BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Damage to the spinal cord can result in irreversible impairments or complete loss of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions. Riluzole and magnesium have been widely investigated as neuroprotective agents in animal models of spinal cord injury. As these drugs protect the injured spinal cord through different mechanisms, we aimed to investigate if their neuroprotective efficacy could be cumulative. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective efficacy of combined administration of riluzole and magnesium chloride in a contusive model of thoracic spinal cord injury. STUDY DESIGN: An in vivo experiment was set using female Wistar Han rats that underwent a thoracic spinal cord contusion (T8) using a weight drop method. An hour after injury, animals were randomly distributed to receive (1) saline, (2) riluzole (2.50 mg/kg), (3) magnesium chloride (24.18 mg/kg) in a polyethylene glycol formulation, or (4) a combined treatment (riluzole and magnesium). Subsequent treatments were given in four intraperitoneal injections (spaced 12 hours apart). METHODS: The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale, an activity box test, and a swimming test were used to evaluate behavioral recovery over a 4-week period. Histologic analysis of the spinal cords was performed to measure the extent and volume of the lesion, axonal preservation, serotonergic and glutamatergic fiber sparing, motor neuron survival, and inflammation. RESULTS: Our results show that only the riluzole treatment significantly improved behavioral recovery up to 4 weeks after injury when compared with saline controls (6.2±1.8), with animals achieving weight-supported stepping (9.1±1.2). Riluzole also promoted tissue sparing with significant differences achieved from 200 to 600 m (caudally to the lesion epicenter), and reduced lesion volume, with animals presenting a significantly smaller lesion (3.23±0.26 mm3 ) when compared with the saline-treated group (4.74±0.80 mm3 ), representing a 32% decrease in lesion volume. Riluzole treatment induced significant axonal preservation, as well as serotonergic fiber sparing, caudally to the injury epicenter. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the combined treatment, although simultaneously targeting two excitotoxic-related mechanisms, did not further improve behavioral and histologic outcome when compared with riluzole given alone.

The treatment of skeletal muscle defects is still a topic of noteworthy concern since surgical intervention is not capable of recovering muscle function. Herein, we propose myoblasts laden in laminin-inspired biofunctionalized gellan gum hydrogels as promising tissue-engineered skeletal muscle surrogates. Gellan gum-based hydrogels were developed by combining native gellan gum (GG) and GG tethered with laminin-derived peptides (CIKVAVS (V), KNRLTIELEVRTC (T) or RKRLQVQLSIRTC (Q)), using different polymer content (0.75%â 1.875%). Hydrogels were characterized in terms of compressive modulus, molecules trafficking, and C2C12 adhesion. Hydrogels with higher polymeric content (1.125%â 1.875%) showed higher stiffness whereas hydrogels with lower polymer content (0.75%â 1.125%) showed higher fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran molecules diffusion. Cell spreading was achieved regardless of the laminin-derived peptide but preferred in hydrogels with higher polymer content (1.125%â 1.875%). Taken together, hydrogels with 1.125% of polymer content were selected for printability analysis. GG-based inks showed a non-newtonian, shear-thinning, and thixotropic behavior suitable for printing. Accordingly, all inks were printable, but inks tethered with T and Q peptides presented some signs of clogging. Cell viability was affected after printing but increased after 7â days of culture. After 7â days, cells were spreading but not showing significant signs of cellâ cell communications. Therefore, cell density was increased, thus, myocytes loaded in V-tethered GG-based inks showed higher cellâ cell communication, spreading morphology, and alignment 7, 14â days post-printing. Overall, myoblasts laden in laminin-inspired biofunctionalized GG-based hydrogels are a promising skeletal muscle surrogate with the potential to be used as in vitro model or explored for further in vivo applications.

