Browsing by Author "Costa, P."
Now showing 1 - 10 of 11
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Are nurses uniforms a reservoir for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus? Lessons to be learned from PortugalPublication . Fernandes, E.; Costa, P.; Graveto, J.; Santos, C.; Osório, N.; Alarico, S.; Albano, Helena
- Brand logo design: examining consumer responses to figurativenessPublication . Machado, J. C.; Vacas-Carvalho, Leonor; Costa, P.; Torres, A.In a previous investigation, aimed at studying brand identity preferences in a merger context, researchers found the most preferred logos are figurative ones. Additionally, results suggested the aesthetic appeal of the logo significantly influences consumers’ identity choices. These results find support in logo strategy literature. The main purpose of this study is to investigate more thoroughly the influence of logo design characteristics, and particularly of figurativeness, on consumers’ responses. In two studies, this research will try to shed light on consumer logo preferences, by investigating psychological properties of figurativeness. Firstly, this research will allow classifying a significant sample of international logos according to the figurativeness of logo design. Then, this study will evaluate affect towards logo design.
- Cognitive stimulation in older adults: an innovative good practice supporting successful aging and self-carePublication . Apóstolo, J.; Bobrowicz-Campos, E.; Gil, I.; Silva, R.; Costa, P.; Couto, F.; Cardoso, D.; Barata, A.; Almeida, M.The project Cognitive Stimulation in Older Adults: Intervention on Cognitive Frailty and Promotion of Self-Care (in brief the ECOG project) arises in a context of worldwide demographic aging, and is fostered by the need to provide a sustainable solution to the progressive increase in the prevalence of age-related cognitive impairment. The main goal of the ECOG project is to promote active citizenship in old age through the empowerment for autonomy and self-care. Namely, the ECOG team is working on the development of evidence-based programs and tools that promote gains in health in cognitively frail and cognitively impaired older adults from the community. It is also working on the transfer of ECOG products to the practice of health and social care, promoting active involvement of geriatric care institutions in the implementation of the ECOG programs and tools, and ensuring appropriate training of professionals. Finally, the ECOG team is deploying a digital platform to reach out to the broadest audience possible and support the remote access and scaling up of the ECOG products. The impacts expected at an individual level include improvements in cognition, functionality, and autonomy of older adults, with simultaneous reduction of depressive symptomatology, and increase in quality of life of both person cared and his/her caregiver. Regarding societal gains, we anticipate an increase in life expectancy and significant postponement of institutionalization associated with geriatric problems. We also believe that the wide implementation of the ECOG products will reduce the costs of interventions for cognitively impaired citizens, contributing to sustainability and efficiency of health systems.
- Diagnóstico radiológico pré-cirúrgico de sisos inclusos: caso clínicoPublication . Costa, P.; Filipe, M.; Frias, C.; Almeida, B.; Almeida, R.
- Effect of storage conditions on stability of free and encapsulated – in plain or cysteine-supplemented alginate, Lactobacillus acidophilus KiPublication . Sousa, S.; Gomes, A.; Pintado, M.; Silva, J.; Costa, P.; Amaral, M.; Rocha-Santos, T.; Rodrigues, D.; Freitas, A.Lately, many functional food products have been widely released. Functional foods are foods which promote health beyond providing basic nutrition (Sanders, 1998). Probiotic bacteria are currently used in the development of functional food products (Pimentel-González, 2009; Siró et al., 2008), yet sometimes face technological challenges when incorporated in food matrices with more aggressive environments – salt, acid or oxygen concentrations. In order to be effective, the suggested concentration for probiotic bacteria is 106 CFU/g of a product (Shah, 2000). Encapsulation is an efficient technique to overcome such difficulties since microcapsules help in their protection from both the product intrinsic properties and the gastrointestinal tract conditions. Besides the challenges originated by the food matrices and the gastrointestinal tract there is also the challenge of conservation of the viable microorganisms throughout production and storage of the delivery food product which is also a reason for encapsulating probiotics (Allan-Wojtas et al., 2008) since the encapsulation technique can also help to protect the probiotics from the storage conditions of the product and thus increase its shelf-life in which the microorganisms are inside their effectiveness range. In this research work stability of calcium alginate capsules, produced by extrusion by aerodynamically assisted flow, throughout six months storage was studied. The effect of four storage temperatures (21, 4, -20 and -80 ºC) upon the viability of free and encapsulated cells of Lactobacillus acidophilus Ki was assessed. Two types of microcapsules were produced – one with calcium alginate and another where L-cysteine·HCl was utilized as a supplement to the calcium alginate matrix.
