Percorrer por autor "Maia, Renata"
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- Applications and properties of PDMS: From biomicrofluidics to transparent face masksPublication . Lima, Rui A.; Maia, Renata; Souza, Andrews; Barbosa, Filipe; Carvalho, Denise; Carvalho, Violeta; Neves, Lucas B.; Faria, Carlos; Miranda, Inês; Sousa, Paulo; Zille, Andrea; Teixeira, Senhorinha; Minas, Graça; Machado, Lúcio; Ribeiro, J.E.Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a versatile silicone elastomer widely used in biomedical engineering due to its exceptional properties, including flexibility, chemical stability, optical transparency, biocompatibility, and ease of manufacturing. This chapter explores the unique characteristics of PDMS and its applications in biomicrofluidics and sustainable product development. PDMS is a hyperelastic material with excellent optical transparency, thermal stability, and gas permeability, making it ideal for various applications such as microfluidics, biomodels, blood analogues, implants, and organs-on-chip platforms. Its biocompatibility minimizes adverse tissue reactions, making it suitable for medical implants and skin treatments. However, its hydrophobic nature can limit certain applications, particularly in bioflow transport phenomena. To address this, surface modification techniques, such as oxygen plasma treatment, have been developed to enhance its wettability and expand its usability. In biomicrofluidics, PDMS is extensively used to create microfluidic devices that study blood cell deformability, aiding in the diagnosis of diseases like cancer, diabetes, and malaria. These devices, featuring contractions and bifurcations, provide valuable insights into microscale blood rheology and flow phenomena, improving our understanding of blood flow behavior and validating numerical simulations. The chapter also highlights the innovative use of PDMS in the production of sustainable transparent face masks. By incorporating recycled PDMS and textile fabrics, these masks feature a transparent window that allows visibility of the user’s lips, making them ideal for individuals who rely on lip-reading. The masks meet European Directive EN 14683:2019 standards, achieving level 2 certification for general public use. They offer excellent breathability, bacterial filtration efficiency, and optical transparency, while also promoting sustainability by reusing PDMS at the end of its life cycle. In conclusion, PDMS is a highly adaptable material with significant potential in biomedical applications and sustainable product development. Despite its hydrophobic nature, advancements in surface modification techniques continue to enhance its functionality, making it a valuable resource for innovative solutions in healthcare and beyond.
- Diagnosis methods for COVID-19: a systematic reviewPublication . Maia, Renata; Carvalho, Violeta Meneses; Faria, Bernardo; Miranda, Inês; Catarino, Susana; Teixeira, Senhorinha F.C.F.; Lima, Rui A.; Minas, Graça; Ribeiro, J.E.At the end of 2019, the coronavirus appeared and spread extremely rapidly, causing millions of infections and deaths worldwide, and becoming a global pandemic. For this reason, it became urgent and essential to find adequate tests for an accurate and fast diagnosis of this disease. In the present study, a systematic review was performed in order to provide an overview of the COVID-19 diagnosis methods and tests already available, as well as their evolution in recent months. For this purpose, the Science Direct, PubMed, and Scopus databases were used to collect the data and three authors independently screened the references, extracted the main information, and assessed the quality of the included studies. After the analysis of the collected data, 34 studies reporting new methods to diagnose COVID-19 were selected. Although RT-PCR is the gold-standard method for COVID-19 diagnosis, it cannot fulfill all the requirements of this pandemic, being limited by the need for highly specialized equipment and personnel to perform the assays, as well as the long time to get the test results. To fulfill the limitations of this method, other alternatives, including biological and imaging analysis methods, also became commonly reported. The comparison of the different diagnosis tests allowed to understand the importance and potential of combining different techniques, not only to improve diagnosis but also for a further understanding of the virus, the disease, and their implications in humans.