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- 3D Photo-Fabrication for Tissue Engineering and Drug DeliveryPublication . Brás Pereira, Rúben Filipe; Bartolo, PauloThe most promising strategies in tissue engineering involve the integration of a triad of biomaterials, living cells, and biologically active molecules to engineer synthetic environments that closely mimic the healing milieu present in human tissues, and that stimulate tissue repair and regeneration. To be clinically effective, these environments must replicate, as closely as possible, the main characteristics of the native extracellular matrix (ECM) on a cellular and subcellular scale. Photo-fabrication techniques have already been used to generate 3D environments with precise architectures and heterogeneous composition, through a multi-layer procedure involving the selective photocrosslinking reaction of a light-sensitive prepolymer. Cells and therapeutic molecules can be included in the initial hydrogel precursor solution, and processed into 3D constructs. Recently, photo-fabrication has also been explored to dynamically modulate hydrogel features in real time, providing enhanced control of cell fate and delivery of bioactive compounds. This paper focuses on the use of 3D photo-fabrication techniques to produce advanced constructs for tissue regeneration and drug delivery applications. State-of-the-art photo-fabrication techniques are described, with emphasis on the operating principles and biofabrication strategies to create spatially controlled patterns of cells and bioactive factors. Considering its fast processing, spatiotemporal control, high resolution, and accuracy, photo-fabrication is assuming a critical role in the design of sophisticated 3D constructs. This technology is capable of providing appropriate environments for tissue regeneration, and regulating the spatiotemporal delivery of therapeutics.
- Application of curcuminoids in inflammatory, neurodegenerative and aging conditions - Pharmacological potential and bioengineering approaches to improve efficiencyPublication . Lagoa, Ricardo; Rajan, Logesh; Violante, Cristiana; Babiaka, Smith B.; Marques da Silva, Dorinda; Kapoor, Bhupinder; Reis, Flávio; Atanasov, Atanas G.Curcumin, a natural compound found in turmeric, has shown promise in treating brain-related diseases and conditions associated with aging. Curcumin has shown multiple anti-inflammatory and brain-protective effects, but its clinical use is limited by challenges like poor absorption, specificity and delivery to the right tissues. A range of contemporary approaches at the intersection with bioengineering and systems biology are being explored to address these challenges. Data from preclinical and human studies highlight various neuroprotective actions of curcumin, including the inhibition of neuroinflammation, modulation of critical cellular signaling pathways, promotion of neurogenesis, and regulation of dopamine levels. However, curcumin’s multifaceted effects - such as its impact on microRNAs and senescence markers - suggest novel therapeutic targets in neurodegeneration. Tetrahydrocurcumin, a primary metabolite of curcumin, also shows potential due to its presence in circulation and its anti-inflammatory properties, although further research is needed to elucidate its neuroprotective mechanisms. Recent advancements in delivery systems, particularly brain-targeting nanocarriers like polymersomes, micelles, and liposomes, have shown promise in enhancing curcumin’s bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy in animal models. Furthermore, the exploration of drug-laden scaffolds and dermal delivery may extend the pharmacological applications of curcumin. Studies reviewed here indicate that engineered dermal formulations and devices could serve as viable alternatives for neuroprotective treatments and to manage skin or musculoskeletal inflammation. This work highlights the need for carefully designed, long-term studies to better understand how curcumin and its bioactive metabolites work, their safety, and their effectiveness.
- Body Area Networks in Healthcare: A Brief State of the ArtPublication . Roda-Sanchez, Luis; Olivares, Teresa; Fernández-Caballero, Antonio; Vera, Daniel; Costa, Nuno; Pereira, António Manuel de JesusA body area network (BAN) comprises a set of devices that sense their surroundings, activate and communicate with each other when an event is detected in its environment. Although BAN technology was developed more than 20 years ago, in recent years, its popularity has greatly increased. The reason is the availability of smaller and more powerful devices, more efficient communication protocols and improved duration of portable batteries. BANs are applied in many fields, healthcare being one of the most important through gathering information about patients and their surroundings. A continuous stream of information may help physicians with making well-informed decisions about a patient's treatment. Based on recent literature, the authors review BAN architectures, network topologies, energy sources, sensor types, applications, as well as their main challenges. In addition, the paper focuses on the principal requirements of safety, security, and sustainability. In addition, future research and improvements are discussed. © 2019 by the authors
- Classification of reticular pattern and streaks in dermoscopic images based on texture analysisPublication . Machado, Marlene; Pereira, Jorge; Fonseca-Pinto, RuiThe early detection of melanoma is one of the greatest challenges in clinical practice of dermatology, and the reticular pattern is one of the most important dermoscopic structures to improve melanocytic lesion diagnosis. A texture-based approach is developed for the automatic detection of reticular patterns, whose output will assist clinical decision-making. Feature selection was based on the use of two algorithms by means of the classical graylevel co-occurrence matrix and Laws energy masks optimized on a set of 104 dermoscopy images. The AdaBoost (adaptive boosting) approach to machine learning was used within this strategy. Results suggest superiority of LEM for reticular pattern detection in dermoscopic images, achieving a sensitivity of 90.16% and a specificity of 86.67%. The use of automatic classification in dermoscopy to support clinicians is a strong tool to assist diagnosis; however, the use of automatic classification as a complementary tool in clinical routine requires algorithms with high levels of sensitivity and specificity. The results presented in this work will contribute to achieving this goal.
- Complexity Analysis of a Business Process Automation: Case Study on a Healthcare OrganizationPublication . Martinho, Ricardo; Rijo, Rui, Rui Pedro Charters Lopes; Nunes, AnaHealthcare organizations have been struggling to get Business Process Management (BPM) and associated Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) properly aligned to improve their patients' service and quality of care. Nevertheless, the highly structured nature of larger organizations such as hospitals hampers this alignment, and commonly ICT is applied to isolated tasks or fragments of processes. In this paper, we present and discuss the results, in terms of complexity, of the introduction of a new scheduling system within the medical appointment and exam business processes of a large hospital. During the case study, we began by modelling the processes using the Business Process Modelling and Notation (BPMN) standard. We then used abstract metrics to compare the complexity between old (before the introduction of the scheduling system) and new processes, and interpreted the obtained results. Finally, we derived important conclusions that will help guide us in further business process optimization endeavors.
- Data Integration in the Brazilian Public Health System for Tuberculosis: Use of the Semantic Web to Establish InteroperabilityPublication . Pellison, Felipe Carvalho; Rijo, Rui Pedro Charters Lopes; Lima, Vinicius Costa; Crepaldi, Nathalia Yukie; Bernardi, Filipe Andrade; Galliez, Rafael Mello; Kritski, Afrânio; Abhishek, Kumar; Alves, DomingosBackground: Interoperability of health information systems is a challenge due to the heterogeneity of existing systems at both the technological and semantic levels of their data. The lack of existing data about interoperability disrupts intra-unit and inter-unit medical operations as well as creates challenges in conducting studies on existing data. The goal is to exchange data while providing the same meaning for data from different sources. Objective: To find ways to solve this challenge, this research paper proposes an interoperability solution for the tuberculosis treatment and follow-up scenario in Brazil using Semantic Web technology supported by an ontology. Methods: The entities of the ontology were allocated under the definitions of Basic Formal Ontology. Brazilian tuberculosis applications were tagged with entities from the resulting ontology. Results: An interoperability layer was developed to retrieve data with the same meaning and in a structured way enabling semantic and functional interoperability. Conclusions: Health professionals could use the data gathered from several data sources to enhance the effectiveness of their actions and decisions, as shown in a practical use case to integrate tuberculosis data in the State of São Paulo.
- Design of a Video Otoscope Prototype with an Integrated Scanner for Hearing Aid Direct Digital Manufacturing: A Preliminary StudyPublication . Ganhão, Francisco; Santos, António Carvalho; Silva, Carla; Monteiro de Moura, Carla SofiaIn the current landscape of hearing rehabilitation, ear mold manufacturing typically involves the injection of silicone into the external ear canal (EEC) of each patient. This invasive procedure poses several risks, including the potential for silicone residue retention and tympanic membrane perforation, which may necessitate surgical intervention. To mitigate these risks, we present the design of a video otoscope that integrates a scanner capable of capturing high-precision, real-time images of the EEC’s geometry. The developed device allows (i) the generation of a 3D CAD model leading to the direct, quick, and low-cost production of customized hearing aids using 3D printing and (ii) the establishment of medical protocols for carrying out diagnoses and monitoring of hearing pathology evolution using methodologies based on Artificial Intelligence. Furthermore, the use of customized hearing aids that allow the application of Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) and music therapy enhances audiology as an alternative and innovative way to treat cognitive and degenerative diseases, as well as pathological disorders.
- A distributed multiagent system architecture for body area networks applied to healthcare monitoringPublication . Felisberto, Filipe; Laza, Rosalía; Fdez-Riverola, Florentino; Pereira, AntónioIn the last years the area of health monitoring has grown significantly, attracting the attention of both academia and commercial sectors. At the same time, the availability of new biomedical sensors and suitable network protocols has led to the appearance of a new generation of wireless sensor networks, the so-called wireless body area networks. Nowadays, these networks are routinely used for continuous monitoring of vital parameters, movement, and the surrounding environment of people, but the large volume of data generated in different locations represents a major obstacle for the appropriate design, development, and deployment of more elaborated intelligent systems. In this context, we present an open and distributed architecture based on a multiagent system for recognizing human movements, identifying human postures, and detecting harmful activities. The proposed system evolved from a single node for fall detection to a multisensor hardware solution capable of identifying unhampered falls and analyzing the users’ movement. The experiments carried out contemplate two different scenarios and demonstrate the accuracy of our proposal as a real distributed movement monitoring and accident detection system. Moreover, we also characterize its performance, enabling future analyses and comparisons with similar approaches.
- Does Printing Orientation Matter in PolyJet 3D Printed Teeth for Endodontics? A Micro-CT AnalysisPublication . Barbosa, Cláudia; Reis, Tiago; Reis, José B.; Franco, Margarida; Batista, Catarina; Ruben, Rui B.; Martín-Biedma, Benjamín; Martín-Cruces, JoseThis study aimed to identify the optimal printing orientation (X, Y, or Z axis) and positioning of a mandibular molar presenting an isthmus using PolyJet™ technology. The influence of these parameters on dimensional accuracy and on the behavior of 3D-printed teeth (3DPT) during endodontic preparation with ProTaper Gold® system was evaluated. Six groups (XA, XB, YA, YB, ZA, ZB; n = 10) were printed with different axis orientations and distinct isthmus positions relative to the build platform. All samples underwent micro-computed tomography scanning before and after endodontic preparation. Regarding preoperative analyses—canal volume, centroids, and total tooth volume and area—no significant differences were found between groups XA–YA or XB–YB (p > 0.05), supporting their comparability. In contrast, groups ZA and ZB differed significantly from all others (p < 0.05), failing to meet equivalence required for further comparison, and were therefore excluded. Postoperative evaluation—volume change, centroid displacement, transportation, and unprepared areas—revealed no significant differences between XA–YA and XB–YB. Within the limitations of this study, both printing orientation and position affected the accuracy and repeatability of 3DPT, with positioning exerting the greatest influence, while their behavior towards endodontic preparation remained consistent across orientations.
- Effect of Preventive Exercise Programs for Swimmer’s Shoulder Injury on Rotator Cuff Torque and Balance in Competitive Swimmers: A Randomized Controlled TrialPublication . Tavares, Nuno; Vilas-Boas, João Paulo; Castro, Maria AntónioBackground: Over the season, competitive swimmers experience a progressive imbalance in rotator cuff strength, predisposing them to a significant risk factor for a swimmer’s shoulder injury. Objectives: Verify the effectiveness of two 12-week preventive programs on the shoulder rotators’ peak torque and conventional/functional ratios. Design: A care provider- and participant-blinded, parallel, randomized controlled trial with three groups. Participants: Competitive swimmers aged 16 to 35 years with no prior clinical issues related to their shoulders. Interventions: Twice a week, over 12 weeks, the two experimental groups performed five exercises where the only difference was executing the program with weights or elastic bands, and the control group performed a sham intervention. Main outcome measures: The concentric and eccentric peak torque of the internal and external rotators of the dominant shoulder were assessed before and after the intervention using an isokinetic dynamometer Biodex System 3, at 60°/s, 120°/s, and 180°/s. Results: Among the experimental groups, only one test indicated a reduction (p ≤ 0.05) in rotator peak torque, while the control group showed a decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in five tests. Swimmers who completed the prevention programs demonstrated less imbalance in conventional/functional ratios than controls. Conclusions: Implementing a 12-week preventive program minimizes the progressive shoulder rotational imbalance over the season in competitive swimmers. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT06552585.
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