold, 1 includes incentive spirometry, education in active cycle of breathing techniques, forced expiration techniques and IMT with Threshold and 1 associates breathing exercises to IMT with Threshold. Conclusion: The preoperative respiratory muscle training represent an important role proved to be effective in increasing the strength and endurance of inspiratory muscles, preventing/reducing the incidence of pulmonary complications and reduced hospital stay

Ftalocianinas de rutenio como fotosensibilizadores potenciales para la generación de oxígeno singlete

Tesis doctoral inédita cotutelada por la Universidad de Aveiro y la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Departamento de Química Orgánica. Fecha de lectura: 27-07-2017Ftalocianinas, ruténio, fotossensibilizadores, terapia fotodinâmica, fotoinactivação de microorganismos, oxigénio singleto, cancro, polietilenoglicol, glucose, galactose, manose, ácido fólico, fosfinas. A Terapia Fotodinâmica combina luz, oxigénio molecular e um fotossensibilizador para a produção de espécies reativas de oxigénio, como 1O2 e radicais livres, os quais vão induzir stress oxidativo e, eventualmente, morte celular. Isto permite assim a destruição de células tumorais de uma forma não invasiva, seletiva e localizada, com efeitos secundários reduzidos. As ftalocianinas são compostos promissores para serem aplicados como fotossensibilizadores para a produção de oxigénio singleto. No entanto, um inconveniente destes compostos é a sua reduzida solubilidade em meio aquoso. Isto pode ser ultrapassado através da sua funcionalização nas posições periféricas e/ou axiais com grupos hidrofílicos apropriados, como por exemplo hidratos de carbono e cadeias de poliéter. A introdução de ligandos axiais reduz a agregação das ftalocianinas em solução, melhorando a sua eficiência para produzir 1O2. Este trabalho descreve a síntese de Ftalocianinas de Ruténio (RuPcs) para serem utilizadas como fotossensibilizadores para a produção de oxigénio singleto. Estas RuPcs estão funcionalizadas nas posições axiais com ligandos apropriados que proporcionam a solubilidade e/ou seletividade requeridas para a sua aplicação em Terapia Fotodinâmica. Neste sentido, foram sintetizados diferentes derivados de piridina e fosfina funcionalizados com grupos iónicos, cadeias de poliéter, hidratos de carbono ou com unidades de ácido fólico, as quais foram posteriormente coordenadas ao ião central de RuPcs. Adicionalmente, a solubilidade em água foi melhorada através da funcionalização da periferia das RuPcs com cadeias poliéter. Foram estudadas as propriedades físicas e fotofísicas, nomeadamente, a solubilidade em água e a capacidade de produzir oxigénio singleto, de todos os fotossensibilizadores preparados. Além disso, compostos foram avaliados in vitro em células do cancro da bexiga com respeito à sua capacidade para serem internalizados por células cancerígenas a aos seus efeitos tóxicos, tanto no escuro como mediante ativação com luz.Ftalocianinas, rutenio, fotosensibilizadores, terapia fotodinámica, fotoinactivación de microorganismos, oxígeno singlete, cancer, polietileneglicol, glucosa, galactosa, manosa, ácido fólico, fosfina. La Terapia Fotodinámica combina luz, oxígeno molecular y un fotosensibilizador para la producción de especies reactivas de oxígeno, como el 1O2 y radicales libres, los cuales inducen estrés oxidativo y, eventualmente, la muerte celular. Esto permite así la destrucción de células tumorales de una forma no invasiva, selectiva y localizada, con efectos secundarios reducidos. Las ftalocianinas muestran un gran potencial para su aplicación como fotosensibilizadores para la producción de oxígeno singlete. Sin embargo, un inconveniente de estos compuestos es su solubilidad reducida en medio acuoso. Esto puede superarse a través de su funcionalización en las posiciones periféricas y/o axiales con grupos hidrofílicos apropiados, como por ejemplo hidratos de carbono y cadenas poliéter. La introducción de ligandos axiales reduce la agregación de las ftalocianinas en disolución, mejorando su eficiencia para producir 1O2. Este trabajo describe la síntesis de Ftalocianinas de Rutenio (RuPcs) para su utilización como fotosensibilizadores en la producción de oxígeno singlete. Estas RuPcs están funcionalizadas en las posiciones axiales ligandos apropriados que proporcionan la solubilidad y/o selectividad requeridas para una aplicación en Terapia Fotodinámica. En este sentido, se sintetizaron diferentes derivados de piridina y fosfina funcionalizados con grupos cargados, cadenas poliéter, hidratos de carbono o con unidades de ácido fólico, las cuales fueron posteriormente coordinadas al ión central de RuPcs. Además, se mejoró la solubilidad de las RuPcs mediante la introducción de cadenas poliéter en las posiciones periféricas. Se estudiaron las propiedades físicas y fotofísicas, en particular, la solubilidad en agua y la capacidad para producir oxígeno singlete, de los fotosensibilizadores preparados. Además, todos los compuestos se evaluaron in vitro en células del cáncer de vejiga urinaria, con respecto a su capacidad para ser internalizados por las células cancerígenas y a sus efectos tóxicos, tanto en la oscuridad como mediante la activación con luz

Emotion-oriented interventions for environment and the facilitation of pro-environmental behavior