O presente Relatório de Projeto ESCOPROS: o dissecar de um processo” tem como principal objetivo explorar a opacidade dos processos de execução durante as performances de música eletrónica ao vivo. A pesquisa para este trabalho foi conduzida através de uma revisão de literatura, onde se aborda a evolução da música eletrónica até à era digital, focando alguns precursores tecnológicos, o desenvolvimento de instrumentos eletrónicos e ferramentas digitais e as práticas de performance e produção musical que paralelamente foram emergindo. A investigação procura compreender a forma como os avanços tecnológicos, ao ampliarem as possibilidades sonoras, influenciaram também a opacidade dos processos de execução, do ponto de vista da sua perceção por parte do público. Foram ainda analisadas performances de música eletrónica, através da interpretação de elementos dispostos no espaço paramétrico, para identificar quais os fatores que contribuem para o aumento dessa opacidade. O projeto prático “ESCOPROS" é uma peça audiovisual que, através de uma abordagem artística, procura chamar a um plano menos opaco alguns dos processos de execução que ocorrem durante a performance de uma peça eletrónica ao vivo. Para isso, recorre a um computador pessoal, a um controlador MIDI, a dois sintetizadores digitais e aos softwares Ableton Live e Touch Designer e, pela captação e tradução de mensagens MIDI – notas e control change – durante o processamento de som em tempo real, tenta comunicar visualmente as alterações nos diversos parâmetros sonoros que nele ocorrem, para potenciar novas dimensões de significado e enriquecer a experiência estética. O desenvolvimento do projeto revelou desafios na tradução visual dos processos de execução, especialmente na captação de sinais MIDI e na representação abstrata da manipulação sonora. A reflexão e discussão sobre os seus resultados destaca a importância do equilíbrio entre transparência e opacidade, de forma a preservar a integridade do objeto artístico, a aura e fruição da performance. Conclui que a questão da opacidade, mais do que uma característica limitadora é uma característica definidora do género, e sugere novos caminhos para pesquisas futuras.

Esta recensão surge na sequência da apresentação do romance Os Memoráveis que teve lugar na Biblioteca Pública de Braga, a convite do Conselho Cultural da Universidade do Minho, em 7 de Maio de 2014, com a presença da autora.

In this study, bio-based blends of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA) without and with organoclay, Cloisite 30B, were prepared in an internal mixer. A TPS-g-PP copolymer was successfully obtained in melt and its formation was confirmed by SEM. The establishment of this copolymer creates an interpenetrating network leading an intercalated/exfoliated clay nanocomposite. Several analytical, angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, STEM) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) were used to characterize the prepared materials. The nanocomposites mechanical properties were improved, showing an increase of about 11% for the nanocomposite when compared with the neat blend. Biodegradation studies performed in compost revealed good percentage of weight loss for the copolymer with clay addition.