- Effect of storage conditions on stability of free and encapsulated in plain- or cysteine-supplemented alginate, Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12®Publication . Sousa, S. C.; Costa, E. A.; Gomes, A. M.; Pintado, M. M.; Malcata, F. X.; Silva, J. P.; Lobo, J. M. Sousa; Costa, P.; Amaral, M. H.; Bahia, M. F.; Rocha-Santos, T.; Rodrigues, D.; Freitas, A. C.The main objective of this research work was to study the viability of Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12® as free and calcium alginate-encapsulated cells, with or without cysteine, throughout storage, at four different temperatures. Extrusion by aerodynamically assisted flow was used to produce alginate and calcium alginate supplemented with L-cysteine·HCl microcapsules, containing B. animalis BB-12®. The microcapsules were suspended in Ringer solution in a 1:9 (g/mL) ratio, and stored at 21, 4, -20 and -80 ºC throughout six months, respectively. In parallel, the viability of free cells in cell suspension, was subjected to the same storage conditions and the corresponding viability assessed. Results showed that at 21, 4 and -20 ºC, the encapsulation did not have a protective effect—free cells maintained their viability throughout longer periods than encapsulated counterparts. At -80 ºC, encapsulation protected B. animalis BB-12® in comparison to the behavior of free cells. However, this effect was only observed in calcium alginate microcapsules supplemented with L-cysteine.HCl. After 180 days storage at -80 ºC, a 2 log cycle difference, in viable cells was observed between microcapsules with or without cysteine. The viable numbers of B. animalis BB-12® in microcapsules without cysteine was similar to that of free cells. In conclusion, alginate encapsulation revealed a protective effect on viability of B. animalis BB-12® stored at -80 ºC when supplemented with L-cysteine.HCl.
- Effects of encapsulation on the viability of probiotic strains exposed to lethal conditionsPublication . Borges, S.; Barbosa, J.; Camilo, R.; Carvalheira, A.; Sousa, S.; Gomes, A. M.; Pintado, M. M.; Silva, J. P.; Costa, P.; Amaral, M. H.; Silva, J.; Teixeira, P.; Freitas, A. C.The effect of microencapsulation in an alginate matrix on the viability of several potential probiotic strains (Lactobacillus paracasei LAFTI® L26, L. acidophilus Ki and Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12®), in the presence and absence of L-cysteine, during the exposure to lethal conditions of temperature (55 ºC for L. acidophilus Ki and 60 ºC for L. paracasei and B. animalis BB-12®, during 60 min), pH (3.0 during 6h) and salt (25% during 24h), was evaluated. The microcapsules were prepared via extrusion by aerodynamically-assisted flow. The effect of the disintegration of the microcapsules by mixing with sodium citrate in the enumeration of survivors was also evaluated. The lethal treatments were performed in whey protein concentrate medium and the survivors were enumerated accordingly. In general, the microencapsulated cells were more sensitive to the lethal conditions. The addition of L-cysteine to growth medium did not increase the viability of the tested strains except for B. animalis BB-12®. Furthermore, the disintegration in sodium citrate did not affect the viability. The survival of the probiotic strains was dependent on the lethal stress being imposed and planktonic cells were more resistant to the tested lethal conditions. Encapsulation of these probiotic bacteria did not improve their survival through lethal conditions.
- Encapsulation protective effect upon viability of probiotic bacteria throughout storage and gastrointestinal tractPublication . Rodrigues, D.; Sousa, S.; Rocha-Santos, T.; Gomes, A. M.; Pintado, M. M.; Malcata, F. X.; Silva, J. P.; Lobo, J. M. S.; Costa, P.; Amaral, M. H.; Freitas, A. C.Microcapsules (MC) with fresh cultures of potential probiotic strains (Lactobacillus paracasei LAFTI® L26, L. acidophilus Ki and Bifidobacterium animalisBB-12®) were produced by spray-drying using whey protein concentrate (WPC50) with or without L-cysteine (0.5 g/L). After microencapsulation, the MC were stored, in duplicate, at 5ºC over a period of 6 months during which the number of viable cells (VC) were evaluated. After 15, 60 and 120 days of storage, their resistance throughout gastrointestinal conditions was evaluated. In MC without L-cysteine, the VC numbers of L. acidophilus Ki and B. animalis BB-12® after 6 months of storage decreased from 108 to 106 cfu/g whereas no decrease was observed for L. paracasei. The presence of L-cysteine revealed a positive effect, especially for L. acidophilus Ki after 90 days of storage accounting for more than one logarithm cycle increase in viability. Encapsulation had a protective effect on the three probiotic strains when exposed to the gastrointestinal conditions in comparison to their free cells. This effect was particularly significant for L. acidophilus Ki in conditions similar to those of ileum/duodenum including the presence of pancreatin and bile salts. Storage time did not affect the resistance of the three probiotic strains to the gastrointestinal conditions.
- Management of Pocket Clinical Devices by Nurses: determinant factors and microbiological assessmentPublication . Graveto, João; Costa, P.; Albano, Helena; Santos, C.; Fernandes, E.; Osório, N.; Oliveira, V.
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus spreading through medical devices used in nursing care: what can we learn from Portugal?Publication . Costa, P.; Graveto, J.; Santos, C.; Fernandes, E.; Albano, H.; Osório, N.; Alarico, S.; Oliveira, V.; Ferreira, S.