Development of Thermoplastic Bi-Component Electrodes for Triboelectric Impact Detection in Smart Textile Applications.

Smart textiles provide a significant technological advancement, but their development must balance traditional textile properties with electronic features. To address this challenge, this study introduces a flexible, electrically conductive composite material that can be fabricated using a continuous bi-component extrusion process, making it ideal for sensor electrodes. The primary aim was to create a composite for the filament's core, combining multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), polypropylene (PP), and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), optimised for conductivity and flexibility.

Acylase-Based Coatings on Sandblasted Polydimethylsiloxane-Based Materials for Antimicrobial Applications.

Indwelling medical devices, such as urinary catheters, often experience bacterial colonization, forming biofilms that resist antibiotics and the host's immune defenses through quorum sensing (QS), a chemical communication system. This study explores the development of antimicrobial coatings by immobilizing acylase, a quorum-quenching enzyme, on sandblasted polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces. PDMS, commonly used in medical devices, was sandblasted to increase its surface roughness, enhancing acylase attachment.

Changes in the Antibacterial Performance of Polymer-Based Nanocomposites Induced by Additive Manufacturing Processing.

The idea supporting the investigation of the current manuscript was to develop customized filters for air conditioners with different pore percentages and geometry with the additional advantage of presenting antibacterial performance. This property was expected due to the reinforcement of Cu nanoparticles in the polymeric matrix of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and polyurethane (TPU). The filaments were characterized by their chemical composition, thermal and mechanical properties, and antibacterial behavior before and after processing by fused filament fabrication.

Bio-Microcapsules of Polybutylene Succinate (PBS) and Isocyanates: Towards Sustainable, Safer, and Efficient Adhesives.

This work describes the encapsulation of three different aliphatic isocyanates to reduce the risks associated with isocyanates' direct handling. The use of bio-based polybutylene succinate (bio-PBS) increases the sustainability factor as it allows for the use of microcapsules (MCs) from renewable sources with biodegradable features. The three different MCs (MCs-Monomer, MCs-Trimer, and MCs-Polymer) are spherical, crack-free, and matrix-type, containing an isocyanate payload between 67 wt% and 70 wt%.

Dynamic Tensile Response of Basalt Fibre Grids for Textile-Reinforced Mortar (TRM) Strengthening Systems.

The present work constitutes the initial experimental effort to characterise the dynamic tensile performance of basalt fibre grids employed in TRM systems. The tensile behaviour of a bi-directional basalt fibre grid was explored using a high-speed servo-hydraulic testing machine with specialised grips. Deformation and failure modes were captured using a high-speed camera.

Sustainable Skincare Innovation: Cork Powder Extracts as Active Ingredients for Skin Aging.

: An emerging practice within the concept of circular beauty involves the upcycling of agro-industrial by-products. Cork processing, for instance, yields by-products like cork powder, which presents an opportunity to create value-added cosmetic ingredients. Building upon our previous research, demonstrating the antioxidant potential of hydroalcoholic extracts derived from two distinct cork powders (P0 and P1), in this work, aqueous extracts were prepared and analyzed.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Cytotoxic Activity of RuCp(II) Complexes Bearing (Iso)nicotinic Acid Based Ligands.

Background/objectives: Cancer remains one of the major challenges of our century. Organometallic ruthenium complexes are gaining recognition as a highly promising group of compounds in the development of cancer treatments.

Methods: Building on the auspicious results obtained for [Ru(η-CH)(PPh)(bipy)][CFSO] (TM34), our focus has shifted to examining the effects of incorporating bioactive ligands into the TM34 framework, particularly within the cyclopentadienyl ring.

Chemical Characterization and Differential Lipid-Modulating Effects of Selected Plant Extracts from Côa Valley (Portugal) in a Cell Model for Liver Steatosis.

Background/objectives: Côa Valley, located in the northeast of Portugal, harbors more than 500 medicinal plant species. Among them, four species stand out due to their traditional uses: Desf. (hemorrhages, urethritis, hepatitis), L.

