The EU project Real4Reg: unlocking real-world data with AI.

Background: The use of real-world data is established in post-authorization regulatory processes such as pharmacovigilance of drugs and medical devices, but is still frequently challenged in the pre-authorization phase of medicinal products. In addition, the use of real-world data, even in post-authorization steps, is constrained by the availability and heterogeneity of real-world data and by challenges in analysing data from different settings and sources. Moreover, there are emerging opportunities in the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare research, but also a lack of knowledge on its appropriate application to heterogeneous real-world data sources to increase evidentiary value in the regulatory decision-making and health technology assessment context.

Hybrid next-generation sequencing protocol for testing HIV-2 drug resistance.

HIV-2 affects over 1 million people globally and can lead to AIDS if untreated. Treating people living with HIV-2 (PLHIV-2) is challenging because the virus is inherently resistant to some drugs. Effective treatment monitoring, particularly drug resistance testing, is critical for managing therapeutic failure.

Promoting reflective practice: Exploring access to supervision in European genetic counselling programmes.

Genetic Counselling Supervision (GCS) plays an integral role in professional development, stimulating reflective practice and helping to prevent burnout. Nevertheless, evidence points to insufficient practice of GCS. This study aimed to explore the current state of counselling supervision access during MSc training, along with barriers and facilitators for its implementation.

Neurodegeneration and choroidal vascular features on OCT in the progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration.

Aim: To quantify and compare longitudinal thickness changes of the ganglion cell complex (GCC) and the choroid in patients with different patterns of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) progression.

Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of anonymized data from participants aged 50y or more and diagnosed with early/intermediate AMD in at least one eye (with no evidence of advanced AMD). A total of 64 participants were included from the Instituto de Retina de Lisboa (IRL) study (IPL/2022/MetAllAMD_ESTeSL) and divided into 4 groups according to the Rotterdam classification for AMD.

Immune Response Against Influenza in a Cohort of Repeatedly Vaccinated Adults During the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 Seasons.

Background/objectives: The influenza vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) is recommended each autumn and winter season by the relevant authorities in EU/EEA countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of repeated trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) uptake during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons on vaccine-derived immunity against influenza.

Methods: A cohort study of HCWs vaccinated with an annual TIV was conducted from October 2017 to June 2019.

Patients' health care resources utilization and costs estimation across cardiovascular risk categories: insights from the LATINO study.

Background: Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) is a global public health concern. This study aimed to estimate the healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs stratified by cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk categories using real-world evidence, in a regional population in Portugal.

Methods: This is a retrospective observational study, using data from Electronic Health Records between 2017 and 2021.

3-Tetrazolyl-β-carboline derivatives as potential neuroprotective agents.

3-Tetrazolyl-β-carbolines were prepared by the Pictet-Spengler approach using a tryptophan analogue as building block, in which the carboxylic acid was replaced by the bioisosteric tetrazole group. Knowing that β-carbolines are often associated with psychopharmacological effects, the study of the 3-tetrazolyl-β-carbolines as potential neuroprotective agents against Parkinson's disease was investigated. The evaluation of neuroprotective effects against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridin-1-ium (MPP)-induced cytotoxicity allowed to identify compounds with relevant neuroprotective activity.

ERS statement on benign pleural effusions in adults.

The incidence of non-malignant pleural effusions far outweighs that of malignant pleural effusions and is estimated to be at least 3-fold higher. These so-called benign effusions do not follow a "benign course" in many cases, with mortality rates matching and sometimes exceeding those of malignant pleural effusions. In addition to the impact on patients, healthcare systems are also significantly affected, with recent US epidemiological data demonstrating that 75% of resource allocation for pleural effusion management is spent on non-malignant pleural effusions (excluding empyema).

Malignant melanoma in Portuguese adult population: a scoping review of the real-world evidence.

Purpose: Malignant melanoma is an aggressive cancer, and there is a notable dearth on epidemiology, clinical and treatment characterization within the Portuguese population. We performed a scoping review to identify real-world evidence studies focused in Portuguese adult patients with malignant melanoma.

Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted.

Seroprevalence of Protective Antibodies Against Influenza and the Reduction of the Influenza Incidence Rate: An Annual Repeated Cross-Sectional Study From 2014 to 2019.

Background: Seroepidemiological studies provide estimates of population-level immunity, prevalence/incidence of infections, and evaluation of vaccination programs. We assessed the seroprevalence of protective antibodies against influenza and evaluated the correlation of seroprevalence with the cumulative annual influenza incidence rate.

Methods: We conducted an annual repeated cross-sectional seroepidemiological survey, during June-August, from 2014 to 2019, in Portugal.

