Search

Europe has taken a world leadership position in setting policy priorities for Circular Bioeconomy (CBE) as a key determinant of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Consequently, European R&D investment in this area keeps growing along with the societal pressure to demonstrate the return of investment of publicly funded projects. Thus, this work presents a pioneering exploratory analysis of the extent to which projects funded at the European level incorporate the policy priorities for which they are being designed in the context of CBE, and how can the impact they are having on society be assessed. Thence, project impact evaluation is carried out in the short- and medium-term, and categorized under Industrial Competitiveness, Sustainable Development, and Community and Public Policies. For this purpose, secondary information was gathered from the European projects database Cordis, as well as primary information through a questionnaire survey of project coordinators. The empirical data collected suggest that European Framework Programmes have been fulfilling their purpose, as they are increasingly societal challenges-driven and market-oriented. This is evidenced by market-related topics addressed in the projects analysed and by the active participation of companies that outnumber academic institutions. As far as impact is concerned, scientific publications continue to be the main result of this type of project in the short-term, whereas in the medium-term social and economic benefits were also identified. Notably, the creation of scientific jobs in the industry, of industrial joint ventures, and the generation of documents to support the improvement of public and EU policies on biobased products.

The aim was to assess and report the effects of menstrual cup on pelvic floor muscles (PFM) function and tone, as well as check the acceptability after a period of three menstrual cycles in healthy young women. The data collected in assessments and reassessments included the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Vaginal Symptoms (ICIQ-VS) questionnaire, evaluation of PFM function through PERFECT Scheme, PFM muscle tone, and PFM manometry (Peritron 9300®). A diary regarding the overall colletor acceptability and satisfaction was collected. Ten healthy young women completed the study. There was an improvement in the mean values of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) (

Evaluate the experience of private and public health services with the WALANT procedure in the COVID-19 pandemic.This is a retrospective, multicenter longitudinal study gathering cases of hand surgery subjected to the WALANT technique in the Hospitals Dr. Radamés Nardini and IFOR during the COVID-19 pandemic (August 2020). As a parameter, the verbal numerical rating scale for twenty patients referring to the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative periods was applied.The patients did not feel any pain during surgery, which showed the efficiency of the anesthetic technique in its purpose.The results indicate the WALANT technique as beneficial when facing the COVID-19 pandemic, as the main differential of the technique is that it is applied by a well-trained orthopedic hand surgeon.Avaliar a experiência dos serviços privado e público de saúde com o procedimento WALANT frente à pandemia COVID-19.Trata-se de um estudo longitudinal retrospectivo, multicêntrico, de casos de cirurgia de mão submetidos à técnica WALANT nos hospitais Dr. Radamés Nardini e IFOR, durante a pandemia da COVID-19, em agosto de 2020. Como parâmetro, foi aplicada a Escala Verbal de Dor para 20 pacientes referente ao pré-operatório, intra-operatório e no pós-operatório.Os pacientes não sentiram nenhuma dor durante a cirurgia, tendo a técnica anestésica de mostrado eficaz.Pelas análises, foi possível considerar segura e benéfica a técnica WALANT diante da pandemia da COVID-19, que apresenta o diferencial de ser aplicada por um cirurgião ortopédico especialista em mão bem treinado.

Rural areas have often been singled out as strategic locations for the implementation of the Circular Bioeconomy (CBE) concept. This study aims to carry out a detailed analysis of the northern interior of Portugal, focusing on its business dynamics within the CBE. Two representative case studies were selected and critically compared with successful cases from European Nordic countries. The results showed that, generally, waste is managed inefficiently and with little benefit. The cross-comparison with the Nordic CBE model revealed that there is a lack of synergies and collaboration between different stakeholders, from the most basic to the most advanced level. Also, investment in more applied education, as well as a culture based on trust and dialogue, would greatly contribute to the successful implementation of regional CBE policies. In short, innovation, not only in products and services, but mainly in partnerships is key to a sustainable economic growth in rural regions. This work has been developed in the context of the INTERREG POCTEP project "INBEC - Circular bio-economy. Promotion and development of a sustainable economy through innovation and business cooperation" (ref. 0627_INBEC_6_E); The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020). info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Introduction: Biomaterials have by definition any biocompatible substance, which is not a drug, synthetic or natural, that for a complete period, increases or replaces the function of a tissue or organ, being used in post trauma. Objective: to verify, within the existing literature, which are the biomaterials available and their best ways to be used in surgical reconstruction. Methodology: it consists of an integrative literature review on surgical reconstruction using biomaterials, based on the establishment of the research keywords, the crossing of the descriptors “biomaterials” was performed; “biocompatible materials/therapeutic use”; "graft"; “plastic surgery/rehabilitation”; “bioengineering”, in the following databases: National Library of Medicine (PubMed MEDLINE), Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), Google Scholar, Virtual Health Library (BVS) and EBSCO Information Services, in August 2021, considering studies published in the period between 2008 and 2021. Results and discussion: according to the results collected from scientific articles, there is a wide availability of biomaterials for reconstruction, where each type can benefit different individuals. Considering the range of biomaterials available, there is a different availability for each one, but the purpose is to bring benefits to the regenerative process to individuals. Conclusion: it is up to the professional to choose the best biomaterial available individually for each patient and clinical condition. Introducción: Los biomateriales tienen por definición cualquier sustancia biocompatible, que no sea una droga, sintética o natural, que por un período completo, aumenta o reemplaza la función de un tejido u órgano, siendo utilizada en postraumatismo. Objetivo: verificar, dentro de la literatura existente, cuáles son los biomateriales disponibles y sus mejores formas para ser utilizados en la reconstrucción quirúrgica. Metodología: consiste en una revisión integradora de la literatura sobre reconstrucción quirúrgica utilizando biomateriales, a partir del establecimiento de las palabras clave de investigación, se realizó el cruce de los descriptores “biomateriales”; “Materiales biocompatibles / uso terapéutico”; "injerto"; “Cirugía plástica / rehabilitación”; “Bioingeniería”, en las siguientes bases de datos: datos de la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina (PubMed MEDLINE), Biblioteca Electrónica Científica en Línea (Scielo), Base de Datos Cochrane de Revisiones Sistemáticas (CDSR), Google Scholar, Biblioteca Virtual de Salud (BVS) y Servicios de Información de EBSCO, en agosto de 2021, considerando estudios publicados en el período comprendido entre 2008 y 2021. Resultados y discusión: de acuerdo a los resultados recolectados de artículos científicos, existe una amplia disponibilidad de biomateriales para reconstrucción, donde cada tipo puede beneficiar a diferentes individuos. Teniendo en cuenta la gama de biomateriales disponibles, existe una disponibilidad diferente para cada uno, pero el propósito es aportar beneficios al proceso regenerativo a los individuos. Conclusión: corresponde al profesional elegir el mejor biomaterial disponible de forma individual para cada paciente y condición clínica. Introdução: os biomateriais têm por definição qualquer substância biocompatível, que não seja droga, sintética ou natural, que por um período complete, aumente ou substitua a função de um tecido ou órgão, sendo utilizados em pós trauma. Objetivo: verificar, dentro da literatura existente, quais são os biomateriais disponíveis e suas melhores formas de utilização na reconstrução cirúrgica. Metodologia: consiste em uma revisão integrativa de literatura sobre reconstrução cirúrgica por biomateriais, a partir do estabelecimento das palavras-chave da pesquisa, foi realizado o cruzamento dos descritores “biomateriais”; “materiais biocompatíveis/uso terapêutico”; “enxerto”; “cirurgia plástica/reabilitação”; “bioengenharia”, nas seguintes bases de dados: dados National Library of Medicine (PubMed MEDLINE), Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), Google Scholar, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS) e EBSCO Information Services, no mês de agosto de 2021, sendo considerados estudos publicados no período compreendido entre 2008 e 2021. Resultados e discussão: segundo os resultados coletados, a partir dos artigos científicos, há uma grande disponibilidade de biomateriais para reconstrução, onde cada tipo pode beneficiar diferentes indivíduos. Considerando a gama de biomateriais disponíveis, há uma disponibilidade diferente para cada um, mas a finalidade é trazer benefícios ao processo regenerativo aos indivíduos. Conclusão: fica sob responsabilidade do profissional optar pela melhor biomaterial disponível individualmente a cada paciente e condição clínica.

