Changes in salivary biomarkers of pain, anxiety, stress, and inflammation related to tooth movement during orthodontic treatment: a systematic review.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to analyze the literature on changes in endogenous salivary biomarkers of pain, anxiety, stress, and inflammation related to tooth movement during orthodontic treatment of children and adolescents.

Material And Methods: An electronic search was performed in nine databases to identify quasi-experimental studies, without restricting publication language and year. Two reviewers extracted the data and assessed the individual risk of bias using the JBI tools, and the certainty of evidence using the GRADE tool.

Exploring the electrical robustness of conductive textile fasteners for wearable devices in different human motion conditions.

Conventional snap fasteners used in clothing are often used as electrical connectors in e-textile and wearable applications for signal transmission due to their wide availability and ease of use. Nonetheless, limited research exists on the validation of these fasteners, regarding the impact of contact-induced high-amplitude artefacts, especially under motion conditions. In this work, three types of fasteners were used as electromechanical connectors, establishing the interface between a regular sock and an acquisition device.

A novel portable anechoic chamber using ultra-thin 2D microwave absorber for industrial 5.0.

In this paper, the authors, for the first time, have shown the use of 2D conformal microwave absorbing material (MAM) in the design and fabrication of a portable Anechoic chamber (AC). The MAM is fabricated on the transparent and conductive metal oxide layer named indium-tin-oxide (ITO) with Polyethylene terephthalate as the substrate and the ground plane for zero transmission having overall thickness of 0.012 where is calculated at 0.

Children then, adults now: long-term outcomes-performance at 15, 20, and 25 years of cochlear implant use.

Motivation: Severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss interferes with a child's development at the cognitive, linguistic, academic, and social levels. Since the beginning of the pediatric auditory rehabilitation program through cochlear implantation in the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Service of the Coimbra Hospital and University Center (CHUC), Portugal, its mentors defended the early diagnosis of hearing loss followed by timely intervention, and this was considered the starting point to optimize (re)habilitation through this method. Three decades or so later, recently we conducted this study to evaluate the performance of patients implanted in the initial phase of the cochlear implantation program.

Equity matrix for kidney transplant allocation.

There is a general agreement that the distribution of kidneys for transplantation should balance utility criteria with justice. Moreover, a kidney allocation system must be based on transparent policies and seen as an ongoing process. This study aims to present an allocation system grounded on an equity matrix that balances the criteria of utility and justice.

Feasibility of Electrodermal Activity and Photoplethysmography Data Acquisition at the Foot Using a Sock Form Factor.

Wearable devices have been shown to play an important role in disease prevention and health management, through the multimodal acquisition of peripheral biosignals. However, many of these wearables are exposed, limiting their long-term acceptability by some user groups. To overcome this, a wearable smart sock integrating a PPG sensor and an EDA sensor with textile electrodes was developed.

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria: clinical and laboratory characterisation (2009 and 2019).

A cross-sectional and retrospective study of patients with spp. in a Portuguese tertiary hospital, in 2009 and 2019, was performed to understand better the rise in isolations of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The number of patients with positive samples for spp.

Glycaemic control during the COVID-19 pandemic: A catastrophe or a sign of hope for the person with type 1 Diabetes Mellitus?

Introduction: In a person with type 1 diabetes, any change concerning daily routine may lead to changes in glycaemic control. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of work and lockdown on glycaemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes.

Material And Methods: A retrospective cohort was stratified into three activity groups (g1-students/telework/laid-off; g2-unemployed/retired; g3-work without lockdown).

Impact of pharmacological treatment of gestational diabetes on the mode of delivery and birth weight: a nationwide population-based study on a subset of singleton pregnant Portuguese women.

Aims: To access the impact of increasing use of metformin on cesarean section and large for gestational age rates, when compared to insulin.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was developed using data from the Portuguese National Registry, between 2011 and 2019, of 5038 Portuguese women with single pregnancies and gestational diabetes treated with metformin and/or insulin. Three groups were defined according to the therapeutic regimen adopted: g1-insulin in monotherapy (n = 3027[60.

Harvesting circuits for triboelectric nanogenerators for wearable applications.

Internet of Things (IoT) and recently Internet of Nano Things (IoNT) bear the promise of new devices able to communicate and assist our daily lives toward wearable technologies which demand a versatile integration such as in wireless body networks (WBN), sensing, and health monitorization. These must comply with stringent constraints on energy usage. Dimensions and complexity intensify the need for small and maintenance-free power sources.

Kidney allocation rules simulator.

The greatest challenge of any kidney transplant program lies in finding enough organ donors (in number and quality) for all waitlisted transplant candidates. Unfortunately, we must resign ourselves to a manifestly insufficient supply of organs for the current demand. Furthermore we must be able to predict kidney transplant success at organ allocation if we want to minimize the number of patients who return to an already overcrowded waiting list for transplantation.

Glycaemic control during the COVID-19 pandemic: A catastrophe or a sign of hope for the person with type 1 Diabetes Mellitus?

Introduction: In a person with type 1 diabetes, any change concerning daily routine may lead to changes in glycaemic control. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of work and lockdown on glycaemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes.

Material And Methods: A retrospective cohort was stratified into three activity groups (g1-students/telework/laid-off; g2-unemployed/retired; g3-work without lockdown).

