Addressing the overuse of hospital emergency departments in the Portuguese NHS: a new paradigm.

The escalating trend of inappropriate visits to Emergency Departments (ED) has led to significant concerns, including resource misallocation, compromised patient care, and an increased burden on healthcare workers. Portugal faces a notable challenge, reporting one of the highest ED visit rates, with an annual average of approximately 6 million ED visits from 2013 to 2023. In response, the "Call First, Save Lives" pilot project was launched by the Portuguese NHS Executive Board, in 2023, at the Local Health Unit (LHU) of Póvoa de Varzim/Vila do Conde.

Bacillus subtilis inoculated in organic compost could improve the root architecture and physiology of soybean under water deficit.

Bacillus subtilis is known to promote root growth and improve plant physiology, while organic compost enhances soil water retention. This study explored the combined effect of inoculating B. subtilis in organic compost on soybean growth under water deficit.

Biomechanical evaluation of different fixation techniques in the rotation of the maxillary occlusal plane after Le Fort I osteotomy.

Background: To analyze the biomechanical and functional characteristics of different maxillary fixation techniques after Le Fort I osteotomy and occlusal plane rotation, using the finite element method to simulate the mechanical behavior of three different osteosynthesis approaches.

Material And Methods: This is a virtual experimental study carried out using finite element analysis to compare three different osteosynthesis techniques after Le Fort I osteotomy and rotation of the maxillary occlusal plane. Three configurations were tested: four-point fixation with "L" plates (C1), two-point fixation with "L" plates (C2), and two-point fixation with pre-modeled Lindorf plates (C3).

Maternal touch in object- and nonobject-oriented play interactions: A longitudinal study at 7 and 12 months.

Social touch is a crucial part of how mothers interact with their infants, with different touch types serving distinct purposes in these exchanges. However, there is still a limited understanding of how mothers' touch behavior adapts to specific interactive tasks, particularly throughout infancy. To address this gap, we observed mother-infant dyads at 7 and 12 months during three structured social play tasks: (a) play with objects, (b) play without objects, and (c) play with a difficult object.

Cardiovascular risk profile with SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP: comparing Portugal, Spain, Italy, and France using the new European predictive models.

Introduction: This study aims to characterize the cardiovascular risk profile in countries with low-to-moderate cardiovascular mortality risk (Italy, Portugal, France, and Spain) using the SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP models. It also examines regional variations and the involvement of healthcare professionals in performing risk assessments.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted using data from 24,434 cardiovascular risk assessments performed between December 2022 and July 2023 through a digital application used by physicians.