Current cancer therapies are successfully increasing the lifespan of cancer patients. Nevertheless, cardiotoxicity is a serious chemotherapy-induced adverse side effect. Doxorubicin (DOX) and mitoxantrone (MTX) are cardiotoxic anticancer agents, whose toxicological mechanisms are still to be identified. This study focused on DOX and MTX’s cardiac mitochondrial damage and their molecular mechanisms. As a hypothesis, we also sought to compare the cardiac modulation caused by 9 mg/kg of DOX or 6 mg/kg of MTX in young adult mice (3 months old) with old control mice (aged control, 18–20 months old) to determine if DOX- and MTX-induced damage had common links with the aging process. Cardiac homogenates and enriched mitochondrial fractions were prepared from treated and control animals and analyzed by immunoblotting and enzymatic assays. Enriched mitochondrial fractions were also characterized by mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Data obtained showed a decrease in mitochondrial density in young adults treated with DOX or MTX and aged control, as assessed by citrate synthase (CS) activity. Furthermore, aged control had increased expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1 α (PGC1α) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). Regarding the enriched mitochondrial fractions, DOX and MTX led to downregulation of proteins related to oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid oxidation, amino acid metabolic process, and tricarboxylic acid cycle. MTX had a greater impact on malate dehydrogenase (MDH2) and pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 component subunit α (PDHA1). No significant proteomic changes were observed in the enriched mitochondrial fractions of aged control when compared to young control. To conclude, DOX and MTX promoted changes in several mitochondrial-related proteins in young adult mice, but none resembling the aged phenotype.

The increasing volume of resources demanded by a growing world population, and the concomitant need for safeguarding nature, has led to the development of a second generation of technologies that use bio-waste as a resource for diverse industrial sectors. Bearing in mind the widespread availability and significant potential of agri-food and forest wastes in particular, this review intends to provide an overview of the current scientific, technological and commercial trends on valorization of these bio-resources. To that end, the specialized literature on circular bioeconomy (CBE), major high added-value product typologies, their feedstocks and respective processing technologies are reviewed and framed in face of relevant patent literature and commercial products. Scientific articles are focused on chemicals for varied industrial sectors, derived essentially from agri-food wastes by using biotechnological processes. Patents and commercial products focus is also on agri-food wastes but mainly on products for the food industry and using predominantly physical processes, seldom combined with chemical and biotechnological processes. Societal benefits of products and processes, including environmental perspectives, are most frequently cited and aligned with the CBE concept. Despite the significant evolution observed in the last two decades, and an increasing volume of related patents, CBE research is not yet significantly mirrored by the market, showing that its full potential is still far from being realized. For further progressing towards an impactful CBE, it is suggested that there is a need to develop further evidence that CBE-inspired products are indeed preferable to their fossil-based counterparts, from both the economic and societal points of view, including environmental sustainability, and to communicate extensively the findings to the society at large. This work has been developed in the context of the INTERREG POCTEP project "INBEC - Circular bio-economy. Promotion and development of a sustainable economy through innovation and business cooperation" (ref. 0627_INBEC_6_E). The funding program is not responsible for the opinions expressed by the authors. The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Consiste no estudo da integração de sobre-equipamento fotovoltaico em parques eólicos. O trabalho tem uma primeira componente de estudo do projeto técnico de integração bem como os custos de investimento associados à sua implementação. Uma segunda componente consiste na simulação de operação do sistema híbrido eólico/fotovoltaico, simulando a produção conjunta dos dois tipos de energia e tendo em conta as perdas por limitação de potência injetada. As metodologias serão aplicadas a um ou vários parques eólicos operados pela FINERGE

Submitted by Joana Mateus (jmateus@campus.ul.pt) on 2020-01-14T17:16:05Z No. of bitstreams: 2 TES_1267_CAPA.jpg: 203542 bytes, checksum: 5bb8b34a7c28e42547fa6a0c9aae68c7 (MD5) TES_1267.pdf: 8540796 bytes, checksum: 47e193cd83e279e6123eaa8ff2ea5eb7 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2020-01-14T17:27:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 TES_1267_CAPA.jpg: 203542 bytes, checksum: 5bb8b34a7c28e42547fa6a0c9aae68c7 (MD5) TES_1267.pdf: 8540796 bytes, checksum: 47e193cd83e279e6123eaa8ff2ea5eb7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-10-23

