Publications by authors named "Carla Amaral"

Introduction: Postural balance impairment can affect the quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease. Previous studies have described connections of the vestibular system with postural functions, suggesting a potential participation of the basal ganglia in receiving vestibular stimuli. This systematic review aims to summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation on postural balance in patients with Parkinson's disease.

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Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, ambulatory clinic visits were replaced by the implementation of telehealth modalities in most inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) units.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy, efficiency, patient satisfaction, and acceptability of using telephone consultation in an IBD unit.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed in IBD patients who underwent telephone consultation during COVID-19 lockdown (between 16th March and 13th April 2020).

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Unlabelled: Effective vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 are already available and offer a promising action to control the COVID-19 pandemic. IBD patients on biological agents accept the vaccine as well as an additional dose if recommended.

Background: Vaccination against COVID-19 prevents its severe forms and associated mortality and offers a promising action to control this pandemic.

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Background: During the coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) pandemic, gastroenterology guidelines recommended the suspension or reduction of non-urgent endoscopy. We aimed to assess the appropriateness and safety of endoscopic activity during the pandemic first wave lockdown using European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) recommendations.

Methods: We identified scheduled patients from the onset of the lockdown in Spain since March 16, 2020) to April 14, 2020.

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Background And Aims: To assess whether corticosteroids improve prognosis in patients with AS-AIH, and to identify factors at therapy initiation and during therapy predictive of the response to corticosteroids.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study including all patients with AS-AIH admitted to 13 tertiary centres from January 2002 to January 2019. The composite primary outcome was death or liver transplantation within 90 days of admission.

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In this study, chestnut shells (CNS), a recalcitrant and low-value agro-industrial waste obtained during the peeling of Castanea sativa fruits, were subjected to solid-state fermentation by six white-rot fungal strains (Irpex lacteus, Ganoderma resinaceum, Phlebia rufa, Bjerkandera adusta and two Trametes isolates). After being fermented, CNS was subjected to hydrolysis by a commercial enzymatic mix to evaluate the effect of fermentation in saccharification yield. After 48 h hydrolysis with 10 CMCase U mL−1 enzymatic mix, CNS fermented with both Trametes strains was recorded with higher saccharification yield (around 253 mg g−1 fermented CNS), representing 25% w/w increase in reducing sugars as compared to non-fermented controls.

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Multiple primary tumors occur in 5-10 % of the population. However, synchronic neoplasms diagnosed within six months of one another is a rarity. We report the case of a patient initially diagnosed with a pancreatic cyst and a synchronous pancreatic and ampullary adenocarcinoma eleven months later.

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We tested the hypothesis that an enhanced bowel preparation strategy (EBS) improves colonic cleansing in patients at high risk for inadequate bowel cleansing (HRI). This prospective randomized clinical trial included consecutive HRI patients referred for outpatient colonoscopy between February and October 2019. HRI was considered if patients scored >1.

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Background: Recent evidence suggests that the number of low residue diet (LRD) days does not influence the bowel cleansing quality in non-selected patients. However, there are not data in the subgroup of patients with risk factors of inadequate bowel cleansing.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess whether a 3-day LRD improved the bowel cleansing quality in patients with risk factors of poor bowel cleansing.

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The wastewaters from distilleries of winemaking by-products, a scarcely studied type of vinasse, were treated by white-rot fungal strains from species Irpex lacteus, Ganoderma resinaceum, Trametes versicolor, Phlebia rufa and Bjerkandera adusta. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate fungal performance during vinasse biodegradation, their enzyme patterns and ecotoxicity evolution throughout treatment. Despite all strains were able to promote strong (>80%) dephenolization and reduction of total organic carbon (TOC), P.

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Vinasses obtained from the distillation of winemaking by-products (WDV) are complex effluents with variable physicochemical properties. Frequently, WDVs are used to irrigate agricultural soil, and/or discharged into aquatic bodies, which may result in serious environmental pollution, due to the presence of organic acids and recalcitrant compounds (polyphenols, tannins and metals). The present study aimed to evaluate the toxicity impact of an untreated WDV on terrestrial and aquatic organisms, at different levels of biological organization.

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Objectives: Clinical, functional and working characterization of an Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) group of patients that perform hydrotherapy regularly in a physical and rehabilitation department. Assessment of the benefit of hydrotherapy in symptom relief, function and consumption of analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Material And Methods: A transversal characterization of a group of patients with SA undergoing hydrotherapy was performed.

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Purpose: This study assesses the postural stability and the effect of balance training using a force platform visual biofeedback among outpatients with postural disturbances following stroke.

Method: A tilting multiaxial force platform was used to assess bilateral postural stability in 38 outpatients (mean age 69.50  +/- 8.

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The microbiological and physicochemical characterization of samples from the different wastewaters generated during oil extraction in a continuous olive mill was performed. The main aim was to determine which of the physicochemical parameters were the best fitted to correctly characterize these residual waters. High correlations were obtained for COD, DOC, K, P and N contents with the sampling points, allowing the distinction of olive washing waters (OWW) from olive centrifuge waters (OCW) and olive mill wastewaters (OMW).

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This work presents the results of our studies on the decolorization of aqueous azo dye Reactive black 5 (RB5) solution combining an advanced oxidation process (Fenton's reagent) followed by an aerobic biological process (mediated by the yeast Candida oleophila). Under our conditions, initial experiments showed that Fenton's process alone, as well as aerobic treatment by C. oleophila alone, exhibited the capacity to significantly decolorize azo dye solutions up to 200 mg/L, within about 1 and 24h, respectively.

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