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Percorrer por autor "Gaspar, Pedro"

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  • Embodiment comfort levels during motor imagery training combined with immersive virtual reality in a spinal cord injury patient
    Publication . Pais-Vieira, Carla; Gaspar, Pedro; Matos, Demétrio; Alves, Leonor Palminha; Cruz, Bárbara Moreira da; Azevedo, Maria João; Gago, Miguel; Poleri, Tânia; Perrotta, André; Pais-Vieira, Miguel
    Brain–machine interfaces combining visual, auditory, and tactile feedback have been previously used to generate embodiment experiences during spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation. It is not known if adding temperature to these modalities can result in discomfort with embodiment experiences. Here, comfort levels with the embodiment experiences were investigated in an intervention that required a chronic pain SCI patient to generate lower limb motor imagery commands in an immersive environment combining visual (virtual reality -VR), auditory, tactile, and thermal feedback. Assessments were made pre-/ post-, throughout the intervention (Weeks 0–5), and at 7 weeks follow up. Overall, high levels of embodiment in the adapted three-domain scale of embodiment were found throughout the sessions. No significant adverse effects of VR were reported. Although sessions induced only a modest reduction in pain levels, an overall reduction occurred in all pain scales (Faces, Intensity, and Verbal) at follow up. A high degree of comfort in the comfort scale for the thermal-tactile sleeve, in both the thermal and tactile feedback components of the sleeve was reported. This study supports the feasibility of combining multimodal stimulation involving visual (VR), auditory, tactile, and thermal feedback to generate embodiment experiences in neurorehabilitation programs.
    2022-06-20Artigo científico Acesso aberto Ver mais
  • Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in COVID-19 patients and healthy volunteers up to 6 months post disease onset
    Publication . Figueiredo-Campos, Patrícia; Blankenhaus, Birte; Mota, Catarina; Gomes, Andreia; Serrano, Marta; Ariotti, Silvia; Costa, Catarina; Nunes-Cabaço, Helena; Mendes, António M.; Gaspar, Pedro; Pereira-Santos, M. Conceição; Rodrigues, Fabiana; Condeço, Jorge; Escoval, M. Antonia; Santos, Matilde; Ramirez, Mario; Melo-Cristino, José; Simas, J. Pedro; Vasconcelos, Eugenia; Afonso, Ângela; Veldhoen, Marc
    SARS-CoV-2 has emerged as a human pathogen, causing clinical signs, from fever to pneumonia—COVID-19—but may remain mild or asymptomatic. To understand the continuing spread of the virus, to detect those who are and were infected, and to follow the immune response longitudinally, reliable and robust assays for SARS-CoV-2 detection and immunological monitoring are needed. We quantified IgM, IgG, and IgA antibodies recognizing the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) or the Spike (S) protein over a period of 6 months following COVID-19 onset. We report the detailed setup to monitor the humoral immune response from over 300 COVID-19 hospital patients and healthcare workers, 2500 University staff, and 198 post-COVID-19 volunteers. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses follow a classic pattern with a rapid increase within the first three weeks after symptoms. Although titres reduce subsequently, the ability to detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies remained robust with confirmed neutralization activity for up to 6 months in a large proportion of previously virus-positive screened subjects. Our work provides detailed information for the assays used, facilitating further and longitudinal analysis of protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2. Importantly, it highlights a continued level of circulating neutralising antibodies in most people with confirmed SARS-CoV-2.
    2020-12Artigo científico Acesso aberto Ver mais