The mechanical characteristics of the female pelvic floor are relevant to understand pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFD), and how they are related with changes in their biomechanical behavior. Urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) are the most common pathologies, which can be associated with changes in the mechanical properties of the supportive structures in the female pelvic cavity. PFD have been studied through different methods, from experimental tensile tests using tissues from fresh female cadavers or tissues collected at the time of a transvaginal hysterectomy procedure, or by applying imaging techniques. In this work, an inverse finite element analysis (FEA) was applied to understand the passive and active behavior of the pubovisceralis muscle (PVM) during Valsalva maneuver and muscle active contraction, respectively. Individual numerical models of women without pathology, with stress UI (SUI) and POP were built based on magnetic resonance images, including the PVM and surrounding structures. The passive and active material parameters obtained for a transversely isotropic hyperelastic constitutive model were estimated for the three groups. The values for the material constants were significantly higher for the women with POP when compared with the other two groups. The PVM of women with POP showed the highest stiffness. Additionally, the influence of these parameters was analyzed by evaluating their stress-strain, and force-displacements responses. The force produced by the PVM in women with POP was 47% and 82% higher when compared to women without pathology and with SUI, respectively. The inverse FEA allowed estimating the material parameters of the PVM using input information acquired non-invasively.

Introdução: os biomateriais têm por definição qualquer substância biocompatível, que não seja droga, sintética ou natural, que por um período complete, aumente ou substitua a função de um tecido ou órgão, sendo utilizados em pós trauma. Objetivo: verificar, dentro da literatura existente, quais são os biomateriais disponíveis e suas melhores formas de utilização na reconstrução cirúrgica. Metodologia: consiste em uma revisão integrativa de literatura sobre reconstrução cirúrgica por biomateriais, a partir do estabelecimento das palavras-chave da pesquisa, foi realizado o cruzamento dos descritores “biomateriais”; “materiais biocompatíveis/uso terapêutico”; “enxerto”; “cirurgia plástica/reabilitação”; “bioengenharia”, nas seguintes bases de dados: dados National Library of Medicine (PubMed MEDLINE), Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), Google Scholar, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS) e EBSCO Information Services, no mês de agosto de 2021, sendo considerados estudos publicados no período compreendido entre 2008 e 2021. Resultados e discussão: segundo os resultados coletados, a partir dos artigos científicos, há uma grande disponibilidade de biomateriais para reconstrução, onde cada tipo pode beneficiar diferentes indivíduos. Considerando a gama de biomateriais disponíveis, há uma disponibilidade diferente para cada um, mas a finalidade é trazer benefícios ao processo regenerativo aos indivíduos. Conclusão: fica sob responsabilidade do profissional optar pela melhor biomaterial disponível individualmente a cada paciente e condição clínica.

This cross-sectional survey aims to (1) verify the prevalence of urinary incontinence and its impact on the quality of life among nulliparous fit women, and to (2) analyze whether urinary incontinence is influenced by the intensity of the sport (high- vs. low-impact) or by the volume of physical activity (minutes per week) performed. Two hundred forty-five nulliparous women (18–40 years) completed the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form, the Kings Health Questionnaire and a questionnaire regarding demographic and training variables. Overall 22.9% of the participants self-reported urinary incontinence, and among them, 60.7% had stress urinary incontinence. Incontinent women demonstrated worse quality of life than continent females (p=0.000). Women practicing high-impact sports presented higher frequency in loss of urine than those practicing low-impact sports (p=0.004). Regardless the intensity of the sport, the volume of exercise showed positive association with the frequency of loss of urine (p=0.005, r=0.475). In conclusion, almost one fourth of the women enrolled in this study reported symptoms of urinary incontinence and worse quality of life than those who were continent. Women who practice high-impact sports or who have higher volume of training should be aware of the symptoms associated with pelvic floor dysfunction, since they seem to predispose to urine leakage.

Pelvic disorders can be associated with changes in the biomechanical properties in the muscle, ligaments and/or connective tissue form fascia and ligaments. In this sense, the study of their mechanical behavior is important to understand the structure and function of these biological soft tissues. The aim of this study was to establish the biomechanical properties of the pelvic floor muscles of continent and incontinent women, using an inverse finite element analysis (FEA). The numerical models, including the pubovisceral muscle and pelvic bones were built from magnetic resonance (MR) images acquired at rest. The numerical simulation of Valsalva maneuver was based on the finite element method and the material constants were determined for different constitutive models (Neo-Hookean, Mooney-Rivlin and Yeoh) using an iterative process. The material constants (MPa) for Neo-Hookean (c1) were 0.039 ± 0.022 and 0.024 ± 0.004 for continent vs. incontinent women. For Mooney-Rivlin (c1) the values obtained were 0.026 ± 0.010 vs. 0.016 ± 0.003, and for Yeoh (c1) the values obtained were 0.031 ± 0.023 vs. 0.016 ± 0.002, (p

This manuscript provides an overview of recent developments in Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI) outside the brain, focusing on liver, breast, prostate, muskuloskeletal (MSK) and cardiac applications. A general introduction to cross-cutting acquisition and image processing challenges is first provided. These often include short \(T_2\) relaxation times, the need to image a large field-of-view with the resulting complications in shimming the B0 field and achieving good fat suppression. Some of the strategies developed for dealing with motion, namely cardiac and respiratory motion are described. Specific sections are then presented for each of the aforementioned organs. A motivation for the clinical applicability of DWI is first provided, followed by specific image acquisition and processing considerations. Quantitative imaging is becoming standard in clinical practice, and the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient is routinely estimated in the liver, breast and prostate. Application of alternative signal models in these organs is being explored, including both the Intravoxel Incoherent Motion and Diffusion Kurtosis models. Ongoing efforts are focused on evaluating the potential clinical added value of the extra parameters and on improving their repeatability. MSK and cardiac DWI have shown potential for assessing pathological changes in fiber architecture, but further validation is required to enable application in the clinical setting.

