Indicadores subjectivos comportamentais e electrofisiológicos do processamento emocional subliminar : um estudo de caso com Perturbação Dissociativa da Identidade

Tese de mestrado, Psicologia (Secção de Psicologia Clínica e da Saúde, Núcleo de Psicoterapia Cognitiva-Comportamental e Integrativa), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Psicologia, 2015Actualmente em psicoterapia a perspectiva clínica tem recebido pressões para se abrir à perspectiva neurológica e psicofisiológica. Assim, decidiu-se estudar o processamento emocional num estudo de caso de Perturbação Dissociativa da Identidade, numa fase avançada do processo de integração, com base num paradigma experimental de estimulação emocional subliminar. O paradigma foi aplicado em dois momentos. No primeiro momento, a personalidade hospedeira não permitiu a presença de partes dissociadas, realizando a tarefa por si própria. No segundo momento, depois do switch, a paciente permitiu-se abrir mão do controlo, e deixou emergir várias partes da personalidade, dentro de si em conflito, com uma ou outra a ganhar momentaneamente a proeminência no processamento. Os estímulos utilizados no paradigma experimental pertencem a quatro categorias (positivo, negativo, neutro e faint). Associada a cada categoria de estímulos encontra-se uma máscara (com base em estímulos neutros abstractos), numa sequência de estimulação backward e forward (máscara–estímulo–máscara). Registaram-se as respostas subjectivas de preferências (like/dislike) e os ERP’s em três canais de medição: Canal Frontal (Fz), Central (Cz) e Parietal (Pz), nos dois momentos. No primeiro momento, as preferências subjetivas (like) do caso clínico verificam-se na categoria faint, sendo que a amplitude positiva máxima do ERP registou-se quando exposta a estímulos negativos. No segundo momento, as preferências subjetivas estão distribuídas quase equivalentemente pelas quatro categorias de estimulação. A amplitude máxima positiva do ERP refere-se a estímulos positivos. Por sua vez, as respostas dislike são estáveis nos dois momentos, com a predominância da categoria negativa. Foram igualmente expostos à experiência um grupo de controlo (n=7) com características emparelhadas ao caso clínico, de forma a se proceder a uma comparação dos dados recolhidos. Estes resultados emergentes do domínio da dissociação estrutural da personalidade são discutidos à luz das implicações do processamento emocional subliminar em geral e de PDI em particular.Nowadays in psychotherapy, the clinical perspective has been subjected to some pressure to include both neurological and psychophysiological perspectives. In this context we decided to study emotional processing in a clinical case with Dissociative Identity Disorder in an advanced phase of integration, using an emotion subliminal stimulation paradigm. The paradigm was applied in two moments. On the first the host personality went through the experiment herself without allowing the presence of dissociative parts. In the second moment, after the switch, the patient let go of control and allowed several dissociated parts of the personality, inside her in conflict, with one and another winning momentary processing prominence. The stimuli used in the experimental paradigm belong to four categories (positive, negative, neutral and faint). Paired to each category of stimuli is a mask (consisting of abstract neutral stimuli), in a backward and forward stimulation sequence (mask–stimuli–mask). Subjective preferences responses (like/dislike) were assessed and ERP’s were recorded in tree canals: Frontal (Fz), Central (Cz) and Parietal (Pz) on both moments. In the first moment, the clinical case preferred the faint category and her ERPs maximum positive amplitude was higher to negative stimuli. In the second moment, subjective preferences were distributed almost equally by the four categories and the maximum positive amplitude referred to positive stimuli. Subjective responses of dislike were stable in both moments, with predominance of the negative category. A control group (n=7) paired to the characteristics of the clinical case also participated in the experience, for the sake of comparison. Results emerging from the realm of structural dissociation of the personality are discussed in terms of their implications to implicit emotion processing in general and DID in particular

HIV Treatment and Obesity: What’s New?

Obesity among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH)) is an emerging public health issue. In recent years, new drugs have been approved for the treatment of HIV infection, which have greatly extended the lives of patients, but they may also play a role in rising obesity rates. In addition to HIV-specific factors, traditional risk factors shared with the general population (aging, diet, inactivity, and genetics) are credible culprits for this pandemic. Importantly, the compounded presence of obesity and HIV infection seems to magnify the risk of metabolic disease. To date, several questions remain to be fully elucidated including the mechanisms by which antiretroviral drugs may lead to excessive weight gain, the influence of the interplay with environmental and genetic factors, and the long-term clinical effect of obesity in PLWH. Recently, new drugs for the treatment of obesity and new metabolic surgeries have emerged, shading new hope on obesity management. The aim of this chapter is to take a journey into the world of obesity, showing the most recent evidence in HIV patients

