431 results match your criteria: "Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra[Affiliation]"

Spectrochemical analysis of seasonal and sexual variation of antioxidants in Corema album (L.) D. Don leaf extracts.

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc

October 2023

Molecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address:

Bioactive phytoconstituents have been increasingly investigated for their potential human health benefits. Corema album (L.) D.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Postural control depends on attentional resources besides automatic processes. The dual-task paradigm is a possible approach to analyzing the interference and performance between motor and/or cognitive tasks. Various studies showed that, when individuals simultaneously perform two tasks, the postural stability can decline during a dual-task compared with a single-task due to the attentional resources required performing the tasks.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The paper studies randomization rules for a sequential two-treatment, two-site clinical trial in Parkinson's disease. An important feature is that we have values of responses and five potential prognostic factors from a sample of 144 patients similar to those to be enrolled in the trial. Analysis of this sample provides a model for trial analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Osteochondral (OC) defects affect both articular cartilage and the underlying subchondral bone. Due to limitations in the cartilage tissue's self-healing capabilities, OC defects exhibit a degenerative progression to which current therapies have not yet found a suitable long-term solution. Tissue engineering (TE) strategies aim to fabricate tissue substitutes that recreate natural tissue features to offer better alternatives to the existing inefficient treatments.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Enabling circular economy by N-recovery: Electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate with cobalt hydroxide nanocomposites on copper foam treating low conductivity groundwater effluents.

Sci Total Environ

August 2023

Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA. Electronic address:

Fertilizers play a vital role in the food-energy-water nexus. The traditional method of artificial nitrogen fixation to produce ammonia is a high-energy intensive centralized process that has caused an imbalance of the N-cycle due to the release of N-species to water. Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction (ENR) to ammonia is a promising N-resource recovery alternative that can enable the circular reuse of ammonia in decentralized settings.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Influence of cognitive and motor tasks using smartphone during gait: EMG and gait performance analysis - Dual-task study.

Hum Mov Sci

June 2023

Faculty of Sports and CIAFEL, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal; LABIOMEP-UP, Faculty of Sports and CIFI2D, The University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Previous research indicated that using a smartphone while walking affects gait parameters, but there’s limited data on how it influences muscle activity during this multitasking.
  • This study evaluated how motor and cognitive tasks with a smartphone impact muscle activity and walking gait in 30 healthy young adults through five different tasks, including both single- and dual-task conditions.
  • Findings revealed that multitasking with a smartphone while walking led to decreased stride length and gait speed, alongside increased muscle activity compared to normal walking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of the Social Isolation Scale (SIS) in a sample of Portuguese community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: A transversal descriptive study was carried out with a convenience sample of 250 community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years). The survey comprised a sociodemographic questionnaire, SIS, Geriatric Depression Scale-4 (GDS-4), 6-item Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6), a loneliness self-assessment question, and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

One Health Approach to Tackle Microbial Contamination on Poultries-A Systematic Review.

Toxics

April 2023

H&TRC-Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL-Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal.

This study reports the search of available data published regarding microbial occupational exposure assessment in poultries, following the PRISMA methodology. Air collection through filtration was the most frequently used. The most commonly used passive sampling method was material collection such as dust, cages, soils, sediment, and wastewater.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cancer Models on Chip: Paving the Way to Large-Scale Trial Applications.

Adv Mater

September 2023

Department of Biomedical Engineering, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands.

Cancer kills millions of individuals every year all over the world (Global Cancer Observatory). The physiological and biomechanical processes underlying the tumor are still poorly understood, hindering researchers from creating new, effective therapies. Inconsistent results of preclinical research, in vivo testing, and clinical trials decrease drug approval rates.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Assessing preferences of recreational activities related to cultural ecosystem services (CES) in urban areas is essential for decision-making and urban green space (UGS) management. This work aims to assess the preferences and factors (based on socio-demographic and motivation variables) influencing CES-related activities in Vilnius, Lithuania, to provide scientific knowledge to support more efficient UGS design and management. Participatory mapping was reported as relevant for urban park planning and decision-making and was applied to identify spatially explicit CES.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Skeletal age (SA) is an estimate of biological maturity status that is commonly used in sport-related medical examinations. This study considered intra-observer reproducibility and inter-observer agreement of SA assessments among male tennis players.

Methods: SA was assessed with the Fels method in 97 male tennis players with chronological ages (CA) spanning 8.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Aim: Cardiovascular diseases are characterized by problems affecting the circulatory system, specifically the heart and blood vessels. This study evaluates the relationship between cardiovascular events and pharmacological treatment for Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: We recruited 227 individuals, 191 with T2DM (EG) and 36 pre-diabetics (CG), with a mean age of 70.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The quality and vitality of cities largely depend on the design, management, and maintenance of green areas, including urban protected areas (UPAs), since they provide multiple benefits for the city. Due to urbanization and higher anthropogenic pressure, green areas are decreasing which directly affects natural habitats and biodiversity. This study aims to assess soil and vegetation chemical status in UPAs in the city of Belgrade, Serbia, and to understand how their distance from pollution hotspots affects soil and vegetation quality.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nature-based solutions to global environmental challenges.