Soil contamination is a present-day worldwide concern due to the contribution of numerous anthropogenic activities, such as mining activities. The disposal of mine tailings along with deterioration of soil properties can generate several environmental and health problems, thus leading to metal contamination of extensive areas. Borralha mine was one of the biggest producers of tungsten in the past century, until its deactivation. Energy crops, such as sunflower can grant added value to this area since it integrates soils with high levels of metals. Therefore, PhytoSUDOE project intends to restore these contaminated sites, through the implementation of phytoremediation techniques, in order to stimulate ecosystem functionality. Microbial inoculants such as Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) can enhance phytoremediation efficiency through enhanced plant growth, when exposed to stress conditions (e.g. metal contamination). On the other hand, the application of organic soil amendments, like biochar (BC) can influence soil pH, water retention, and nutrient maintenance. Through its adsorption capacity towards metals, it can also reduce the levels of these contaminants and consequent bioavailability in contaminated soil. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of BC amendment and application of microbial inoculants to perform as phytoremediation assistants, for plant growth promotion, specifically for sunflower plants grown in a mining metal-contaminated soil. Sunflower seedlings were inoculated with the bacteria Pseudomonas reactans (B), a commercial AMF (F) and with a mixture of P. reactans and AMF (Mix) grown in a mine soil amended with four percentages of BC (0, 2.5, 5 e 10% (w/w)). Increasing BC levels induced a generic reduction of plant biometric parameters, although inoculation (particularly F and mixed inoculation) had a positive influence on these parameters, since they increased significantly biomass production and balanced nutrient uptake, thus reducing the harmful effects of metals on sunflower growth. Cu accumulation in plant tissues was generally higher in roots than in shoots. BC addition at 2.5 and 5% induced average increases of 28 and 29% respectively, when in comparison to Cu content in roots. However, higher levels of Zn were recorded on sunflower shoots than on roots, as well as N and P contents. The bacterial communities present in rhizospheric samples was analyzed by amplifying 16S rRNA gene fragments, which were separated by DGGE (Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis). In general, the bacterial communities varied in accordance with the microbial inoculant, where the AMF inoculation appeared to have a higher influence on the bacterial soil communities. This work demonstrates the potential of combining BC and bioinoculants in order to promote sunflower growth in metal contaminated soils and their potential for implementing different phytomanagement strategies. A contaminação dos solos é uma preocupação global dos tempos atuais, devido à contribuição de numerosas atividades antropogénicas como a exploração mineira. A remoção de resíduos mineiros e a consequente deterioração das propriedades do solo, pode causar vários problemas ambientais e de saúde, levando à contaminação de extensas áreas com metais. A mina da Borralha até a sua desativação no século passado foi um dos maiores produtores de volfrâmio. Plantas com valor energético, como o girassol podem conferir um valor acrescentado a esta área, uma vez que os solos deste local possuem altos níveis de metais. Assim, o projeto PhytoSUDOE pretende restaurar estes locais contaminados através da implementação de técnicas de fitorremediação, de forma a estimular a funcionalidade do ecossistema. Inóculos microbianos como rizobactérias promotoras do crescimento de plantas (sigla inglesa PGPR) e fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (sigla inglesa AMF) podem melhorar a eficiência da fitorremediação, através da promoção do crescimento de plantas quando expostas a condições adversas (e.g. contaminação com metais). Por outro lado, a aplicação de fertilizantes orgânicos como o biochar (BC) pode influenciar o pH do solo, a retenção de água e a manutenção de nutrientes. Pela sua capacidade adsortiva em relação aos metais, podem ainda reduzir os níveis destes contaminantes e a consequente biodisponibilidade nos solos. O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial do BC e dos inoculantes microbianos para atuarem como auxiliadores da fitorremediação, para a promoção do crescimento de girassol num solo mineiro contaminado com metais. As sementes de girassol foram inoculadas com a bactéria Pseudomonas reactans (B), o AMF comercial (F) e com uma mistura de P. reactans e AMF (Mix) e semeadas num solo mineiro suplementado com quatro percentagens de BC (0, 2.5, 5 e 10% (m/m)). O aumento da concentração de BC induziu uma redução generalizada nos parâmetros biométricos da planta, contudo a inoculação teve uma influência positiva nestes parâmetros, particularmente a inoculação com F e Mix, uma vez que aumentaram significativamente a produção de biomassa e absorção equilibrada dos nutrientes, reduzindo desta forma os efeitos nocivos dos metais no crescimento de girassol. A acumulação de Cu nos tecidos vegetais foi, em geral, mais alta nas raízes do que na parte aérea. A adição de BC a 2.5 e 5% resultou em aumentos médios de 28 e 29% respetivamente, para o conteúdo em Cu nas raízes do girassol. Contudo, os níveis de acumulação de Zn foram maiores na parte aérea do que na raiz desta planta. O conteúdo em azoto e fósforo nos tecidos vegetais foi geralmente maior na parte aérea do que nas raízes. As comunidades bacterianas presentes nas amostras rizosféricas foram analisadas pela amplificação do gene 16S rRNA e separação dos fragmentos por DGGE (Eletroforese em gel de gradiente desnaturante). Em geral, a comunidade bacteriana variou de acordo com o inoculante microbiano aplicado, onde a inoculação com AMF aparentou ter uma maior influência na comunidade microbiana do solo. Este trabalho demonstrou o potencial da combinação do BC e dos inóculos microbianos de formar a promover o crescimento do girassol em solos contaminados com metais e o seu potencial para a implementação de diferentes estratégias de fitogestão. Mestrado em Microbiologia

To better understand the disorders in the pelvic cavity associated with the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) using computational models, it is fundamental to identify the biomechanical properties of these muscles. For this purpose, we implemented an optimization scheme, involving a genetic algorithm (GA) and an inverse finite element analysis (FEA), in order to estimate the material properties of the pubovisceralis muscle (PVM). The datasets of five women were included in this noninvasive analysis. The numerical models of the PVM were built from static axial magnetic resonance (MR) images, and the hyperplastic Mooney–Rivlin constitutive model was used. The material parameters obtained were compared with the ones established through a similar optimization scheme, using Powell's algorithm. To validate the values of the material parameters that characterize the passive behavior of the PVM, the displacements obtained via the numerical models with both methods were compared with dynamic MR images acquired during Valsalva maneuver. The material parameters (c1 and c2) were higher for the GA than for Powell's algorithm, but when comparing the magnitude of the displacements in millimeter of the PVM, there was only a 5% difference, and 4% for the principal logarithmic strain. The GA allowed estimating the in vivo biomechanical properties of the PVM of different subjects, requiring a lower number of simulations when compared to Powell's algorithm.

