Percorrer por autor "Bernardo, Alexandra"
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- 2-Phenoxyethanol derivatization in ink dating determinationPublication . Leal, Teresa Argente; Ferreira, Carla; Quintas, Alexandre; Bernardo, Alexandra
- An anti-inflammatory and low fermentable oligo, di, and monosaccharides and polyols diet improved patient reported outcomes in fibromyalgia : a randomized controlled trialPublication . Silva, Ana Rita; Bernardo, Alexandra; Mesquita, Maria Fernanda de; Vaz-Patto, José; Moreira, Pedro; Silva, Maria Leonor; Patrícia, PadrãoBackground: Fibromyalgia (FM) has been associated with dysbiosis and low-grade inflammation. Studies have reported that diet influences clinical features in FM. Objective: To evaluate the effect of an anti-inflammatory and low fermentable oligo, di, and monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet on clinical outcomes of patients with FM. Methods: This two arms Randomized Controlled Trial (NCT04007705) included 46 female patients with FM. The intervention group (n = 22) adopted an anti-inflammatory diet for 3 months, excluding gluten, dairy, added sugar, and ultra-processed foods, along with a low FODMAPs diet in the first month. The control group (n = 24) followed general healthy eating recommendations. Both diets were applied by a certified dietitian. Before and after the intervention, participants were assessed regarding pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms, quality of sleep, and quality of life, through the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR), Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS), Visual Analog Scale from gastrointestinal symptoms (VAS GI), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Fatigue Severity Survey (FSS), and The Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). A blood sample was collected and high-sensitive C-Reactive Protein and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate were quantified. Paired Samples t-test/Wilcoxon and independent samples t-test/Mann−Whitney were used to compare variables between groups. Results: After intervention, there was an improvement in intervention group scores of FIQR (p = 0.001), VAS (p = 0.002), BPI (p = 0.011), FSS (p = 0.042), VAS_GI (p = 0.002), PSQI (p = 0.048), and SF36 (p = 0.045) compared to control group. Inflammatory biomarkers (hs-CRP, ESR) did not change in both groups. The intervention was beneficial in the intervention group, regardless of age, disease duration, body mass index variation, and body fat change between baseline and post-intervention. Conclusion: An anti-inflammatory and low-FODMAP diet improved clinical features in patients with FM and may be useful as a complement to pharmacological therapy.
- Assessing environmental and pandemic influences on mortality through seasonal time series modelsPublication . Simões, João; Bernardo, Alexandra; Gonçalves, Luísa Lima; Brito, JoséUnderstanding the interplay between air pollution, climate variables, and mortality is essential for developing evidence-based public health policies and mitigating environmental health risks. Seasonal mortality patterns, particularly winter peaks, are often associated with increased air pollution and low temperatures. However, understanding the combined associations of these factors, especially under global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, poses a challenge for public health research and policy. This study shows that the monthly number of deaths from all-natural causes in Portugal from 2010 to 2022 exhibits a pronounced seasonal pattern, with winter mortality about 19 % higher than the annual mean. In the same period, air pollutant concentrations show clear seasonality, with NO2 (+24 %) and PM10 (+12 %) peaking in winter, while minimum temperatures fall about 42 % below the mean. Conversely, ozone exposure (SOMO35) reaches highest levels in summer, reflecting distinct seasonal burden. Using Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average models with Predictor Variables (SARIMAX), the analysis identifies complex and lagged associations: PM10 exhibits a delayed effect at four months, while NO2 is associated with immediate increases on mortality. Temperature acts as a nonlinear and oscillatory predictor, with both acute effects and delayed cold-related risks over several months. The findings indicate that pandemic-related mortality disrupted typical seasonal patterns and hindered the detectability of subtler environmental effects. Comparing models that include or exclude COVID-19 mortality reveals clearer environmental associations in the non-COVID model, highlighting the value of distinguishing acute shocks from long-term conditions. Overall, the results underscore the need for stricter air quality standards during colder months and for adaptive public health strategies that consider cumulative and lagged environmental effects. While this study focused on adults aged 30 years and older, the findings suggest that older adults, individuals with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, and those in disadvantaged settings may be more susceptible to environmental stressors.
