Browsing by Author "Afonso, J"
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- Effects of active video games on metabolic and cardiovascular systems in adults: systematic reviewPublication . Afonso, J; Almeida, M de; Raposo, M; Silva, N; Alves Lopes, AntónioIntroduction: In our society, the influence of technology is growing fast and its use occupies a large amount of time during the general population’s daily life, which may lead to a sedentary lifestyle. New technologies have been developed to promote physical activity, which can be named exergames or active video games. These platform games combine video games with physical activity. Objectives: Review systematically the scientific evidence about the effects of exergames in the metabolic and cardiovascular systems in the adult population, recommending future investigation. Methodology: Only RCT’s (Random Controlled Trials) were included in English and Portuguese, enclosing adults playing exergames and the results of evaluations of their metabolic and cardiovascular systems. The databases used were: Pubmed, Cochrane, PEDro, EBSCO, IEEXplor. The selection of the articles was made by four independent revisers, remaining only three articles of the initial 189. These three were methodologically evaluated using the PEDro scale. Results: All studies found evaluated the cardiac frequency, the O2 maximum consumption and the energy expenditure. Other evaluated items included perceived exertion, general physical condition, body mass index, arterial pressure (AP), walking distance and exercise adherence. All studies demonstrate significant differences in the results of the experimental group, on at least one of the variables at study. Conclusions: Examining the results, consensus is established, regarding the efficacy of video-games in energy consumption. However there isn’t sufficient evidence to reach conclusions about the other parameters. The studies did not show homogeneity, which makes it impossible to generalize the results to the population. More RCT’s are needed to reach significant conclusions, concerning the efficacy of active video-games in the metabolic and cardiovascular systems of adults, revealing the importance and necessity of future studies in this area.
- Fetal-maternal interface impedance parallels local NADPH oxidase related superoxide production.Publication . Guedes-Martins, L; Silva, E; Gaio, AR; Saraiva, J; Soares, AI; Afonso, J; Macedo, F; Almeida, HBlood flow assessment employing Doppler techniques is a useful procedure in pregnancy evaluation, as it may predict pregnancy disorders coursing with increased uterine vascular impedance, as pre-eclampsia. While the local causes are unknown, emphasis has been put on reactive oxygen species (ROS) excessive production. As NADPH oxidase (NOX) is a ROS generator, it is hypothesized that combining Doppler assessment with NOX activity might provide useful knowledge on placental bed disorders underlying mechanisms. A prospective longitudinal study was performed in 19 normal course, singleton pregnancies. Fetal aortic isthmus (AoI) and maternal uterine arteries (UtA) pulsatility index (PI) were recorded at two time points: 20-22 and 40-41 weeks, just before elective Cesarean section. In addition, placenta and placental bed biopsies were performed immediately after fetal extraction. NOX activity was evaluated using a dihydroethidium-based fluorescence method and associations to PI values were studied with Spearman correlations. A clustering of pregnancies coursing with higher and lower PI values was shown, which correlated strongly with placental bed NOX activity, but less consistently with placental tissue. The study provides evidence favoring that placental bed NOX activity parallels UtA PI enhancement and suggests that an excess in oxidation underlies the development of pregnancy disorders coursing with enhanced UtA impedance.
- First-episode psychosis in a 15 year-old female with clinical presentation of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis: a case report and review of the literaturePublication . Moura, M; Silva-dos-Santos, Amílcar; Afonso, J; Talina, MBACKGROUND: Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disease that was identified in 2007, and manifests in a stepwise manner with psychiatric, neurological and autonomic symptoms. The disease is caused by autoantibodies against NMDA receptors. It can have a paraneoplastic origin, mainly secondary to ovarian teratomas, but it can also be unrelated to the tumor. This disease can affect both sexes and all ages. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we present a case of a 15 year-old female adolescent with first-episode psychosis with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis not related to tumor, which manifested with delusion, hallucinations, panic attacks, agitation, and neurological symptoms, and later with autonomic instability. She was treated with immunotherapy and psychiatric medication resulting in improvement of her main psychiatric and neurological symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our main objective in presenting this case is to alert clinicians to this challenging and recent disease that has a clinical presentation that might resemble a functional psychiatric condition and can be underdiagnosed in the context of child and adolescent psychiatry