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências (Especialidade em Química), Cancer is one of the major health problems worldwide, counting thousands of new cases and deaths annually. The current modalities for cancer treatment include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. However, occasionally some of these modalities cannot be used due to the stage of the tumor or have insufficient effect in tumor regression, whereby new therapy strategies are needed. The application of nanotechnology in cancer treatment opened the opportunity to develop new strategies, and drug delivery systems (DDS) can be found among them. The use of DDS has been reported in several studies as a promising approach for delivering drugs to the place of action and reduce the drawbacks of conventional drug administration. To develop these systems, biocompatible and non-toxic materials are needed, where the selected drug can be loaded. Among the several materials that could be used for DDS preparation, are zeolites. The main objective of this work was the development of effective DDS based on zeolites to be used in breast and colorectal cancer treatment. Thus, several structures and their potential as carriers were investigated, as well as the mechanisms underlying zeolite internalization, exploring surface functionalization on zeolite toxicity and uptake by human cells and exploring the use of zeolites as magnetic resonance imaging agents. The potential of the use of the anti-inflammatory drug salicylic acid, for breast cancer treatment, loaded into silica microporous and mesoporous structures, was assessed. It was observed that mesoporous structures had higher drug loading capacity than microporous structures. In terms of cytotoxicity, only DDS prepared with mesoporous structures were able to decrease cell growth. Overall, the results indicated the potential of salicylic acid for cancer treatment when loaded into mesoporous structures, but not when loaded into microporous structures. So, in order to study the potential of the microporous structures as host for DDS, an anticancer drug was used. Then, three different zeolites (NaY, NaA and ZSM5) and one titanosilicate (ETS-10) were investigated as carriers for the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in order to select the most promising zeolite structures for further studies. The results showed the biocompatibility of these microporous structures since they were not toxic to colon or breast cancer cells. In addition, loading 5-FU in these structures led to potentiation of 5-FU and allowed the selection of two zeolites, NaY and LTL for the next studies. To finalize the exploration of the potential of zeolite for DDS preparation, DDS were prepared, and their in vitro and in vivo efficacy were assessed. Results of the in vitro studies confirmed the potential of the DDS prepared with NaY and LTL (Zeo L) for breast, colorectal and melanoma cancers treatment since there was a significant inhibition of cell growth when cells are treated with the DDS, with potentiation of 5-FU effect compared to the free drug. However, in vivo studies using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane as model (CAM) revealed that DDS induced a reduction in tumor perimeter for breast cancer cells, while no reduction was detected for colon tumors, under the used concentration of DDS. Zeolite NaY magnetization revealed its potential as magnetic resonance imaging agent, opening new opportunities to prepare hybrid systems combining the encapsulating and delivery properties of the zeolites and the magnetic properties of biocompatible magnetite nanoparticles. Considering the scarce studies on the internalization mechanisms of zeolite nanoparticles, the endocytic mechanisms involved in their internalization by human cells were explored. The results showed that zeolite internalization is likely mediated by caveolin-dependent endocytosis and it is also dependent on microtubule polymerization pathways. In these studies, the uptake of zeolite nanoparticles was assessed in the same cell lines. It was found that cancer cells internalize higher amounts of zeolite nanoparticles and at a faster rate than normal cells. The effect of zeolite surface functionalization plays also an important role in the cellular uptake. Based on the observations from these studies, it was possible to observe that positively-charged zeolite nanoparticles present higher uptake rates than negatively-charged zeolite nanoparticles. This work provides a valuable contribution to the use of zeolites as carriers for DDS preparation and presents novel evidences about the biological mechanisms enrolled in the uptake of zeolite nanoparticles by human cells. Thus, the work performed in this thesis is not an end of a research project, but an important contribution to a better design of DDS based on zeolitic structures, opening new horizons for the application of these DDS in cancer treatment., O cancro constitui um dos maiores problemas de saúde no mundo, contando anualmente com milhares de novos casos e mortes. As atuais abordagens de tratamento do cancro incluem cirurgia, quimioterapia, radioterapia e imunoterapia. Contudo, por vezes algumas não podem ser utilizadas devido à fase avançada do tumor ou por apresentarem pouco efeito na regressão do mesmo, pelo que são necessárias novas abordagens terapêuticas. A aplicação da nanotecnologia no tratamento do cancro, abriu a oportunidade de desenvolver novas estratégias, contando-se entre estas os sistemas de libertação de fármacos. Vários estudos têm reportado o uso destes sistemas como uma abordagem promissora para a entrega de fármacos no local de ação e na redução dos efeitos secundários associados aos sistemas de administração convencionais. Para o desenvolvimento de sistemas de libertação de fármacos, são necessários materiais biocompatíveis e não tóxicos onde o fármaco possa ser inserido. Entre o grande número de materiais que podem ser usados para a preparação destes sistemas, encontram-se os zeólitos. O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver sistemas de libertação de fármacos baseados em zeólitos para o tratamento do cancro colorretal e da mama. Assim, foram exploradas várias estruturas e avaliado o seu potencial como transportadores de fármacos, bem como os mecanismos subjacentes à internalização das partículas de zeólitos por células humanas tumorais. Foi também avaliado o efeito da funcionalização da superfície na toxicidade e internalização das nanopartículas nas células e explorado o uso de zeólitos como agentes para imagem de ressonância magnética (MRI). Foi avaliado o potencial do uso do anti-inflamatório ácido salicílico para o tratamento do cancro da mama quando encapsulado em estruturas de sílica micro- e mesoporosas. Observou-se que as estruturas mesoporosas apresentavam maior capacidade de encapsulamento do fármaco do que as estruturas microporosas. Em termos de citotoxicidade, apenas os sistemas de libertação de fármacos preparados com estruturas mesoporosas foram capazes de reduzir o crescimento celular. No geral, os resultados indicaram o potencial do ácido salicílico para o tratamento do cancro quando encapsulado em estruturas mesoporosas, mas não quando encapsulado em estruturas microporosas. Assim, para estudar o potencial do uso das estruturas microporosas como material para a preparação de sistemas de libertação, foi utilizado um fármaco antineoplásico. Neste contexto, três zeólitos diferentes (NaY, NaA e ZSM5) e um titanosilicato (ETS-10) foram explorados como suportes para o fármaco antineoplásico 5-fluorouracilo (5-FU), de forma a selecionar as estruturas mais promissoras para os estudos seguintes. Os resultados demonstraram que estes materiais são biocompatíveis, uma vez que não se revelaram tóxicos para células do cancro colorretal e mama. Além disso, o encapsulamento do 5-FU nestas estruturas, levou a uma potenciação do seu efeito. Este estudo permitiu a seleção de duas estruturas zeolíticas, NaY e LTL, para os estudos subsequentes. Para finalizar a exploração do potencial dos zeólitos para a preparação de sistemas de libertação de fármacos, foram preparados sistemas usando os zeólitos NaY e L, e a sua eficácia in vitro e in vivo foi avaliada. Os resultados dos estudos in vitro confirmaram o potencial dos sistemas de libertação preparados com os zeólitos NaY e LTL (Zeo L) no tratamento do cancro da mama, colorretal e melanoma, uma vez que se verificou uma inibição significativa do crescimento celular quando as células foram tratadas com os sistemas. Verificou-se ainda uma potenciação do 5-FU quando comparado com o fármaco livre. Contudo, os estudos in vivo usando o modelo membrana corioalantóide de embrião de galinha (CAM), mostraram que, na concentração usada, os DDS induziram a redução dos tumores da linha Hs 578T, mas não dos tumores da linha RKO. A magnetização do zeólito NaY revelou o seu potencial como agente para MRI, abrindo novas oportunidades para a preparação de sistemas híbridos que combinem as propriedades de encapsulação e libertação dos zeólitos e, as propriedades das nanopartículas magnéticas. Uma vez que há poucos estudos sobre os mecanismos de internalização das nanopartículas de zeólitos, foram também estudados os mecanismos envolvidos na sua internalização em células humanas. Os resultados mostraram que a internalização dos zeólitos é principalmente mediada pela endocitose dependente da caveolina, sendo também dependente das vias envolvidas na polimerização dos microtúbulos. Nestes estudos, verificou-se ainda a internalização dos zeólitos em células humanas e observou-se que as células cancerígenas internalizam maior quantidade de zeólito a uma taxa mais rápida do que as células normais. Concluiu-se também que o efeito da funcionalização da superfície dos zeólitos desempenha um papel importante na internalização celular. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que nanopartículas de zeólitos positivamente carregadas têm maior capacidade de internalização do que partículas negativamente carregadas. Em suma, este trabalho fornece uma contribuição importante sobre o uso de zeólitos para a preparação de sistemas de libertação controlada de fármacos e apresenta novas evidências sobre os mecanismos biológicos envolvidos na internalização dos zeólitos em células humanas. Assim, o trabalho desenvolvido nesta tese poderá contribuir para o desenvolvimento de melhores sistemas de libertação de fármacos baseados em estruturas zeolíticas, abrindo novos horizontes para a sua aplicação no tratamento do cancro., The research work here presented was financially supported by an individual fellowship (SFRH/BD/97797/2013) and by the strategic fundings of Centre of Chemistry (UID/QUI/00686/2013 and UID/QUI/0686/2016) and ICVS/3B’s (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007038) from the Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) and European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) funds, through the Competitiveness Factors Operational Programme (COMPETE). The projects: NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013 and BioTecNorte (operation NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004), from Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, were also sponsoring this work. Part of this work was also partially supported by the NORTE 2020 and the FEDER under the Grant NORTE-45-2015-02, and by European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nº 686009.

