Strategic Project - UI 4044 - 2013-2014

Publications

Numerical Calculations in Tissue Engineering

Publication . Almeida, Henrique de Amorim; Bártolo, Paulo J.

The design of optimized scaffolds for tissue engineering is a key topic of research, as the complex macro- and micro- architectures required for a scaffold depends not only on the mechanical properties, but also on the physical and molecular queues of the surrounding tissue within the defect site. Thus, the prediction of optimal features for tissue engineering scaffolds is very important for its mechanical, vascular or topological properties. The relationship between high scaffold porosity and high mechanical properties is contradictory, as it becomes even more complex due to the scaffold degradation process. A scaffold design strategy was developed, based on the finite element method, to optimise the scaffold design regarding the mechanical and vascular properties as a function of porosity. Scaffolds can be considered as a LEGO structure formed by an association of small elementary units or blocks. In this research work, two types of family elementary scaffold units were considered: non-triple periodic minimal surfaces and triple periodic minimal surfaces that describe natural existing surfaces. The main objective of this work is to present the undergoing research based on numerical simulations for the evaluation and prediction of the scaffold's behaviour under structural and vascular loading, and its topological optimisation.

2014-05Conference paper

Open access

Quantification and Modulation of Tremor in Rapid Upper Limb Movements

Publication . Faria, Paula; Leal, Adriana; Freire, António; Januário, Cristina; Patrício, Miguel; Castelo-Branco, Miguel

Tremor is a manifestation of a variety of human neurodegenerative diseases, notably Parkinson’s disease (PD), a chronic disease that affects one in 100 people over age 60 years. Recent research indicates that more than five million worldwide have PD. This disease is primarily caused by a progressive loss of dopamine neurons in the nigrostriatal system that leads to widespread motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor and postural instability. Although the diagnosis of PD remains clinical, advances in functional and structural imaging have improved the ability to differentiate between PD and Essential Tremor (ET), as well as between different akinetic-rigid syndromes. No definitive test or biomarker is available for PD, so the rate of misdiagnosis is relatively high. It is therefore crucial to be able to characterize tremor in PD and ET as it is a very common feature at the onset of both diseases. This is made possible with a combination of a neuroscientific and methodological multi-modal imaging approaches, namely kinetic recording methods using accelerometers to quantify tremor amplitude and frequency and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). These allow the identification of the neural underpinnings of tremor in both PD and ET patients, which in fact have been surprisingly difficult to decipher. In this work we aim to find which tasks involving upper limb movements are suitable to modulate both PD and ET tremor. The same tasks are considered with and without added loading. The resulting analysis will allow designing an efficient fMRI protocol aiming at the identification of the cortical circuits responsible for the modulation of tremor.

2014Conference paper

Open access

Neural Markers of Neuropathic Pain Associated with Maladaptive Plasticity in Spinal Cord Injury

Publication . Pascoal-Faria, Paula; Yalcin, Nilufer; Fregni, Felipe

Objectives: 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.

2015-04-28Journal article

Restricted access

On Algebraic and More General Categories Whose Split Epimorphisms Have Underlying Product Projections

Publication . Gray, J. R. A.; Martins-Ferreira, Nelson

We characterize those varieties of universal algebras where every split epimorphism considered as a map of sets is a product projection. In addition we obtain new characterizations of semi-abelian, protomodular, unital and subtractive varieties as well as varieties of right Ω-loops and biternary systems.

2015-06Journal article

Restricted access

Keywords

Biofabrication,Additive Manufacturing,Hydrogels,Tissue Engineering, Engineering and technology ,Engineering and technology/Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering

Funding agency

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.

Funding programme

6817 - DCRRNI ID
Financiamento de Projectos de IC&DT Estratégicos e de Interesse Público promovidos por Laboratórios Associados e Unidades de I&D - 2013 - OE

Funding Award Number

PEst-OE/EME/UI4044/2013