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Seminário "Defesa Nacional" [V]
Publication . Vitorino, Vitorino; Castillo, Gutiérrez del; Fjader, Christian; Lutsevych, Orysia; Martin, Paul; Fonseca, José Nunes da; Cabugueira, Manuel; Macário, Rosário; Pereira, Elvira; Instituto da Defesa Nacional
Exploring the potential of Hermetia illucens larvae extracts : a promising approach for dermocosmetic formulations
Publication . Filipe, Márcia Santos; Cardoso, Rossana V.C.; Ayuso, Manuel; Murta, Daniel; Díaz-Lanza, Ana María; Rosado, Catarina; Pires, Tânia C.S.P; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Rijo, Patricia
Globally, the yearly disposal of 1.3 billion tonnes of food raises environmental and public health concerns. Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae present a sustainable solution, converting organic waste into nutrient-rich biomass. The extracted oil from BSF larvae, rich in fatty acids (FA), offers an eco-friendly alternative for the cosmetic industry. In this study, larvae sourced from a Portuguese company were fed olive pomace, a by-product of olive oil production.
The lipidic sample extracted revealed a composition high in oleic acid, valuable for cosmetics. Investigating the biological activity of lipid extractions from larvae fed with olive pomace is a novel approach. Notably, the n-hexane ultrasound-assisted extraction method demonstrated potent antioxidant properties, and some extracts displayed antimicrobial activity. Five non-cytotoxic extracts; three with no relevant activity (IC50 from 236 to >400 μg/mL).
These findings highlight BSF larvae as an environmentally friendly source of fatty acids, offering promising alternatives for diverse applications.
Exploring sustainable alternatives in aquaculture feeding : the role of insects
Publication . Fantatto, Rafaela Regina; Mota, Joana; Ligeiro, Carolina; Vieira, Inês; Guilgur, Leonardo Gaston; Santos, Marisa; Murta, Daniel
The aquaculture sector faces uncertainty due to environmental changes, economic factors, and availability of food resources. Conventional aquatic feeds heavily depend on fishmeal. This results in sustainability challenges due to overexploitation of wild fish stocks, rising costs, and environmental impacts, which has driven the search for innovative and sustainable alternatives, such as insects. European Union legislation has evolved to allow the use of certain insect species in aquafeeds, favoring the market access and approval of additional species. However, regulations still need to be standardized across countries and the substrates approved for insect feed clearly defined, since the nutritional composition of insects depend on species and diet. These ingredients have high potential to replace fishmeal in aquatic feeds, although, present challenges regarding optimal growth and digestibility, specially due to the chitin in composition, that need to be overcome. However, chitin and its derivatives may also have positive effects in fish feeds as prebiotic and immunomodulator. These insect-based protein sources have several benefits, such as efficient nutrient utilization, short maturation periods, and profitability, addressing the economic and environmental challenges associated with conventional aquafeed ingredients. Scientific studies indicate that insects have the potential to improve flesh quality, strengthen the immune system, and reduce disease susceptibility in farmed fish, promoting sustainable and productive aquaculture systems. The integration of insects as alternative protein sources in aquatic feeds can offer a promising path towards sustainable and environmentally friendly aquaculture systems. Based on the research available for this topic, this review aimed to evaluate the real potential of using insect-based raw-materials in feeds for aquaculture and their effects on growth, feed utilization, immunological response, disease resistance, quality, and safety of fish.
Exploring botulinum toxin’s impact on masseter hypertrophy : a randomized, triple-blinded clinical trial
Publication . Nobre, Bryanne Brissian de Souza; Rezende, Luciana; Câmara-Souza, Mariana Barbosa; Sanchez-Ayala, Alfonso; Blass, Rodrigo; Carbone, Ana Claudia; Manso, Ana Cristina; Ernberg, Malin; Christidis, Nikolaos; Canales, Giancarlo De la Torre
The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness and functional adverse effects of a single and multiple injections of botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) for masseter hypertrophy (MH). Twenty-six women complaining about lower third facial enlargement due to MH, received 75 U of BoNT-A (abobotulinum toxin) in each masseter muscles. After 3 months, patients were randomly assigned to receive a second treatment session of Saline Solution: (G1; n = 11) or BoNT-A: (G2; n = 12). Muscle thickness (ultrasound), electrical activity (electromyography; EMG), masticatory performance, and subjective perception of MH were evaluated. Follow-up was performed at 1, 3 and 6 months. Muscle thickness, EMG activity, and masticatory performance were analyzed using ANOVA two-way and Sidak test as post-hoc. Masticatory performance was analyzed by the Friedman’s test and Mann–Whitney test. Regarding inter-groups comparisons, there was a significant decrease in the left masseter muscle thickness in the G2 group at the 6 month follow-up (p < 0.02). For EMG, significant differences were evident at the 6 month assessment, with higher masseter activity for G1 (p < 0.05). For masticatory performance, no significant differences were observed throughout the study (p > 0.05) and a higher improvement in subjective perception of MH was observed in the 1 month follow-up for G2 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, BoNT-A is effective for MH, however multiple injections cause functional adverse effects in masseter muscle.
Exploring barriers and educational needs in implementing dual-task training for Parkinson’s disease : insights from professionals
Publication . Domingos, Josefa; Dean, John; Fernandes, Júlio Belo; Família, Carlos; Fernandes, Sónia; Godinho, Catarina
Introduction: There is growing evidence suggesting that dual-task training benefits people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) on both physical and cognitive outcomes. However, there is no known data regarding professionals’ educational needs and barriers to its implementation. This study aimed to explore the barriers and educational needs of healthcare and exercise professionals to integrate dual-task training into their practice with people with PD.
Methods: We conducted a study based on a web survey. Social media channels were used to recruit a convenience sample of exercise and healthcare professionals working with people with PD.
Results: Of the 185 eligible responses, the majority were physiotherapists (68.1%) followed by occupational therapists (10.8%). Most participants attended Parkinson specific training (88.6%) and employed the treatments set up in individual one on-one sessions (58.9%). We identified several barriers to dual-task training implementation, with lack of time (to prepare materials), staying creative and/ or accessing new ideas, unreliable tools for measuring gains, and insufficient expertise as the most referred by participants. The educational needs most referred included accessing examples of interventions in general, knowing what strategies to apply and their application for people with different symptoms.
Discussion: Our results highlight that professionals remain challenged to integrate dualtask training into PD clinical care mainly due to knowledge gaps, difficulties in accessing new ideas, and lack of time.