The mechanical characteristics of the female pelvic floor are relevant to understand the pelvic disorders. These disorders can be associated with different risk factors, as hormonal changes, vaginal delivery, and obesity among others, and thus will affect their mechanical response. Urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse are the main pelvic disorders and have been studied by using different methods, through experimental tensile using fresh female cadavers or tissues collected at the time of transvaginal hysterectomy and by applying imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound. But, the experimental analysis is important to determine biomechanical properties that can be used in pelvic modeling. The inverse Finite Element Analysis (FEA) allows estimating the in vivo biomechanical properties of the pelvic floor muscles for a specific subject—woman without pathology, with stress urinary incontinence, or pelvic organ prolapse–using input information acquired noninvasively.

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that explores the molecular diffusivity of water in biological tissues to probe its microstructure. Its application to the study of breast lesions has been shown to improve their detection, characterization, and the diagnostic accuracy of breast lesions using MRI. In this chapter, the biophysical basis of diffusion is presented, including the model currently used for DWI in the clinical setting; the concept of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) is introduced. A theoretical framework of DWI in healthy conditions and in tissues affected by pathological processes is presented, followed by a literature review on the application of DWI to breast imaging. As the technique has only recently been used in breast imaging studies, controversial issues regarding its application have arisen, namely related to its technical challenges. Therefore, we detail the main technical issues associated with the implementation of DWI in the clinical setting and present potential approaches for obtaining good-quality images. Finally, we identify relevant future research needs involving hardware and software optimization as well as clinical issues which need to be addressed to improve breast lesion diagnosis.