Guillain-Barré syndrome as the first presentation of human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Aim: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) development has reduced the severity of neurological complications of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but they remain prevalent and need prompt recognition. Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) is a rare complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection that may appear at any stage of the disease. In this case, AIDP represents a late presentation of HIV infection.

Cytokine gene polymorphisms in Pigeon Breeder's Disease expression.

Background: Exaggerated immunological response to repeated inhalation of organic or chemical dusts may lead to Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis among sensitized individuals. Only a few exposed individuals became ill and disease expression pattern is highly variable which suggest that genetic factors may play a role.

Aim: To investigate interferon (IFN)-γ, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß, and IL-10 gene polymorphisms in a cohort of pigeon breeder's disease (PBD) patients in comparison with exposed but healthy controls and the association with different patterns of disease.

In search of intangible connections: intellectual capital, performance and quality of life in higher education institutions.

Unlabelled: This study explores the contributions of different dimensions of the intellectual capital of higher education institutions (ICHEIs) to their performance, incorporating the previously unexplored dimension of quality of life (QoL) as a performance measure, and correspondingly taking into account the connection between the Theory of Stakeholders and the Theory of Legitimacy. Applying a Structural Equation Model and the Partial Least Squares method, we present new empirical findings from a sample of 738 students and 587 lecturers/researchers from seven Portuguese public HEIs. The ICHEIs positively influence the institution's performance, through relational capital and structural capital; and QoL emerges as an important dimension of HEIs' performance standards, especially regarding students' perception of academic QoL.

Low Operating Voltage Carbon-Graphene Hybrid E-textile for Temperature Sensing.

Graphene-coated polypropylene (PP) textile fibers are presented for their use as temperature sensors. These temperature sensors show a negative thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR) in a range between 30 and 45 °C with good sensitivity and reliability and can operate at voltages as low as 1 V. The analysis of the transient response of the temperature on resistance of different types of graphene produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and shear exfoliation of graphite (SEG) shows that trilayer graphene (TLG) grown on copper by CVD displays better sensitivity due to the better thickness uniformity of the film and that carbon paste provides good contact for the measurements.

Leaf water potential of coffee estimated by landsat-8 images.

Traditionally, water conditions of coffee areas are monitored by measuring the leaf water potential (ΨW) throughout a pressure pump. However, there is a demand for the development of technologies that can estimate large areas or regions. In this context, the objective of this study was to estimate the ΨW by surface reflectance values and vegetation indices obtained from the Landsat-8/OLI sensor in Minas Gerais-Brazil Several algorithms using OLI bands and vegetation indexes were evaluated and from the correlation analysis, a quadratic algorithm that uses the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) performed better, with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.

In vivo systemic toxicity assessment of an oxidized dextrin-based hydrogel and its effectiveness as a carrier and stabilizer of granular synthetic bone substitutes.

The worldwide incidence of bone disorders is raising, mainly due to aging population. The lack of effective treatments is pushing the development of synthetic bone substitutes (SBSs). Most ceramic-based SBSs commercially available display limited handling properties.

Effect of Pre-analytical Conditions on Prothrombin Time and Partial Activated Thromboplastin Time.

Background: Clinical analysis often involves clotting assays. Although the guidelines suggest the storing and freezing of samples before these assays, there are contradictory results in the literature. The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of the temperature and the storage of plasma sample on Prothrombin Time (PT) and Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) in clinical samples for 65 patients without coagulation disorders.

Portuguese calculated panel reactive antibodies online estimator.

Calculated panel reactive antibodies (CPRA) is a sensitization measure used to classify and prioritize transplant candidates in different kidney transplant allocation systems. CPRA is based on identification of HLA unacceptable on potential organ donors making a transplant candidate ineligible for transplantation. Here, we present a CPRA online estimator based on HLA allelic and haplotypic frequencies from Portuguese donors.

Non-classical human leucocyte antigens in ankylosing spondylitis: possible association with HLA-E and HLA-F.

Objectives: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is the most prevalent form of spondyloarthritis, with a known genetic association with the HLA-B27 molecule. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of the HLA-G, HLA-E and HLA-F to AS susceptibility/protection in Portuguese patients with HLA-B27 AS and HLA-B27 unaffected controls.

Methods: High-resolution typing of , and was performed in 228 patients with HLA-B27 AS and 244 HLA-B27 unaffected controls.

Parasites in Forensic Science: a historic perspective.

Parasites show a great potential to Forensic Science. Forensic Science is the application of any science and methodology to the legal system. The forensic scientist collects and analyses the physical evidence and produce a report of the results to the court.

[Selection of Donor-Recipient Pairs in Renal Transplantation: Comparative Simulation Results].

Introduction: Implemented in 2007 by Ordinance No. 6357, allocation rules of cadaveric donor kidneys seek to distribute equitably a scarce community resource to patients who can improve their survival and quality of life. As stated in the aforementioned ordinance these rules must be updated whenever the state of the art recommends it.

Halting - associated bladder cancer.

Background: At present schistosomiasis is endemic in 78 countries affecting more than 260 million people. Schistosomiasis haematobia alone affects more than 112 millions.

Material And Methods: We performed a computerized search of Pubmed database with keywords: bladder cancer cost and schistosomiasis mass treatment.