Interfaces de acesso ao computador para pessoas com limitações motoras: um estado da arte

Capítulo 8 da obra: Tecnologia Assistiva: formação, experiências e práticas.Introdução Na última década, ocorreu um considerável aumento na utilização de ferramentas digitais para a comunicação, trabalho, educação, socialização e mesmo a gestão da vida diária (saúde, compras, transportes, pagamentos, etc.), entre outras. Todavia, aceder a essas plataformas é frequentemente um desafio para algumas pessoas consideradas com funcionamento normal. Pessoas com funcionamento atípico motor, e que se deparam-se com desafios físicos graves, podem mesmo não conseguir qualquer tipo de interação e verem-se impossibilitadas de comunicar, socializar, trabalhar e aprender (Kyung; Park, 2020; Trewin et al., 2019).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Flexible neural probes: a review of the current advantages, drawbacks, and future demands

Brain diseases affect millions of people and have a huge social and economic impact. The use of neural probes for studies in animals has been the main approach to increasing knowledge about neural network functioning. Ultimately, neuroscientists are trying to develop new and more effective therapeutic approaches to treating neurological disorders. The implementation of neural probes with multifunctionalities (electrical, optical, and fluidic interactions) has been increasing in the last few years, leading to the creation of devices with high temporal and spatial resolution. Increasing the applicability of, and elements integrated into, neural probes has also led to the necessity to create flexible interfaces, reducing neural tissue damage during probe implantation and increasing the quality of neural acquisition data. In this paper, we review the fabrication, characterization, and validation of several types of flexible neural probes, exploring the main advantages and drawbacks of these devices. Finally, future developments and applications are covered. Overall, this review aims to present the currently available flexible devices and future appropriate avenues for development as possible guidance for future engineered devices.This work was supported by the CMEMS-UMinho Strategic Project (Nos. UIDB/04436/2020 and UIDP/04436/2020) and the MPhotonBiopsy (No. PTDC/FIS-OTI/1259/2020; https:// doi.org/10.54499/PTDC/FIS-OTI/1259/2020). João R. FREITAS thanks Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) for the Ph.D. grant (No. 2020.07708.BD). Sara PIMENTA thanks FCT for the grant (No. 2022.00101.CEECIND/CP1718/CT0008; https:// doi.org/10.54499/2022.00101.CEECIND/CP1718/CT0008)

Silicon nitride thin-films deposited by radiofrequency reactive sputtering: refractive index optimization with substrate cooling in a nitrogen-rich atmosphere

Silicon nitride (SiN) is widely used as a core material in optical waveguides due to its optical properties. The deposition of SiN thin-films by radiofrequency (RF) reactive sputtering is commonly used in low-temperature processes, where the thin-films optical properties can be optimized by controlling the deposition parameters (sputtering power, gases ratio, etc.). This work presents the deposition of several SiN thin-films by RF reactive sputtering with different sputtering powers (ranging from 180 W to 300 W), with a nitrogen-argon ratio of 16:4, and performing substrate cooling in a nitrogen-rich atmosphere immediately after deposition, consisting in keeping the substrate under 16 sccm of nitrogen until it reaches 25 ◦C. The refractive indices of the SiN thin-films were assessed through ellipsometry, obtaining a maximum refractive index of 1.906 at 400 nm. SiN thin-films were also analyzed by energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).This work is supported by: MPhotonBiopsy, PTDC/FISOTI/1259/2020, http://doi.org/10.54499/PTDC/FIS-OTI/1259/2020; and CMEMS-UMinho Strategic Project UIDB/04436/2020 and UIDP/ 04436/2020. João R. Freitas thanks FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) for the Ph.D. grant, 2020.07708.BD. Sara Pimenta thanks FCT for the grant 2022.00101.CEECIND/CP1718/CT0008, https://doi.org/10.54499/2022.00101.CEECIND/CP1718/CT0008

Pedestrian–vehicle interaction at unsignalized crosswalks: a systematic review

A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), to generate a document that supports the development of future research, compiling the various studies focused on the analysis of the pedestrian-vehicle interaction at unsignalized crosswalks. Firstly, 381 studies were identified by applying the search protocol in the database sources; however, only nine studies were included in this review because most of the studies are not focused on this type of crosswalks or have not considered the micro-simulation perspective. For each study, an analysis of the used methodology for data collection was carried out, in addition to what type of model it was applied, including the variables that represent the PVI (Pedestrian-Vehicle Interaction). The outcomes obtained by this systematic review show that although the video camera observation technique is the most used, it is possible to complement them with other tools to add specific field information. Additionally, variables such as the adjacent yields, speed variables vehicles, pedestrian attitude, and the number of pedestrians waiting at the crossing were those most used in the cellular automata model or micro-simulation, which are the commonly developed models to simulate this interaction.This research was funded by “Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia”, through the project AnPeB–Pedestrian behavior analysis based on simulated environments and their incorporation into risk modeling (PTDC/ECMTRA/3568/2014)