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Ambiente, pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e TecnologiaThis research aimed at studying the facilitating pro-environmental behavior problem by approaching new pro-environmental interventions. The following elements make this study particularly relevant: a) the actual debate concerning the impact of scientific and technological innovations and b) the consideration of new emotional research findings, which stress that emotion is an essential part of information processing. However, the role of emotions is still largely absent from most pro-environmental studies. This situation highlights the importance of conceiving personal and professional initiatives aimed at encouraging reflection and supporting proenvironmental behaviors research while focusing on emotional issues. The study involved an interpretative approach of a qualitative nature, organized in two complementary phases. The first phase evaluated the possible impact of the purposed research. It involved different collaborations and the first experimental research study was implemented as a proof-of-concept approach. In addition, this phase research advanced a new model of proenvironmental behavior and a design framework. The second phase of the study, motivated by the results of the first phase, led to advancing emotion-oriented interventions scenarios and also planning and implementing their evaluation. This initiative showed two technological opportunities to consider for future developments: Affective images rewarding systems using digital material and sensorial feedback tools using non-digital material. The planned qualitative research included questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, panels, observation and the analysis of documents. The results of this study have several implications. Among the most relevant are: a) the potential of combined research methods in investigating individuals conceptions and perceptions about environmental behavior; b) the importance of discussions about new pro-environmental interventions for facilitating pro-environmental behavior; c) the importance of multi-disciplinary research approaches for advancing new technological options; and d) the relevance of considering an emotion-oriented approach.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT/MCTES)- (SFRH/BD/21408/2005

Supercritical CO2 based Green Technologies for the Consolidation of Foams in Cultural Heritage The Case Study of Robert Enke’s Pair of Gloves

The presence of plastics bearing a testimony of the modern and contemporary society has significantly increased in museum collections over the last decades. The preservation of some polymeric materials, namely foams, can be a highly demanding challenge for conservators due to inherent characteristics such as ephemerality and irreversible ageing in short time. The pair of goalkeeper gloves belonging to Robert Enke (Museu Benfica – Cosme Damião) is an example of a foam-based object showing a severe condition only after a few decades. Made of a polyisoprene, polybutadiene and polystyrene based foam, the cohesion and mechanical resistance of the gloves are severely endangered and so far, no efficient and safe treatment methodologies have been found for these cases. Based on a significance assessment, it was concluded that the authenticity of the object was intimately related with its materiality and that a consolidation treatment was of the utmost importance to preserve it. Therefore, in this work, conservation efforts were directed to the preservation of this highly degraded foam by studying the potential of a novel methodology for its consolidation based on supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2). Despite the successful application of scCO2 in a wide range of conservation treatments for different materials, its application in the preservation of foams is still an unexplored field. Considering the unique and versatile features of supercritical fluids (such as a highly tuneable solvent behaviour, low viscosity, high diffusion rate and lack of interfacial tension), it is expected that scCO2 can be applied as a carrier for consolidants, allowing an in-depth and homogeneous impregnation with minimal interaction. This work presents a preliminary study regarding the safety and efficacy of a consolidation with scCO2 as a carrier to treat this composite polymeric foam. Several consolidants were tested in foam samples at different test conditions. Visual, physical and molecular alterations were followed by pre and post-treatment characterizations, which included macro and microscopic analyses, dimension and mass variation measurements, colourimetry and infrared and Raman spectroscopies. Results suggest a successful impregnation of poly(vinyl acetate) at 40°C and 280 bar. Although further research is still needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of the method, the promising results show this technology as a potential alternative for the preservation of plastics within cultural heritage

Liaisons dangereuses, conservation of modern and contemporary art: a study of the synthetic binding media in Portugal

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Conservação e Restauro, especialidade de Ciências da Conservação, pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e TecnologiaThis project is focused on the study of synthetic materials used by Portuguese artists in the twentieth century. The aim of the study was the molecular characterization of vinyl and acrylic polymers used since the 1960s and the study of their photodegradation and evolution over time. In modern and contemporary art, water based synthetic emulsions have been widely used as painting binding media, especially acrylic and vinyl based emulsions. In some countries like Portugal where the first aqueous emulsions used as paint binders were the poly(vinyl acetate) – PVAc – ones, both as household and artist’s paints, the study of vinyl polymers is of particular importance. In Portugal these emulsions were used by outstanding artists like Joaquim Rodrigo and Ângelo de Sousa since the 1960s. In order to guarantee the preservation of the artworks for the future generations it is essential to understand how these paints will behave upon ageing. The molecular photodegradation of PVAc was studied and the presence of degradation products on reference and model samples, as well as on dated artworks was investigated. Paintings by Joaquim Rodrigo and Ângelo de Sousa, and also a hand painted catalogue for the Sabu vinyl artists’ paints, were selected as case studies. The characterization of micro-samples from the artworks provided useful information on the real evolution of the polymer binder over time. Accelerated photodegradtion studies were performed by the exposure of PVAc films on an ageing chamber equipped with a xenon-arc lamp. The behaviour of PVAc (homopolymer) was compared with a commercial emulsion(Vulcano V7) and paint reconstructions prepared in the laboratory. The results achieved by means of infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR) point out the considerably stable nature of these binding media as no molecular evidence was obtained concerning the formation of other carbonyl functions, the disappearance of the PVAc carbonyl or the formation of hydroperoxides. The polymer photodegradation process was further studied by means of size exclusion chromatography (SEC), following the molecular weight distribution and correspondent average molecular weights. It was concluded that no side-chain reactions are taking place and that main-chain scission is the foremost degradation mechanism, although not affecting the polymer performance significantly. The influence of pigments, such as titanium dioxide and iron oxide, on the polymer’s stability was also considered and it was concluded that they do not promote degradation, which might be explained due to pigment encapsulation in inert materials inhibiting its photocatalytic behaviour. The photodegradation quantum yield was determined as 7.4 x 10-8 at 313 nm for PVAc homopolymer; therefore, degradation is quantified and comparisons may be performed for different polymers. A parallel study, according to a similar experimental approach, was undertaken on the stability of poly(methyl methacrylate) – PMMA – used as acrylic sheet by the Portuguese artist Lourdes Castro