Nos últimos anos os biossensores eletroquímicos têm sido reportados como uma abordagem promis sora para a deteção de DNA. São atrativos para dispositivos point-of-care pela facilidade de miniaturização, compatibilidade com técnicas de microfabricação e facilidade de instrumentação. Contudo, a integração de uma fase de amplificação com a deteção de sinais continua a ser um desafio. A técnica LAMP (loop mediated isothermal amplification ) surgiu como solução, destacando-se pela sua robustez e sensibilidade. Uma plataforma portátil para deteção eletroquímica de DNA (Mobi-E) foi desenvolvida para incorporar as caraterísticas mencionadas. Neste trabalho foram caraterizados os principais componentes do disposi tivo: potencióstatos ASIC, controlo de temperatura e um chip fluídico que integra elétrodos e estruturas de aquecimento impressas. Seguidamente, efetuou-se uma pesquisa para funcionalização universal desses elétrodos utilizando MD LAMP (mediator displacement LAMP). O desempenho do potencióstato, especificamente a rotina de voltametria de onda quadrada e a leitura quase simultânea dos 6 elétrodos de trabalho de uma câmara, foi provado e comparado com um dispositivo comercial, obtendo-se resultados qualitativamente comparáveis. Foram ainda realizadas otimizações para estabilização do potencial de referência, através da conversão Ag/AgCl por FeCl3, e para precaver dificuldades de medição resultantes da limitada tensão de conformidade do potencióstato (1.8 V). Para tal, aumentou-se a área do elétrodo auxiliar, através da impressão de 8 camadas de Au (4 no elétrodo de trabalho), e efetuou-se, entre medições, o curto-circuito entre o elétrodo auxiliar e o de referência. O sistema de controlo de temperatura provou ser efetivo no aquecimento das câmaras até 65 ºC em 2.5 min e na monitorização assertiva das suas temperaturas. Não foi detetado cross-talk entre câmaras vizinhas, nem a formação severa de bolhas de ar. Como prova de conceito, foram testadas quatro abordagens para MD LAMP e foi identificada uma alternativa promissora (Stem-Loop ) ao standard, com a respetiva mudança relativa de sinal: 0.3 e 177.6. Esta dissertação culmina com a otimização da reação LAMP para uma libertação eficiente do medi ador. Duas promissoras combinações de concentrações de mediador, primer modificado e loop primer foram identificadas: 200 nM, 400 nM, 400 nM e 100 nM, 200 nM, 600 nM, respetivamente, obtendo-se uma relação sinal/ruído de 3.7 e 2.9. Os conhecimentos adquiridos viabilizam o avanço da investigação no sentido da obtenção de um dispositivo capaz de realizar LAMP eletroquímico em tempo real.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH´s) are ubiquitous contaminants in marine environment as a result of uncontrolled spills, river transport, surface runoff and atmospheric deposition. A significant amount of industrial activity including shipping and oil refining is located along the NW Iberian Peninsula coast. The use of exposure biomarkers holds out promise due to the incipient state of the cost-effective methodologies for diagnosis and monitoring of oil pollution. This work presents the preliminary results concerning the identification of a set of biomarkers for an early warning detection of PAH toxicity. The bivalve Mytillus galloprovincialis was selected due to its ubiquitous distribution along coastline, being used as sentinels in pollution monitoring. This species has also an important value. Four locations in the vicinity of industrial wastewater discharges along the NW Iberian coast were selected and compared with a nearby (reference) site for (i) measurements of PAH body burdens and (ii) levels of enzyme activity: catalase (CAT), superoxide-dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), gluthathione S-transferase (GST) and Na+/K+ATPase (ATPase). The results will be discussed on the basis of their potential in providing additional evidence for discriminate between well known polluted and unpolluted sites.

This paper analyses the effects of International Monetary Fund (IMF) arrangements on the timing of inflation stabilization programs. Essentially, we test the hypothesis that IMF aid accelerates stabilization using probit and proportional hazards models. As in theoretical models, results are mixed: larger withdrawals of the amounts agreed to seem to hasten stabilization, but there is weak evidence that IMF arrangements lead to greater delays. Concerning other effects, greater fragmentation of the political system delays stabilization while higher inflation tends to hasten it. Other political and economic variables do not seem to have significant effects on the timing of stabilizations.

Personal protective equipment is of paramount importance in aiding and protecting firefighters against hazardous conditions. Personal protective equipment should be compatible to firefighters’ body dimensions. However, the lack of updated anthropometric data for this specific occupational group can lead to ill-fitting equipment, compromising work performance and the level of protection. To understand if Portuguese firefighters’ protective equipment is adjusted to their anthropometrics a study designated as Size FF Portugal is currently underway. A pilot study was conducted in a fire brigade located in the North of Portugal aiming to collect preliminary anthropometric data. Thirty-two male firefighters participated in the pilot study. This paper contrasts some preliminary anthropometric data of Portuguese firefighters with an anthropometric database of U.S. firefighters. The results show statistically significant differences between the stature and weight of Portuguese and U.S. firefighters. Conversely, crotch height and calf circumference measurements were not statistically different when comparing firefighters of both countries. Final considerations regarding the study limitations are presented.

Ti-HAP biocomposites are gained attention for combining the attractive properties of Ti and hydroxyapatite (HAP). However, the decomposition of HAP at elevated processing temperatures is a major concern since it can lead to structural flaws and may deteriorate the corrosion resistance of Ti. The present study aims to investigate the corrosion behavior of Ti-HAP composite processed by powder metallurgy by performing potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 0.9wt% NaCl solution at body temperature. Results show that the presence of Ti lowers the HAP decomposition temperatures resulting in the formation of HAP-depleted zones acting as electrochemically active sites, decreasing the corrosion resistance.