Browsing by Author "Marques, Joana"
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- Avaliação da discriminação auditiva em crianças com idades compreendidas entre os 4 anos e os 4 anos e 11 mesesPublication . Fernandes, Diana; Marques, Joana; Lima, EtelvinaEstado da Arte: A discriminação auditiva (DA) é essencial para a competência linguística, existindo evidências sobre diferenças da aquisição de competências linguísticas entre géneros. Embora haja falta de informação sobre os níveis de desempenho da DA na população portuguesa, existem evidências de que a performance nas provas desta capacidade podem depender do género. Objetivos: Os objetivos do estudo são a identificação e análise do nível de competência de DA e a comparação da DA entre géneros. Metodologia: Com base um desenho de estudo não-experimental, descritivo do tipo quantitativo foi reunida uma amostra de 45 crianças dos 4 aos 4 anos e 11 meses (22 do género feminino e 23 do masculino) à qual foi aplicado um teste formal de avaliação da linguagem e o questionário sociodemográfico para apurar os critérios de inclusão. Adicionalmente, foi aplicado o Protocolo de Avaliação da DA (desenvolvido por Leal, Almeida, Dixe, e Mina, 2013). Os dados recolhidos serão alvo de uma análise estatística descritiva e inferencial. Implicações Éticas: A recolha dos dados nos jardins-de-infância foi aprovada pela Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados e autorizada pelo Ministério da Educação. Foi pedida autorização às instituições onde o estudo foi realizado e aos Encarregados de Educação através do Consentimento Informado. Implicações para a prática em saúde: O estudo permitirá obter dados mais precisos sobre a competência de DA, aumentando a qualidade do diagnóstico e avaliação linguística consoante o género, otimizando a intervenção e prestação de cuidados de saúde nesta área.
- Cold atmospheric plasma activation of human gingival fibroblasts for improved wound healingPublication . Silva, Neusa; Marques, Joana; Brito da Cruz, Mariana; Luis, Henrique; Mata, António; Sério, SusanaSoft tissue regeneration plays a crucial role after oral surgery, as the successful healing of the soft tissue is a primary indicator of an efficacious intervention. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has recently emerged as a promising therapeutic modality, exhibiting notable effects on cell migration and proliferation. Despite its potential, the dental application of CAP remains underexplored. This in vitro study aims to elucidate the impact of CAP activated medium on human gingival fibroblast responses, for future wound healing strategies. The study was divided into four parts: initial characterization of the plasma Jet, assessment of cell concentration, exploration of treatment distance effects, and treatment time dynamics. Human gingival fibroblasts were exposed to complete DMEM medium (without sodium pyruvate) activated with CAP at treatment distances of 2, 5, 7, and 9 mm, and treatment times of 15, 60, 120, 180, and 300 s for 1, 2 and 3 d of culture. The cell viability was evaluated using resazurin-based method, while wound healing dynamics was assessed via the scratch assay technique using phase-contrast microscopy. The cell morphology was characterised through fluorescence microscopy using propidium iodide and phalloidin staining, complemented by scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that treatment distances and exposure times can influence the cell behaviour depending on the cell concentration. For the selected concentration of 1 × 104 cells ml−1, a treatment distance of 9 mm appeared to enhance human gingival fibroblast viability compared to a treatment distance of 2 mm and the control group. The images revealed adherent cells with a pattern typical of fibroblasts. However, no differences were observed for exposure times of 15 s and 180 s. The observed results further evidence that the exposure of the medium to the CAP device promoted an increase in cell viability, proliferation, and attachment in human gingival fibroblasts.
- Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in Portugal: A Narrative Review of the LiteraturePublication . Frade, Fátima; Carteiro, Dora; Pereira, Fátima; Marques, Joana; Graça Frade, João ManuelBackground: The number of childhood obesity cases has been increasing in several countries around the world. In view of all the associated complications at an early stage of child development, it becomes urgent to understand this problem in depth. Objective: The aim of this work was to describe the prevalence of childhood obesity in Portugal and analyze the trend of its evolution in recent years. Materials and Methods: This is a narrative review of the literature in the databases on the following platforms: Academic Google, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), EBSCO Host, and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS). The keywords used were: Prevalence, Pediatric Obesity, Child Overweight, and Portugal. Results and Discussion: Data on the prevalence of childhood obesity in Portugal are presented, describing the results of studies conducted at national and district level, in the different age groups and by sex. Conclusions: The data reveal that the prevalence of overweight in Portugal ranges between 20 and 40%, and of obesity between 10 and 15%, which reinforces the urgent need for monitoring and implementing preventive measures.
- The applications of cold atmospheric plasma in dentistryPublication . Silva, Neusa; Marques, Joana; da Cruz, Mariana B.; Luis, Henrique; Sério, Susana; Mata, AntónioCold atmospheric plasma (CAP), as a noninvasive technology, has shown promise in dentistry as it might successfully treat various oral conditions. The antimicrobial capacity of CAP has been proven and it is effective in reducing the main microorganisms responsible for oral infections. Furthermore, CAP has also been explored in the field of tissue regeneration with a great response from both soft and hard tissue. The surface modification ability of CAP is another area of interest, revealing a potential improvement in the osseointegration of dental implants. Additionally, there are other areas within dentistry that have studied the use of CAP, such as surface disinfection, bleaching, and cavity preparation.