Can we predict hypoadrenocorticism in dogs with resting hypocortisolemia? A predictive model based on clinical, haematological, and biochemical variables.

Background: A resting cortisol concentration (RC) higher than 2.0 μg/dL (55 nmol/L) is commonly used to rule out hypoadrenocorticism (HA). However, there is a significant overlap of RC between dogs with HA and those with other diseases.

Factors influencing management of dry cell battery waste: a case of Greater Accra Region in Ghana.

Indiscriminate disposal of dry cell battery (DCB) waste contributes to environmental and public health issues in developing countries such as Ghana, due to the toxic nature of this specific waste. Accordingly, a study was conducted in Accra, Ghana, to determine the socio-economic and demographic factors influencing handling DCB waste, aiming a sustainable environment. Using a random sampling technique, a descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted, encompassing 367 respondents from the Accra-Tema Metropolitan areas and Tema West Municipal Assembly in Greater Accra, Ghana.

The role of universities in accelerating the sustainable development goals in Europe.

The process of implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were approved by the UN General Assembly in 2015 has not been simple, being influenced by variety of social, economic, and logistical problems. It has also been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are to date no specific studies aimed at assessing the extent to which higher universities institutions in Europe are active in the SDGs implementation process.

Evaluating the Quality of Systematic Reviews on Pediatric Sedation in Dentistry: An Umbrella Review.

Sedation is a depression of a patient's state of consciousness, induced by medications, that can reach different levels of intensity during a medical procedure. Conscious sedation produces a minimally depressed level of consciousness without impairment of the ability to maintain an open airway, of protective reflexes or of responses to verbal and physical stimulation. This umbrella review is aimed at critically assessing the available systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MA) on sedation in children/adolescents.

An assessment of priorities in handling climate change impacts on infrastructures.

Climate change (CC) will likely significantly impact the world's infrastructure significantly. Rising temperatures, increased precipitation, and rising sea levels are all likely to stress critical infrastructures (CI). Rising temperatures can lead to infrastructure damage from extreme heat events.

A ticket to where? Dwindling snow cover impacts the winter tourism sector as a consequence of climate change.

Climate change affects human activities, including tourism across various sectors and time frames. The winter tourism industry, dependent on low temperatures, faces significant impacts. This paper reviews the implications of climate change on winter tourism, emphasising challenges for activities like skiing and snowboarding, which rely on consistent snowfall and low temperatures.

Dermatological Side Effects of Cancer Treatment: Psychosocial Implications-A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity all over the world and the second major cause of death in Portugal. Dermatological side effects resulting from cancer treatment have a psychosocial impact on patients' lives, such as quality of life (QoL), body image, cognitive fusion and social inhibition. This systematic review aimed to explore and synthesize the psychosocial impact of dermatological side effects of cancer treatment, answering the following research objectives: (i) Do the dermatological side effects of the cancer treatment present any psychosocial impact for the patients? (ii) How does the psychosocial impact of the dermatological toxicities of the cancer treatment manifest in patients' lives? Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed and guided a systematic search through the PubMed, Cochrane Library and PyscNet databases.

On the (melting) rocks: Climate change and the global issue of permafrost depletion.

This short communication reports on the pressures posed by climate change on permafrost. The phenomenon of the (melting) rocks, soil, and ground that host permafrost does not just concern a remote stretch of the Arctic north. It is a far larger area than most citizens may realise if looking at an ordinary map projection.

Governance in the implementation of the UN sustainable development goals in higher education: global trends.

Governance is a key component for implementing sustainable development (SD) initiatives in university teaching, research, and projects. This line of thinking also applies to implementing the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs). Despite the role of governance in guiding processes related to the SDGs, few studies have examined these relations in an integrative manner in higher education.

Climate change: Why higher education matters?

Higher education (HE) matters to the global struggle to combat climate change. Research builds knowledge and informs climate solutions. Educational programmes and courses upskill current and future leaders and professionals to tackle the systems change and the transformation needed to improve society.

Winners and Losers: Species under the Pressure of Climate Change.