IMIGRAÇÃO E RACISMO NA MODERNIZAÇÃO DEPENDENTE DO MERCADO DE TRABALHO

Em que medida a nova configuração da imigração recoloca o tema do racismo no Brasil? Por que o entendimento da dinâmica de funcionamento do mercado de trabalho é central para a investigação de como, historicamente, o racismo se manifesta em sua relação com a imigração? Na tentativa de responder essas questões, propõe-se uma leitura da obra de Florestan Fernandes que expõe a dialética entre o negro e o branco/imigrante para explicar o movimento de rebaixamento no mercado de trabalho, determinado pelo racismo e característico da modernização dependente do capitalismo periférico. Essas pistas analíticas são fundamentais para se identificar a atuação do racismo no presente e na realidade social “periférica” da imigração no Brasil

2,3-Diarylxanthones as strong scavengers of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species: a structure–activity relationship study

Xanthones are a class of oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds widely distributed in nature. The natural derivatives can present different substitutions in the xanthone core that include hydroxyl, methoxyl, prenyl and glycosyl groups. The inclusion of aryl groups has only been reported for a few synthetic derivatives, the 2,3-diaryl moiety being recently introduced by our group. Xanthones are endowed with a broad spectrum of biological activities, many of them related to their antioxidant ability, including the scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), as well as metal chelating effects. Considering the interesting and promising antioxidant activities present in compounds derived from the xanthone core, the main goal of this work was to evaluate the scavenging activity of the new 2,3-diarylxanthones for ROS, including superoxide radical (O2 ), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), singlet oxygen (1O2), peroxyl radical (ROO ) and hypochlorous acid (HOCl), and RNS, including nitric oxide ( NO) and peroxynitrite anion (ONOO ). The obtained results revealed that the tested 2,3-diarylxanthones are endowed with outstanding ROS and RNS scavenging properties, considering the nanomolar to micromolar range of the IC50 values found. The xanthones with two catechol rings were the most potent scavengers of all tested ROS and RNS. In conclusion, the new 2,3-diarylxanthones are promising molecules to be used for their potential antioxidant properties

Correlação dos achados clínicos com os parâmetros funcionais em idosos portadores de asma

AbstractIntroduction: Advanced age is a risk factor for a blunted perception of the symptoms, severity and mortality of asthma. There are only a few studies in the literature on the relationship between respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function in elderly asthmatics.Aims: To evaluate the divergence between clinical and functional classification of asthma in the elderly and to characterise subgroups of patients at greater risk of clinico-functional divergence.Material and methods: A cross-sectional study evaluating 41 elderly asthmatics (60years old or over; 33 female; mean age 68.2years old). Data on age, gender, educational level, smoking, time since diagnosis of the disease and weight were obtained. Clinical classification, peak expiratory flow measurement and spirometry were performed.Results: We found that forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) correlated positively with the other functional parameters, and FEV1 correlated negatively with time since diagnosis of the disease. The percentage of clinico-functional divergence was 73.2%. Female patients and those with lower levels of schooling had an 8.6 and 9.3 risk of clinico-functional divergence respectively.Conclusion: The great clinico-functional divergence in elderly asthmatics shows the need to establish functional measurements as markers of asthma severity.Rev Port Pneumol 2009; XV (6): 1029-104

Stromal vascular fraction obtained from subcutaneous adipose tissue: ex-obese and older population as main clinical targets

Introduction Human adipose tissue contains a heterogeneous and synergistic mixture of cells called stromal vascular fraction (SVF) with highly proliferative and angiogenic properties, conferring promising applicability in the field of regenerative medicine. This study aims to investigate if age, body mass index (BMI), history of obesity and massive weight loss, and harvest site are related to SVF cell marker expression. Methods A total of 26 samples of subcutaneous adipose tissue were harvested from patients admitted to the Plastic and Reconstructive department in University Hospital Center of São João, Porto, Portugal, for body contouring surgery. The percentage of cells expressing CD31, CD34, CD45, CD73, CD90, and CD105 was assessed and compared with patient's age, BMI, history of obesity and massive weight loss (ex-obese group), and harvest site. Results In the ex-obese group, a significantly higher number of cells expressing CD90 (P = 0.002) was found. BMI, harvest site, and age appear to have no association with SVF subpopulations