- Assessment of air pollution and mortality in Portugal using AirQ+ and the effects of COVID-19 on their relationshipPublication . Simões, João; Bernardo, Alexandra; Gonçalves, Luísa Lima; Brito, JoséThis study uses the World Health Organization’s AirQ+ model to assess the relationship between air pollution and mortality in Portugal from 2010 to 2021, focusing on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. By integrating AirQ+ with Linear Mixed Models, we analyzed long-term air pollution data and its health effects. Results indicate a significant decrease in NO2 and PM2.5 concentrations in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions and reduced transportation emissions. Conversely, O3 exposure slightly increased. The model estimates over 5000 annual deaths from NO2 and PM2.5 exposure and over 139 annual deaths from O3-related respiratory diseases for 2010–2021. Despite limitations like the need for better assessment of pollutant mixtures and climatic variables, the study shows a decrease in NO2-related disease burden during the pandemic. These trends reflect anomalies in mortality and pollution data rather than policy improvements. The study underscores the utility of AirQ+ in guiding public health strategies and tracking progress toward the 2030 Agenda, offering insights into reducing mortality and morbidity through decreased air pollutant exposure and highlighting the need for sustained, multidimensional pollution reduction efforts.
- Desmistificando a gravidez.Publication . Bernardo, Alexandra; Cardoso, Miriam; Cardoso, Nélia; Henriques, Inês; Santos, Joana; Marques, Fernanda Maria Gomes da Costa Teixeira
- Effect of a tomato juice intake on resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, and perception level of recovery in elite swimmersPublication . Marques, Filipa Baptista; Godinho, Catarina; Bernardo, Alexandra; Brito, José
- GC-MS silylation derivative method to characterise black BIC® ballpoint 2-phenoxyethanol ratio evaporation Profile : a contribution to ink ageing estimationPublication . Leal, Teresa Argente; Ferreira, Carla; Ribeiro, Ana; Ahmad, Samir Marcos; Quintas, Alexandre; Bernardo, AlexandraOne of the major challenges in forensic document analysis is estimating the age of ink deposition on a manually written document. The present work aims to develop and optimise a methodology, based on the evaporation of 2-phenoxyethanol (PE) over time, that can contribute to ink age estimation. A black BIC® Crystal Ballpoint Pen was purchased in a commercial area, and ink deposition began in September 2016 over 1095 days. For each ink sample, 20 microdiscs were subjected to n-hexane extraction in the presence of an internal standard (ethyl benzoate) followed by derivatisation with a silylation reagent. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method was optimised for PE-trimethylsilyl (PE-TMS) to characterise the ageing curve. The developed method presented good linearity between 0.5 and 50.0 μg mL−1, as well as limits of detection and quantification of 0.026 and 0.104 μg mL−1, respectively. It was possible to characterise PE-TMS concentration over time, which reveals a two-phase decay behaviour. First, there was a substantial decline between the 1st and the 33rd day of deposition, followed a by a stabilisation of the signal, which allowed to detect the presence of PE-TMS up to 3 years. Two unknown compounds were also present and allowed to identify three dating time frames for the same ink stroke: (i) between time 0 and 33 days, (ii) between time 34 and 109 days, and (iii) more than 109 days. The developed methodology allowed to characterise the behaviour of PE over time and to establish a relative dating of three-time frames.
- Mediadores inflamatórios na saliva: associação entre obesidade e doença periodontalPublication . Cachinho, Ricardo; Manso, Ana Cristina; Bernardo, Alexandra; Moncada, Margarida; Mendes, José João; Mesquita, Maria Fernanda de
- Papel da televisão no crescer da criança.Publication . Bernardo, Alexandra; Henriques, Inês; Santos, Joana; Santos, Mariana; Cardoso, Miriam
- Segurança rodoviária: momento de agir.Publication . Bernardo, Alexandra; Cardoso, Miriam; Cardoso, Nélia; Henriques, Inês; Santos, Joana; RAMOS, Ana Lúcia