(1) Bioclimatic factors have a proven effect on species distributions in terrestrial, marine, or freshwater ecosystems. Because of anthropogenic effects, the changes in these variables are accelerated; thus, the knowledge of the impact has great importance from a conservation point of view. Two endemic dragonflies, the Balkan Goldenring () and the Two-Toothed Goldenring (), confined to the hilly and mountainous regions in Europe, are classified as "Near Threatened" according to the IUCN Red List.

A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial on the Effectiveness of an Anti-Stress Ball Technique for Pain Reduction during Vascular Access Cannulation in Haemodialysis Patients.

Background: Pain in patients under haemodialysis affects the quality of life of chronic renal patients. Distraction has been effective in controlling pain induced by the insertion of needles. Once applied adequately, distraction promotes endorphin release, with efficacy in acute pain management.

Chemical characteristics of bottom ash from biomedical waste incinerators in Ghana.

Biomedical waste (BMW) incineration is the most used alternative disposal method in developing countries, such as Ghana. The improper disposal of incinerator-generated bottom ash (BA) is a significant concern due to the hazardous nature of waste. A study was conducted at Tema Hospital (TGH) and Asuogyaman Hospital (VRAH) incinerator sites.

Low carbon futures: assessing the status of decarbonisation efforts at universities within a 2050 perspective.

Background: The implementation of sustainability at universities means that they can also play a key role in the transition to a low carbon economy, and in assisting global efforts towards decarbonisation. Yet, not all of them have so far fully engaged in this area. This paper reviews the state of the art on trends in decarbonisation, and outlines the need for decarbonisation efforts at universities.

Promoting gender equality across the sustainable development goals.

Unlabelled: Gender issues, and gender equality in particular, can be regarded as cross-cutting issues in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), even though it is unclear how they are taken into account. This study addresses this information gap by performing an assessment of the emphasis on gender issues across all the other 16 SDGs, in addition to SDG5, through a literature review and case study analysis, the basis for the newly developed framework, highlighting specific actions associated to each SDG. The 13 countries addressed in the 16 case studies include China, India, or Australia and illustrate the inclusion of SDG5 into the SDGs.

Correlation between Streptococcus mutans levels in dental plaque and saliva of children.

Purpose: This study was designed to compare the levels of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) in saliva with those in occlusal plaque on posterior teeth at different stages of dentition, and to explore the correlation with caries experience to determine the most suitable source of S. mutans for research.

Neutrophile-to-lymphocyte, lymphocyte-to-monocyte, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios as prognostic and response biomarkers for resectable locally advanced gastric cancer.

Background: Perioperative fluorouracil plus leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel (FLOT) improves prognosis in locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC). Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte (LMR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) ratios are prognostic biomarkers but not predictive factors.

Aim: To assess blood ratios' (NLR, LMR and PLR) potential predictive response to FLOT and survival outcomes in resectable LAGC patients.

Barriers to institutional social sustainability.

Social sustainability is a work field characterised by an emphasis on social aspects, e.g. equity, ethics, health, gender balance, or empowerment, within a broader sustainability context.

Assessment of indoor radon concentration and time-series analysis of gamma dose rate in three thermal spas from Portugal.

This work is a follow-up study on the exposure to indoor radon levels in Portuguese thermal spas. The previous research involved 16 thermal spas, where radon measurements in air and thermal mineral water were performed twice a year, from 2012 to 2016. These studies revealed concerning radon concentrations both in air and water.

An isothermal lab-on-phone test for easy molecular diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 near patients and in less than 1 hour.

Objectives: The performance of a new point-of-care CE-IVD-marked isothermal lab-on-phone COVID-19 assay was assessed in comparison to a gold standard real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR method.

Methods: The study was conducted following a nonprobability sampling of ≥16-year-old volunteers from three different laboratories, using direct mouthwash (N = 24) or nasopharyngeal (N = 191) clinical samples.

Results: The assay demonstrated 95.

The economics of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: does sustainability make financial sense?

The implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals is a global priority, but one whose full implementation is vulnerable to the high costs associated with it. This raises the question: does the implementation of the SDGs make financial sense? This article addresses this question and outlines the need to raise awareness of the economic benefits of implementing the global goals. Further, it presents and discusses the main financial gaps to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.