Aim To assess how the joint use of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and kinetic parameters (uptake phase and delayed enhancement characteristics) from dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) can boost the ability to predict breast lesion malignancy. Materials and methods Breast magnetic resonance examinations including DCE and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) were performed on 51 women. The association between kinetic parameters and ADC were evaluated and compared between lesion types. Models with binary outcome of malignancy were studied using generalized estimating equations (GEE), (GEE), and using kinetic parameters and ADC values as malignancy predictors. Model accuracy was assessed using the corrected maximum quasi-likelihood under the independence confidence criterion (QICC). Predicted probability of malignancy was estimated for the best model. Results ADC values were significantly associated with kinetic parameters: medium and rapid uptake phase (p

Current evidence points to a high prevalence of urinary incontinence among female athletes. In this context, this study aims to assess if structural and biomechanical characteristics of the pubovisceral muscles may lead to urine leakage. Clinical and demographic data were collected, as well as pelvic Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Furthermore, computational models were built to verify if they were able to reproduce similar biomechanical muscle response as the one measured by dynamic imaging during active contraction by means of the percent error. Compared to the continent ones (n=7), incontinent athletes (n=5) evidenced thicker pubovisceral muscles at the level of the midvagina (p=0.019 and p=0.028 for the right and left sides, respectively). However, there were no differences neither in the strength of contraction in the Oxford Scale or in the displacement of the pelvic floor muscles during simulation of voluntary contraction, which suggests that urine leakage may be related with alterations in the intrafusal fibers than just the result of thicker muscles. Additionally, we found similar values of displacement retrieved from dynamic images and numerical models (6.42 ± 0.36 mm vs. 6.10 ± 0.47 mm; p=0.130), with a percent error ranging from 1.47% to 17.20%. However, further refinements in the mechanical properties of the striated skeletal fibers of the pelvic floor muscles and the inclusion of pelvic organs, fascia and ligaments would reproduce more realistically the pelvic cavity.

The aim of this study was to investigate in young nulliparous female trampolinists the hypothetical associations between the level of athletic performance and the volume of training with urine leakage.Cross-sectional cohort study.Professional trampolinists.Twenty-two female athletes participating in a trampoline national championship were included in this study.The associations for player-related performance variables were evaluated using Spearman rank correlation and Kruskal-Wallis H test verified the differences between the tertiles.Rate of urinary incontinence (UI) among young athletes and the relationship with the athletic performance. Screening was performed through a questionnaire. This included the demographic sample characterization, the assessment of training volume, and the athletes' ranking in the championship. Additionally, it included the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short-Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) to assess the leakage.About 72.7% of the participants reported that they experienced urine leakage during trampoline practice and described that the episodes of leakage started after the beginning of the trampoline. Significant associations between the athletic performance and the training volume were observed with the severity of incontinence. Dividing the sample in tertiles of training volume, it was observed that the third tertile was the one with greatest impact of incontinence on their quality of life (ICIQ score).The results confirm a high frequency of UI in young trampolinists and reveal a clear identification of the athletes' ranking and the training volume as risk factors to develop and worsen urine loss.Special attention from team physicians and trainers is required for this athletes' problem that is often hidden by shame. In addition, female athletes practicing high-impact sports should be informed about the risk to develop pelvic floor muscles dysfunction and should be encouraged to seek help from health professionals to minimize or even eliminate the urine incontinence.

Aim To evaluate two fat-suppression techniques: short tau inversion recovery (STIR) and spectral adiabatic inversion recovery (SPAIR) regarding image quality and diagnostic performance in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of breast lesions at 3 T. Materials and methods Ninety-two women (mean age 48 ± 12.1 years; range 21–78 years) underwent breast MRI. Two DWI pulse sequences, with b-values (50 and 1000 s/mm 2 ) were performed with STIR and SPAIR. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), suppression homogeneity, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were quantitatively assessed for each technique. Values were compared between techniques and lesion type. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate lesion discrimination. Results One hundred and fourteen lesions were analysed (40 benign and 74 malignant). SNR and CNR were significantly higher for DWI-SPAIR; fat-suppression uniformity was better for DWI-STIR ( p −4 ). ADC values for benign and malignant lesions and normal tissue were 1.92 × 10 −3 , 1.18 × 10 −3 , 1.86 × 10 −3 s/mm 2 for DWI-STIR and 1.80 × 10 −3 , 1.11 × 10 −3 , 1.79 × 10 −3 s/mm 2 for SPAIR, respectively. Comparison between fat-suppression techniques showed significant differences in mean ADC values for benign ( p = 0.013) and malignant lesions ( p = 0.001). DWI-STIR and -SPAIR ADC cut-offs were 1.42 × 10 −3 and 1.46 × 10 −3 s/mm 2 , respectively. Diagnostic performance for DWI-STIR versus SPAIR was: accuracy (81.6 versus 83.3%), area under curve (87.7 versus 89.2%), sensitivity (79.7 versus 85.1%), and specificity (85 versus 80%). Positive predictive value was similar. Conclusion The fat-saturation technique used in the present study may influence image quality and ADC quantification. Nevertheless, STIR and SPAIR techniques showed similar diagnostic performances, and therefore, both are suitable for use in clinical practice.

Aim To evaluate the performance of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at 3 T for the detection and characterization of breast lesions. Materials and methods Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast, including DWI single-shot spin-echo echo planar images (SS-SE-EPI; eight b-values, 50–3000 s/mm 2 ), were acquired in women with a clinical indication for breast MRI. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) previous breast surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy within the prior 48 months (14 women); (2) only cystic lesions (one woman); (3) no detectable enhancing lesion at dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI (15 women); and (4) breast implants (four women). MRI results were corroborated by histopathology or imaging follow-up. Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were estimated for lesions and normal glandular tissue. Differences in the ADC between tissue types were evaluated and the sensitivity and specificity of the method calculated by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. Results The final cohort comprised 53 patients with 59 lesions. Histopathology was obtained for 58 lesions. One lesion was validated as benign on imaging follow-up. Mean ADCs of 1.99 ± 0.27 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s, 1.08 ± 0.25 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s, and 1.74 ± 0.35 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s were obtained for normal tissue, malignant, and benign lesions, respectively. Mean ADCs of malignancies were significantly lower than those of benign lesions ( p 0.001) and normal tissue ( p 0.0001). The sensitivity and specificity for stratifying lesions, considering an ADC threshold of 1.41 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s, were 94.3% and 87.5%, respectively; accuracy was 91.5%. Conclusion DWI proved useful for the detection and characterization of breast lesions in the present sample. ADC values provide a high diagnostic performance for differentiation between benign and malignant lesions.