Sci Total Environ

July 2023

Environmental Management Center, Mykolas Romeris University, Ateities g. 20, 08303 Vilnius, Lithuania. Electronic address:

Nature-based solutions (NBS) supply many ecosystem services key to wellbeing. There is evidence that several ecosystems that serve as NBS (e.g.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Peripheral venous catheters (PVCs) are the most used vascular access devices in the world. However, failure rates remain considerably high, with complications such as PVC-related infections posing significant threats to patients' well-being. In Portugal, studies evaluating the contamination of these vascular medical devices and characterizing the associated microorganisms are scarce and lack insight into potential virulence factors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Consumer Perception and Acceptability of Lupin-Derived Products: A Systematic Review.

Foods

March 2023

Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.

The addition of lupin into other foods can enhance their nutritional value and may be an acceptable approach to introducing lupin into the food supply, particularly as an ingredient. Lupin could be used in many food products (bakery products, pasta, beverages, meat products and dairy products) to improve their protein content and possible nutraceutical effects. The main aim of this study is to summarise the recent formulation trends with lupin as an ingredient of new food products based on consumer perception and acceptability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

TNFR2 as a Potential Biomarker for Early Detection and Progression of CKD.

Biomolecules

March 2023

Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.

The inflammatory pathway driven by TNF-α, through its receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2, is a common feature in the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease (CKD), regardless of the initial disease cause. Evidence correlates the chronic inflammatory status with decreased renal function. Our aim was to evaluate the potential of TNF receptors as biomarkers for CKD diagnosis and staging, as well as their association with the progression of renal lesions, in rat models of early and moderate CKD.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Participants had their shoulder joint position and force senses evaluated using an isokinetic dynamometer before and after a 15-minute ice application compared to a control group that received no treatment.
  • * Results showed no significant changes in proprioception metrics post-cryotherapy, indicating athletes can safely resume practice without an increased injury risk due to proprioception deficits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sex-specificities in offspring neurodevelopment and behaviour upon maternal glycation: Putative underlying neurometabolic and synaptic changes.

Life Sci

May 2023

Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal; Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Portugal; Clinical-Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal; Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Health School (ESTeSC), Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address:

Aim: Lactation is an important programming window for metabolic disease and neuronal alterations later in life. We aimed to study the effect of maternal glycation during lactation on offspring neurodevelopment and behaviour, assessing possible sex differences and underpinning molecular players.

Methods: Female Wistar rats were treated with Glyoxalase-1 inhibitor S-p-Bromobenzylguthione cyclopentyl diester (BBGC 5 mg/kg).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Obesogenic environments such as Westernized diets, overnutrition, and exposure to glycation during gestation and lactation can alter peripheral neuroendocrine factors in offspring, predisposing for metabolic diseases in adulthood. Thus, we hypothesized that exposure to obesogenic environments during the perinatal period reprograms offspring energy balance mechanisms. Four rat obesogenic models were studied: maternal diet-induced obesity (DIO); early-life obesity induced by postnatal overfeeding; maternal glycation; and postnatal overfeeding combined with maternal glycation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Irisin: An anti-inflammatory exerkine in aging and redox-mediated comorbidities.

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)

February 2023

Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Exercise, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Human beings lead largely sedentary lives. From an evolutionary perspective, such lifestyle is not beneficial to health. Exercise can promote many enabling pathways, particularly through circulating exerkines, to optimize individual health and quality of life.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Bidirectional Relationship of NPY and Mitochondria in Energy Balance Regulation.

Biomedicines

February 2023

Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.

Energy balance is regulated by several hormones and peptides, and neuropeptide Y is one of the most crucial in feeding and energy expenditure control. NPY is regulated by a series of peripheral nervous and humoral signals that are responsive to nutrient sensing, but its role in the energy balance is also intricately related to the energetic status, namely mitochondrial function. During fasting, mitochondrial dynamics and activity are activated in orexigenic neurons, increasing the levels of neuropeptide Y.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study aims to examine consumer intention to purchase eco-friendly, handcrafted fashion products made from upcycled clothing and traditional Indonesian batik fabric. Data were collected via an online questionnaire with 289 participants, including both Indonesian and non-Indonesian consumers. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling in SmartPLS 3.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The article emphasizes the importance of measuring code complexity as a critical aspect of software quality, exploring various methods to assess it.
  • A controlled experiment involving 27 programmers tested different code complexity metrics, including classic metrics, cognitive complexity, and human-centered assessments using eye tracking and EEG.
  • Results indicated that commonly used metrics often misalign with programmers' perceptions of complexity, leading to the development of guidelines aimed at enhancing existing code complexity measurement tools, particularly those that focus on cognitive complexity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Tibialis posterior muscle stiffness assessment in flat foot subjects by ultrasound based Shear-Wave Elastography.

Foot (Edinb)

March 2023

RoboCorp, i2A, Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes (CEMMPRE), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Sector of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal.

Background: Few methodologies are used to assess Tibialis Posterior muscle stiffness. Those present limitations leading to a lack of evidence. Muscle stiffness assessment can help in the injuries risk factors identification while coupling with Ultrasound based Shear-Wave Elastography for its management.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF