Unidade de Investigação - CDRsp – Centro para o Desenvolvimento Rápido e Sustentado de Produto
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Percorrer Unidade de Investigação - CDRsp – Centro para o Desenvolvimento Rápido e Sustentado de Produto por Domínios Científicos e Tecnológicos (FOS) "Ciências Médicas::Ciências da Saúde"
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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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Effectiveness of Wearable Devices for Posture Correction: A Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized and Quasi-Experimental StudiesPublication . Caixeiro, Diogo; Cordeiro, Tomás; Constantino, Leandro; Carreira, João; Mendes, Rui; Silva, Cândida G.; Castro, Maria AntónioIntroduction: The increasing development of wearable devices for postural monitoring (provide feedback on posture) or correction (mechanical or biofeedback to promote change) is partly driven by the rising prevalence of poor posture in the general population and its impact on pain perception and functional capacity. Objective: Examine the effects of wearable devices on posture correction or prevention and on related outcomes, including postural alignment, muscle activity, pain and functional performance. Methods: The review followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PEDro for studies published between 2012 and 2025. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs involving participants with postural deviations or at risk of developing them, who underwent interventions using wearable devices that provided vibratory, auditory, visual, or tactile biofeedback. Results: Eight studies reported immediate improvements in postural alignment, body awareness, and self-reported pain, particularly with devices providing vibratory or visual biofeedback. Functional task stability improved, and muscle activity during risky postures decreased. However, the strong heterogeneity across devices and protocols, small sample sizes, short intervention durations, and, in some cases, the lack of independent control groups limit the strength and generalizability of these findings. Conclusions: Wearable devices have potential as complementary tools in physiotherapy due to their autonomous and potentially effective nature. Nevertheless, current evidence remains insufficient to support definitive clinical recommendations.
- Electromyographic activity of shoulder muscles on two preventive exercise programmes for swimmer’s shoulder: elastic band versus weightPublication . Tavares, Nuno; Castro, Maria António; Vilas-Boas, João Paulo; Fong, DanielStrength programmes have shown good results in preventing swimmer’s shoulder. However, there aren’t studies based on electromyographic (EMG) analysis in these programmes. This study aims to compare an EMG activity of the middle trapezius (MT), lower trapezius (LT), infraspinatus (IS), serratus anterior (SA), and pectoralis major (PM) in two swimmer’s shoulder preventive programmes – one performed with elastic band and the other with weights. Twenty competitive swimmers performed two strength programmes consisting of five exercises each, while the analysis of EMG activity in MT, LT, IS, SA, and PM for each exercise was recorded. The superficial EMG was used to collect data at a sampling frequency of 1000 hz. The Paired Sample T-test or the Wilcoxon test was applied to compare EMG activity between programmes. The internal rotation at 90º (p < 0.001) and external rotation at 90º (p ≤ 0.01) exercises produced high myoelectric shoulder muscle activity with an elastic band. Conversely, scapular punches (p < 0.001) exercise has high shoulder EMG activity when performed with weights. Performing the same preventive exercise programme with two different instruments produces great variability in the myoelectric activity of the shoulder muscles.
- Influence of Jump and Ball Release Parameters on Shooting Accuracy in Basketball Under Varying ConstraintsPublication . Amaro, Catarina M.; Castro, Maria António; Mendes, Rui; Rice, Hannah; Gomes, Beatriz B.Background: This study investigates how both jump-related (jump height and flight time) and ball-related parameters (release height, release angle, and velocity) influence shooting accuracy in basketball under different contextual constraints. Methods: Eighteen senior players competing in the national championship (11 females and 7 males; 22.0 ± 3.7 years) performed 90 shots each across three positions (left 45°, middle 90°, right 45°) and three shooting conditions (baseline, simulated gym audience noise, and simulated opposition). Jump variables were derived from force platforms, while ball kinematics were extracted using a high-speed Qualisys camera system. Results: A three-way ANOVA revealed no systematic effects of position or opposition, and only a small effect of noise on flight time (p = 0.019), which was not confirmed by the Linear Mixed Model. Comparisons between successful and missed shots indicated significantly higher flight time, jump height, and release height, and a tendency for higher release velocity in successful attempts, with no differences in release angle. Spearman correlation showed weak associations between biomechanical variables and shooting accuracy (R2 = 0.005–0.012). Conclusions: These findings suggest that while adaptive biomechanical changes occur under contextual constraints, their isolated impact on shot success is limited. Successful performance appears to rely more strongly on release-related parameters, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to training that integrates technical, perceptual, and psychological dimensions.
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Biomaterials Systems – Perspectives for Skeletal Muscle Tissue Repair and RegenerationPublication . Caseiro, A.R.; Pereira, T.; Bártolo, P. J.; Santos, J.D.; Luís, A.L.; Maurício, A.C.Skeletal muscle is essential in voluntary movement and other major vital functions. Muscle injuries are important in clinical practice and, despite skeletal muscle's good regenerative ability, severe tissue loss impairs complete myofibre regeneration, limiting structural and functional recovery of the affected muscle, eventually leading to the development of non-contractile fibrous scar. The intrinsic healing mechanisms rely in great extent on the residing progenitor population but significant drawbacks to their practical application in regenerative strategies boosted the search for alternative cell sources, such as extra-fetal mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs have demonstrated to positively influence the regeneration of different disease models. When severe volumetric muscle tissue loss occurs, the body is seldom capable of replacing the lost portions with fully functional tissue. A rational strategy to aid the healing of such situations is the application of biomaterial implants that provide a structural matrix for the ingrowth of regenerating muscle fibres. Both synthetic and natural biomaterials have been hypothesized for this purpose and some have reached as far clinical cases applications. Obvious improvements are observed in most cases, but reaction to some biomaterials and functional recovery are still a challenge. The addition of MSCs to the biomaterials seems to improve the systems' performance in the overall regenerative milieu. This strategies promote scaffold's vascularization and integration, as well as accelerated tissue ingrowth and reduces scar formation, resulting in improved recovery rates at both structural and functional levels.
- Neural Markers of Neuropathic Pain Associated with Maladaptive Plasticity in Spinal Cord InjuryPublication . Pascoal-Faria, Paula; Yalcin, Nilufer; Fregni, FelipeObjectives: Given the potential use of neural markers for the development of novel treatments in spinal cord pain, we aimed to characterize the most effective neural markers of neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: A systematic PubMed review was conducted, compiling studies that were published prior to April, 2014 that examined neural markers associated with neuropathic pain after SCI using electrophysiological and neuroimaging techniques. Results: We identified 6 studies: Four using electroencephalogram (EEG); 1 using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and FDG-PET (positron emission tomography); and 1 using MR spectroscopy. The EEG recordings suggested a reduction in alpha EEG peak frequency activity in the frontal regions of SCI patients with neuropathic pain. The MRI scans showed volume loss, primarily in the gray matter of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and by FDG-PET, hypometabolism in the medial prefrontal cortex was observed in SCI patients with neuropathic pain compared with healthy subjects. In the MR spectroscopy findings, the presence of pain was associated with changes in the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. Conclusions: When analyzed together, the results of these studies seem to point out to a common marker of pain in SCI characterized by decreased cortical activity in frontal areas and possibly increased subcortical activity. These results may contribute to planning further mechanistic studies as to better understand the mechanisms by which neuropathic pain is modulated in patients with SCI as well as clinical studies investigating best responders of treatment.
- Neuro-muscular Regeneration Using Scaffolds with Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) Isolated from Human Umbilical Cord Wharton's Jelly: Functional and Morphological Analysis Using Rat Sciatic Nerve Neurotmesis Injury ModelPublication . Caseiro, Ana Rita; Pereira, Tiago; Ribeiro, Jorge; Amorim, Irina; Faria, Fátima; Bártolo, Paulo Jorge; Armada, Paulo; Luís, Ana Lúcia; Maurício, Ana ColettePeripheral nerves possess the capacity of self-regeneration after traumatic injury but the extent of regeneration is often poor and may benefit from exogenous factors that enhance growth. Neonatal tissues are routinely discarded at parturition so little ethical controversy attends the harvest of the Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) which may play an important therapeutic role through the secretion of soluble trophic factors which enhance and assist in repair by paracrine activation of surrounding cells. The use of cellular systems is a rational approach for delivering neurotrophic factors at the nerve lesion site, and in our recent research work we have been evaluating the therapeutic value of MSCs isolated from the Wharton jelly (WJ) in nerve repair associated to different tube-guides made of biodegradable and biocompatible biomaterials. The WJ MSCs in vitro studies included cell characterization by immunocytochemistry, karyotype analysis, tri-lineage differentiation capacity and flow cytometry and also citocompatibility by measuring the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in the presence of different tube-guides.