In Vitro and Preclinical Systematic Dose-Effect Studies of Auger Electron- and β Particle-Emitting Radionuclides and External Beam Radiation for Cancer Treatment.

Purpose: Despite a rise in clinical use of radiopharmaceutical therapies, the biological effects of radionuclides and their relationship with absorbed radiation dose are poorly understood. Here, we set out to define this relationship for Auger electron emitters [Tc]TcO and [I]I and βparticle emitter [Re]ReO. Studies were carried out using genetically modified cells that permitted direct radionuclide comparisons.

Disclosing the Antifungal Mechanisms of the Cyclam Salt H[H(PhCH)Cyclam]Cl against and .

Mycoses are one of the major causes of morbidity/mortality among immunocompromised individuals. Considering the importance of these infections, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined a priority list of fungi for health in 2022 that include as belonging to the critical priority group and () to the medium priority group. The existence of few available antifungal drugs, their high toxicity, the acquired fungal resistance, and the appearance of new species with a broader spectrum of resistance, points out the need for searching for new antifungals, preferably with new and multiple mechanisms of action.

Leishmania and HIV co-infection: first naturally Leishmania strain presenting decreased susceptibility to miltefosine, recovered from a patient in Portugal.

Background: In Europe, up to 70% of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases occurring in adults living with HIV. People living with HIV with VL co-infection often display persistent parasitemia, requiring chronic intermittent anti-Leishmania therapies. Consequently, frequent VL relapses and higher mortality rates are common in these individuals.

Determinants of HIV late presentation among men who have sex with men in Portugal (2014-2019): who's being left behind?

Introduction: HIV late presentation (LP) remains excessive in Europe. We aimed to analyze the factors associated with late presentation in the MSM population newly diagnosed with HIV in Portugal between 2014 and 2019.

Methods: We included 391 newly HIV-1 diagnosed Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), from the BESTHOPE project, in 17 countrywide Portuguese hospitals.

Development of a Unified Specimen for Adhesive Characterization-Part 2: Experimental Study on the Mode I (mDCB) and II (ELS) Fracture Components.

Adhesive bonding has been increasingly employed in multiple industrial applications. This has led to a large industrial demand for faster, simpler, and cheaper characterization methods that allow engineers to predict the mechanical behavior of an adhesive with numerical models. Currently, these characterization processes feature a wide variety of distinct standards, specimen configurations, and testing procedures and require deep knowhow of complex data-reduction schemes.

Wearables for Monitoring and Postural Feedback in the Work Context: A Scoping Review.

Wearables offer a promising solution for simultaneous posture monitoring and/or corrective feedback. The main objective was to identify, synthesise, and characterise the wearables used in the workplace to monitor and postural feedback to workers. The PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed.

Rare cause of jaundice in a term newborn.

Neonatal jaundice is a frequently observed occurrence in full-term newborns and typically manifests between 48 and 96 hours following birth. Early-onset jaundice is primarily induced by pathological factors, namely sepsis, hemolysis and an excessive accumulation of bilirubin resulting from the breakdown of red blood cells.We present a case involving a full-term newborn with an uneventful perinatal history, who exhibited jaundice within the initial day of life and was subsequently admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit to commence intensive phototherapy.

Optimization of a Photobiomodulation Protocol to Improve the Cell Viability, Proliferation and Protein Expression in Osteoblasts and Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts for Accelerated Orthodontic Treatment.

Numerous pieces of evidence have supported the therapeutic potential of photobiomodulation (PBM) to modulate bone remodeling on mechanically stimulated teeth, proving PBM's ability to be used as a coadjuvant treatment to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). However, there are still uncertainty and discourse around the optimal PBM protocols, which hampers its optimal and consolidated clinical applicability. Given the differential expression and metabolic patterns exhibited in the tension and compression sides of orthodontically stressed teeth, it is plausible that different types of irradiation may be applied to each side of the teeth.

Machado-Joseph disease in a Sudanese family links East Africa to Portuguese families and allows reestimation of ancestral age of the Machado lineage.

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD/SCA3) is the most frequent dominant ataxia worldwide. It is caused by a (CAG) expansion. MJD has two major ancestral backgrounds: the Machado lineage, found mainly in Portuguese families; and the Joseph lineage, present in all five continents, probably originating in Asia.

Landing wise program: feasibility study protocol for Parkinson's disease.

Regardless of the benefits of fall prevention programs, people with Parkinson's disease (PD) will still fall. Therefore, it is crucial to explore novel therapeutic approaches that are well-accepted and effective for addressing fall risk and the fear of falls among this population. The present study aims to assess the feasibility of the Landing Wise program as a therapeutic intervention for reducing the fear of falling in people with PD.