To evaluate diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in the differentiation and characterisation of breast lesions. Thirty-six women underwent breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including a DWI sequence with multiple b-values (50–3,000 s/mm2). Mean values for apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), mean diffusivity (MD) and mean kurtosis (MK) were calculated by lesion type and histological subtype. Differences and correlation between parameters were determined. Forty-four lesions were found. There were significant differences between benign and malignant lesions for all parameters (ADC, p = 0.017; MD, p = 0.028; MK, p = 0.017). ADC and MD were higher for benign (1.96 ± 0.41 × 10−3 and 2.17 ± 0.42 × 10−3 mm2/s, respectively) than for malignant lesions (1.33 ± 0.18 × 10−3 and 1.52 ± 0.50 × 10−3 mm2/s). MK was higher for malignant (0.61 ± 0.27) than benign lesions (0.37 ± 0.18). We found differences between invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and fibroadenoma (FA) for all parameters (ADC, MD and MK): p = 0.016, 0.022 and 0.016, respectively. FA and fibrocystic change (FC) showed differences only in MK (p = 0.016). Diffusion in breast lesions follows a non-Gaussian distribution. MK enables differentiation and characterisation of breast lesions, providing new insights into microstructural complexity. To confirm these results, further investigation in a broader sample should be performed. • The diffusion kurtosis model provides new information regarding breast lesions • MD and MK are valid parameters to characterise tissue microstructure • MK enables improved lesion differentiation • MK is able to differentiate lesions that display similar ADC values

Midurethral slings are used to correct urethral hypermobility in female stress urinary incontinence (SUI), defined as the complaint of involuntary urine leakage when the intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is increased. Structural and thermal features influence their mechanical properties, which may explain postoperative complications, e.g., erosion and urethral obstruction. We studied the effect of the mesh stiffness on urethral mobility at Valsalva maneuver, under impairment of the supporting structures (levator ani and/or ligaments), by using a numerical model. For that purpose, we modeled a sling with “lower” versus “higher” stiffness and evaluated the mobility of the bladder and urethra, that of the urethrovesical junction (the α-angle), and the force exerted at the fixation of the sling. The effect of impaired levator ani or pubourethral ligaments (PUL) alone on the organs displacement and α-angle opening was similar, showing their important role together on urethral stabilization. When the levator ani and all the ligaments were simulated as impaired, the descent of the bladder and urethra went up to 25.02 mm, that of the bladder neck was 14.57 mm, and the α-angle was 129.7 deg, in the range of what was found in women with SUI. Both meshes allowed returning to normal positioning, although at the cost of higher force exerted by the mesh with higher stiffness (3.4 N against 2.3 N), which can relate to tissue erosion. This finite element analysis allowed mimicking the biomechanical response of the pelvic structures in response to changing a material property of the midurethral synthetic mesh.

Biomechanical analysis of pelvic floor dysfunction requires knowledge of certain biomechanical parameters, such as muscle fiber direction, in order to adequately model function. Magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provides an estimate of overall muscle fiber directionality based on the mathematical description of water diffusivity. This work aimed at evaluating the concurrence between pubovisceralis muscle fiber representations obtained from DTI, and the maximum principal stress lines obtained through the finite element method. Seven datasets from axial T2-weighted images were used to build numerical models, and muscle fiber orientation estimated from the DT images. The in-plane projections of the first eigenvector of both vector fields describing muscle fiber orientation were extracted and compared. The directional consistency was evaluated by calculating the angle between the normalized vectors for the entire muscle and also for the right and left insertions, middle portions, and anorectal area. The values varied between 28° ± 6 (right middle portion) and 34° ± 9 (anorectal area), and were higher than the angular precision of the DT estimates, evaluated using wild bootstrapping analysis. Angular dispersion ranged from 17° ± 4 (left middle portion) to 23° ± 5 (anorectal area). Further studies are needed to examine acceptability of these differences when integrating the vectors estimated from DTI in the numerical analysis.

Aim To compare T1-weighted (W) fat–water separation (Dixon's technique) with T1W fat-saturation (FS) and T2W Dixon with short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) images for fat suppression in a short-bore MRI machine. Materials and methods Thirteen patients with lumbar disease were studied on using 1.5 T MRI machine. The protocol included T1 FS (with contrast medium administration) and/or STIR and T1W and/or T2W Dixon, for comparison. Three neuroradiologists scored the images from the two-pairs of techniques for fat suppression uniformity and lesion conspicuity. Clinical usefulness of fat-only images was also evaluated. Results Regarding uniformity of fat suppression, mean scores were 2.28 (±0.49), 3.06 (±0.49), 2.39 (±0.49), and 3.15 (±0.35) for T1W FS, T1W Dixon, STIR, and T2W Dixon sequences, respectively. For the same pulse sequences, lesion conspicuity scores were 2.78 (±0.50), 2.78 (±0.27), 2.76 (±0.47), and 2.91 (±0.4), respectively. Both T1W and T2W Dixon sequences showed more homogeneous fat-suppression when compared to T1W FS (p = 0.026) and STIR (p = 0.008) techniques, but no significant difference was found for lesion conspicuity. Mean scores for the diagnostic utility of fat-only maps were, respectively, 1.72 (±0.39) and 2.48 (±0.50) for T1W and T2W Dixon. Conclusion Fat suppression quality was superior with Dixon when compared to the conventional sequences, but not lesion conspicuity, suggesting that both techniques are reliable for diagnosis. Dixon may be advantageous in cases where inhomogeneity artefacts are an issue. Water-only maps appear to be useful in the clinical setting.

Objectives To present an alternative measure (moment of inertia) to describe the anatomical features of the pelvic organ prolapse. Methods A total of 30 women (21 diagnosed as having pelvic organ prolapse and 9 as controls) were evaluated by clinical scales and magnetic resonance imaging. Imaging biometric measures were carried out. Moment of inertia, pubovisceral muscle thickness and area, and levator hiatus anterior-to-posterior and lateral measures were compared by means of non-parametric tests, as well as their correlation with demographic features of the two sample groups. Results Moment of inertia, muscle area and levator hiatus diameters were statistically different between patients and controls. Furthermore, they were also well correlated with prolapse-associated factors, such as the number of vaginal deliveries and age, as well as Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification system and imaging staging of levator ani defects. Conclusions Moment of inertia can be used as a new parameter to evaluate pelvic floor damage resulting from prolapse.