Leaves Extracts Inhibit the Development of Ascitic and Solid Ehrlich Tumors.

is traditionally known for its medicinal properties. Objectives: Here, we investigated the effects of crude extract (CE) and ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) obtained from leaves on the ascitic (EA) and solid (ES) forms of Ehrlich tumors. : Induced and uninduced BALB/c mice were treated intramuscularly, for 7 or 14 days, with saline solution or CE and EAF, both at a 10% concentration, based on in vitro cytotoxicity assessment.

Ivermectin Strengthens Paclitaxel Effectiveness in High-Grade Serous Carcinoma in 3D Cell Cultures.

Background: Chemoresistance is a major obstacle in high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) treatment. Although many patients initially respond to chemotherapy, the majority of them relapse due to Carboplatin and Paclitaxel resistance. Drug repurposing has surfaced as a potentially effective strategy that works synergically with standard chemotherapy to bypass chemoresistance.

Diversity and Distribution of Species Along an Elevation Gradient in Natural and Semi-Natural Forest Ecosystems in Portugal.

Globally, forests are constantly threatened by a plethora of disturbances of natural and anthropogenic origin, such as climate change, forest fires, urbanization, and pollution. Besides the most common stressors, during the last few years, Portuguese forests have been impacted by severe decline phenomena caused by invasive pathogens, many of which belong to the genus . The genus includes a large number of species that are invading forest ecosystems worldwide, chiefly as a consequence of global trade and human activities.

Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance Among Isolates of spp. and spp. in Wildlife and Their Environment from Portugal: A Positive Epidemiologic Outcome.

One of the significant challenges facing modern medicine is the rising rate of antibiotic resistance, which impacts public health, animal health, and environmental preservation. Evaluating antibiotic resistance in wildlife and their environments is crucial, as it offers essential insights into the dynamics of resistance patterns and promotes strategies for monitoring, prevention, and intervention. and genera isolates were recovered from fecal samples of wild animals and environmental samples using media without antibiotic supplementation.

Screening Wild Birds for Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in Portugal.

Wild birds may be involved in the transmission of agents of infectious diseases, including zoonoses, a circumstance which raises a number of public and animal health issues. Migratory bird species play a significant role in the introduction of tick-borne pathogens to new geographic areas, contributing to the dissemination of various etiological agents. This preliminary study aimed to assess the occurrence of four potentially zoonotic pathogens ( spp.

First Detection of in Bats from the World's Largest Wetland, the Pantanal, Brazil.

Coronaviruses (CoV) infect a wide variety of hosts, causing epidemics in humans, birds, and mammals over the years. Bats (order Chiroptera) are one of the natural hosts of the Coronaviridae family. They represent 40% of the total number of mammal species in the Pantanal, a biodiversity hotspot in South America.

Is the EnodePro a Valid Tool to Determine the Bar Velocity in the Bench Press and Barbell Back Squat? A Comparative Analysis.

Unlabelled: In recent years, the EnodePro device has been one of the most frequently used velocity sensors to track the bar velocity in resistance training, with the aim of providing load-velocity profiles. However, recent articles highlight a lack of reliability and validity in the estimated maximal strength, which can cause a serious health risk due to the overestimation of the bar velocity. With this study, we aimed to investigate whether imprecision in the measurement could explain the variance in this measurement error.

Improving Industrial Quality Control: A Transfer Learning Approach to Surface Defect Detection.

To automate the quality control of painted surfaces of heating devices, an automatic defect detection and classification system was developed by combining deflectometry and bright light-based illumination on the image acquisition, deep learning models for the classification of non-defective (OK) and defective (NOK) surfaces that fused dual-modal information at the decision level, and an online network for information dispatching and visualization. Three decision-making algorithms were tested for implementation: a new model built and trained from scratch and transfer learning of pre-trained networks (ResNet-50 and Inception V3). The results revealed that the two illumination modes employed widened the type of defects that could be identified with this system, while maintaining its lower computational complexity by performing multi-modal fusion at the decision level.

