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Browsing by Author "Schmitt, Fernando"

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  • Biological characterization of Cynara cardunculus L. Methanolic extracts: antioxidant, anti-proliferative, anti-migratory and anti-angiogenic activities
    Publication . Velez, Zélia; Campinho, Marco António; Guerra, Ângela R.; García, Laura; Ramos, Patricia; Guerreiro, Olinda; Felício, Laura; Schmitt, Fernando; Duarte, Maria
    Cynara cardunculus (Cc) is a multipurpose species; beyond its use in southwestern European cuisine, it is also used for the production of solid biofuel, seed oil, biodiesel, paper pulp and cheese, as well as animal feed. In addition, Cc has a long tradition of use in folk medicine as a diuretic and liver protector. The value of this species as a source of bioactive compounds is known; however, pharmacological use would further increase its cultivation. The main goal of the current work was to evaluate the potential of Cc as source of anti-carcinogenic phytochemicals. Different methanolic extracts obtained from wild and cultivated plants were tested for antioxidant activity and effect on breast tumor cell viability. The most effective extract, both as antioxidant and inhibition of tumor cell viability, was tested for effects on angiogenesis and tumor cell migration capacity. All the extracts tested had high antioxidant activity; however, only green leaves and dry head extracts exhibit anti-proliferative activity. Green cultivated leaves (GCL) were the most effective extract both as antioxidant and inhibiting the proliferation of tumor cells; it is equally active inhibiting tumor cell migration and in vivo angiogenesis. GCL extract is an effective inhibitor of several key points in tumor development and thus a promising source of anti-carcinogenic phytochemicals.
    2012-12-19Journal article Open access Show more
  • Investigação clínica da iniciativa do investigador em Portugal: identificação de problemas e propostas para melhoria
    Publication . Ferreira, João Pedro; Leite-Moreira, Adelino; Da Costa-Pereira, Altamiro; Soares, António José; Robalo-Cordeiro, Carlos; Jerónimo, Cármen; Gavina, Cristina; J. Pinto, Fausto; Schmitt, Fernando; Saraiva, Francisca; Vasques-Nóvoa, Francisco; Canhão, Helena; Cyrne-Carvalho, Henrique; Palmeirim, Isabel; Pimenta, Joana; Cabral da Fonseca, João Eurico; Firmino-Machado, João; Correia Pinto, Jorge; Gonçalves, Lino; Castelo Branco, Miguel; Sousa, Nuno; Fontes de Carvalho, Ricardo; Machado Luciano, Teresa; Gil Oliveira, Tiago; Resende Oliveira, Catarina
    Portugal tem um problema cronico de subfinanciamento da investigacao cientifica. Apesar do investimento nacional ter vindo a aumentar nos ultimos anos, este ainda e manifestamente insuficiente.1 A Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) financia anualmente projetos de investigacao em todas as areas cientificas, limitando o valor maximo a euro250 000 por projeto. Todavia, a area cientifica na qual a investigacao clinica esta incluida - "Clinical Medicine, Immunology and estudos multicentricos epidemiologicos e de coorte da iniciativa do investigador, area onde o financiamento e hoje em dia tencial de retorno do investimento em ensaios clinicos e enorme. Em Portugal, por cada euro1 investido em ensaios clinicos 1) o reconhecimento do papel estrategico da investigacao clinica na melhoria dos cuidados de saude e na economia nacional e baixo; 2) a investigacao clinica nao e considerada como prioridade no Plano Nacional de Saude;, e 3) a atividade de EC da iniciativa do investigador e subfinanciada. O presente documento foca-se no ultimo ponto (i.e., subfinanciamento
    2023Journal article Open access Show more
  • Performance of the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytology in multi-institutional large cohort of pediatric thyroid nodules: a detailed analysis
    Publication . Canberk, Sule; Barroca, Helena; Girão, Inês; Aydın, Ozlem; Uguz, Aysun; Erdogan, Kıvılcım; Tastekin, Ebru; Bongiovanni, Massimo; Soares, Paula; Máximo, Valdemar; Schmitt, Fernando
    Background: To evaluate the performance of TBSRTC through multi-institutional experience in the paediatric population and questioning the management recommendation of ATA Guidelines Task Force on Paediatric Thyroid Cancer; Methods: A retrospective search was conducted in 4 institutions to identify consecutive thyroid FNAC cases in paediatric population between 2000 and 2018. Following the 2nd TBSRTC, the risk of malignancy ratios (ROMs) was given in ranges and calculated by 2 different ways. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and DA ratios were calculated using histologic diagnosis as the gold standard; Results: Among a total of 405 specimens, the distribution of cases for each category was, 44 (11%) for ND, 204 (50%) for B category, 40 (10%) for AUS/FLUS, 36 (9%) for FN/SFN, 24 (6%) for SFM and 57 (14%) for M categories. 153 cases have a histological diagnosis. The ratio of surgery was 23% in ND, 16% in the B, 45% for AUS/FLUS, 75% for SFN/FN and 92% for SFM and 75% in M categories; Conclusions: The data underlines the high ROM values in paediatric population which might be clinically meaningful. The high rate of malignancy of the cohort of operated patients (50%) also underlines the need of better preoperative indicators for stratification. Considering that more than half of the nodules in AUS/FLUS category were benign, direct surgery recommendation could be questionable as proposed in ATA 2015 guidelines.
    2022-01-12Journal article Open access Show more