[Validation of the European Portuguese Version of a Pediatric Palliative Needs Assessment Tool: The Pediatric Palliative Screening Scale].

Introduction: The Pediatric Palliative Screening Scale (PaPaS Scale) was designed to help professionals to identify life-limiting or life-threatening children/young people with complex chronic conditions who would benefit from pediatric palliative care and facilitate their timely and appropriate referral. The aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt and validate the PaPaS Scale for the Portuguese pediatric population.

Material And Methods: A quantitative methodological study involving translation, cultural adaptation and validation of a scale was performed.

Genetic variation of 12 X-chromosomal STR loci in an East Timor sample.

East Timor (República Democrática de Timor Leste) is a country with a population around 1 million inhabitants located in Southeast Asia and composed of 13 districts, including the eastern half of the Timor Island, Ataúro and Jaco islands, and the coastal enclave of Oecusse-Ambeno located in West Timor. Examples of the importance of X-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) analysis include parentage identification, namely in cases involving father/daughter relationships, paternity in close relative deficiency cases without access to the putative father, maternity testing, and in rape or incest cases. In this study, 149 saliva samples were collected from unrelated individuals from East Timor and 12 X-chromosomal STRs genotyped using Investigator® Argus X-12 kit (Qiagen).

Cymbopogon citratus industrial waste as a potential source of bioactive compounds.

Background: Cymbopogon citratus (Cc), commonly known as lemongrass, is a very important crop worldwide, being grown in tropical countries. It is widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and perfumery industries for its essential oil. Cc aqueous extracts are also used in traditional medicine.

Symptoms other than pain in palliative care in Portugal.

Objective: To study the burden of patients' symptoms other than pain and their treatment by Portuguese palliative care teams.

Methods: Of the 21 Portuguese palliative care teams identified, 10 accepted to participate. Data from all patients observed on the 18th week of 2011 were collected.

A cross-sectional survey of pain in palliative care in Portugal.

Objective: The purpose of this work is to study the prevalence, intensity, and treatment of pain in Portuguese palliative care teams.

Methods: Twenty-one palliative care teams were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Ten of these accepted and were included in the study.

A cross-sectional survey of the activity of palliative care teams in Portugal.

Of the 21 Portuguese teams identified, 10 accepted to participate in the study. A total of 164 patients were included with a median of 15.5 per team (4-32).