An Over-Actuated Hexacopter Tilt-Rotor UAV Prototype for Agriculture of Precision: Modeling and Control.

This paper focuses on the modeling, control, and simulation of an over-actuated hexacopter tilt-rotor (HTR). This configuration implies that two of the six actuators are independently tilted using servomotors, which provide high maneuverability and reliability. This approach is predicted to maintain zero pitch throughout the trajectory and is expected to improve the aircraft's steering accuracy.

A Reusable Capillary Flow-Driven Microfluidic System for Abscisic Acid Detection Using a Competitive Immunoassay.

Point-of-care (PoC) devices offer a promising solution for fast, portable, and easy-to-use diagnostics. These characteristics are particularly relevant in agrifood fields like viticulture where the early detection of plant stresses is crucial to crop yield. Microfluidics, with its low reagent volume requirements, is well-suited for such applications.

A Spectroscopic Methodology to Early Detection of Urinary Tract Infections.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are a critical public health problem, with 30 to 40% of infections related to the urinary tract system. These urinary tract infections (UTIs) are considered one of the most common microbial infections in hospital settings and everyday community contexts, where approximately 80% are highly correlated with urinary catheter insertion, i.e.

Exploring a Software Framework for Posture Tracking and Haptic Feedback Control: A Virtual Reality-Based Approach for Upper Limb Rehabilitation on the Oculus Quest 2.

Virtual reality (VR) has gained significant attention in various fields including healthcare and industrial applications. Within healthcare, an interesting application of VR can be found in the field of physiotherapy. The conventional methodology for rehabilitating upper limb lesions is often perceived as tedious and uncomfortable.

Non-Intrusive Monitoring of Vital Signs in the Lower Limbs Using Optical Sensors.

Invisible health monitoring is currently a topic of global interest within the scientific community. Sensorization of everyday objects can provide valuable health information without requiring any changes in people's routines. In this work, a feasibility study of photoplethysmography (PPG) acquisition in the lower limbs for continuous and real-time monitoring of the vital signs, including heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR), is presented.

Evaluating ChatGPT-4 for the Interpretation of Images from Several Diagnostic Techniques in Gastroenterology.

Several artificial intelligence systems based on large language models (LLMs) have been commercially developed, with recent interest in integrating them for clinical questions. Recent versions now include image analysis capacity, but their performance in gastroenterology remains untested. This study assesses ChatGPT-4's performance in interpreting gastroenterology images.

DNA Methyltransferase Expression (DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b) as a Potential Biomarker in Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a global cause of vision loss, with limited therapeutic options highlighting the need for effective biomarkers. This study aimed to characterize plasma DNA methyltransferase expression (, , and ) in AMD patients and explore divergent expression patterns across different stages of AMD. : Thirty-eight AMD patients were prospectively enrolled and stratified by disease severity: eAMD, iAMD, nAMD, and aAMD.

Explainable AI in Digestive Healthcare and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

An important impediment to the incorporation of artificial intelligence-based tools into healthcare is their association with so-called black box medicine, a concept arising due to their complexity and the difficulties in understanding how they reach a decision. This situation may compromise the clinician's trust in these tools, should any errors occur, and the inability to explain how decisions are reached may affect their relationship with patients. Explainable AI (XAI) aims to overcome this limitation by facilitating a better understanding of how AI models reach their conclusions for users, thereby enhancing trust in the decisions reached.

Intimate Partner Violence: The Relationship Between the Stages of Change, Maintenance Factors, and the Decision to Keep or Leave the Violent Partner.

Violence in intimate relationships (IPV) is understood as one of the most common forms of violence, being maintained by cultural habits and customs, and legitimized from generation to generation. This study aims at a comprehensive review of the literature on IPV, the relationship between the stages of change, maintenance factors, and the decision to keep or leave the violent partner. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify journal articles focused on IPV, following online databases as well as a manual review from relevant peer-reviewed journals.