Mental Health Awareness: Stigma and Help-Seeking Among Portuguese College Students.

Background/objectives: Help-seeking-that is, the attempt to attain external help for mental health, be it from formal or informal sources-can be described as an adaptive coping process. Mental illness stigma is the most frequently identified barrier that prevents students from seeking psychological help. This study analyzed college students' beliefs about mental illness and attitudes toward formal psychological help-seeking.

Clinical characteristics and variables associated with COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in Luanda, Angola, in the first year of the pandemic.

Background: The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Africa is still unclear. In comparison to Europe and North America, morbidity and death rates are lower. Several factors have been proposed, including geographical variation in virus impact, environmental factors, differences in age distribution, and the impact of infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV infection and tuberculosis.

Factors Affecting Usage of a Digital Asthma Monitoring Application by Old-Age Asthmatics Living in Inner Central Portugal.

Purpose: To analyse factors affecting the ability to use the digital asthma monitoring application Mask-Air in old-age individuals living in inland Portugal.

Patients And Methods: In this observational study, patients with medically confirmed asthma who agreed to participate were interviewed and subdivided into Non-users Group: those who could not use the application and Users Group: those who could. Sociodemographic and psychological data, comorbidities, and asthma status were compared between groups.

Females Present Reduced Minimum Toe Clearance During Walking As Compared to Males in Active Older Adults.

Background: Physical decline due to aging has been associated with the risk of falls. Minimum toe clearance (MTC) is a gait parameter that might play a role in the mechanism of tripping and falling. However, it is unclear if there are any sex-related effects regarding MTC as people age.

Factors associated with poor asthma symptom control in adult Angolan regularly seen at an outpatient respiratory clinic.

Background: Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases and one of the most frequent causes of hospital care.

Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics of asthma and factors associated with its control.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Military Hospital in Luanda, from April 2018 to March 2019.

Patients' Characterization, Pattern of Medication Use, and Factors Associated with Polypharmacy: A Cross-Sectional Study Focused on Eight Units of the Portuguese National Network for Long-Term Integrated Care.

The Portuguese National Network for Long-term Integrated Care (RNCCI) comprises several Units for Integrated Continuous Care (UCCIs) that provide medical, nursing, and rehabilitation care. This study aimed to evaluate the demographic and medical characteristics of patients admitted to the RNCCI, their patterns of medication use, and factors associated with polypharmacy. An observational, retrospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study was performed.

HLA-A23/HLA-A24 serotypes and dementia interaction in the elderly: Association with increased soluble HLA class I molecules in plasma.

MHC class I molecules regulate brain development and plasticity in mice and HLA class I molecules are associated with brain disorders in humans. We investigated the relationship between plasma-derived soluble human HLA class I molecules (sHLA class I), HLA class I serotypes and dementia. A cohort of HLA class I serotyped elderly subjects with no dementia/pre-dementia (NpD, n = 28), or with dementia (D, n = 28) was studied.

Improved Equations for the Torsional Strength of Reinforced Concrete Beams for Codes of Practice Based on the Space Truss Analogy.

Design codes provide the necessary tools to check the torsional strength of reinforced concrete (RC) members. However, some researchers have pointed out that code equations still need improvement. This study presents a review and a comparative analysis of the calculation procedures to predict the torsional strength of RC beams from some reference design codes, namely the Russian, American, European, and Canadian codes for RC structures.

Potentially Inappropriate Medications and Potential Prescribing Omissions in Elderly Patients Receiving Post-Acute and Long-Term Care: Application of Screening Tool of Older People's Prescriptions/Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment Criteria.

Screening Tool of Older People's Prescriptions (STOPP) and Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment (START) criteria have been used to detect potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs). These criteria were applied to geriatric Portuguese patients receiving post-acute and long-term care to assess the prevalence and predictors of PIMs and PPOs. An observational, retrospective, cross-sectional and multicenter study was performed in 161 patients (aged ≥65 years) from eight Units for Integrated Continuous Care.

House dust mite (HDM) and storage mite (SM) molecular sensitisation profiles and association with clinical outcomes in allergic asthma and rhinitis: protocol for a systematic review.

Introduction: Identification and characterisation of single allergens at molecular level is important. Component-resolved diagnosis offers the possibility of higher diagnostic precision, thereby allowing better patient management. House dust mites (HDM) have a worldwide distribution.

Lack of Consistent Association between Asthma, Allergic Diseases, and Intestinal Helminth Infection in School-Aged Children in the Province of Bengo, Angola.

Epidemiological studies have shown conflicting findings on the relationship between asthma, atopy, and intestinal helminth infections. There are no such studies from Angola; therefore, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between asthma, allergic diseases, atopy, and intestinal helminth infection in Angolan schoolchildren. We performed a cross-sectional study of schoolchildren between September and November 2017.

Physicians' perceptions of their knowledge and the preparedness of health facilities in Angola to diagnose and manage COVID-19.

Background: Healthcare professionals represent a vulnerable group in terms of responding to COVID-19. Knowledge can influence healthcare professionals through adoption of the correct attitudes and practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate, by a questionnaire, the perceptions of physicians about their level of knowledge as well as conditions in their workplaces for dealing with COVID-19.

Theta burst stimulation over the prefrontal cortex: Effects on cerebral oximetry and cardiovascular measures in healthy humans.

Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS) is a non-invasive neurophysiological technique, able to induce changes in synaptic activity. Research suggests that TBS may induce changes in cerebral oxygenation, cerebral blood flow, blood pressure and heart rate but there are conflicting results across studies. Thus, the objective of our sham-controlled study is to evaluate if TBS applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of healthy volunteers produces changes in cerebral oximetry, heart rate and blood pressure.

Autoimmune Hepatitis: Predictors of Native Liver Survival in Children and Adolescents.

Objective: To determine predictors of native liver survival (NLS) in children and adolescents with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).

Study Design: The medical records of children and adolescents with AIH were reviewed. A questionnaire was used to collect data on clinical presentation, biochemical and histologic findings, and treatment.

Theta-Burst Stimulation Is Able to Impact Cognitive Processing: A P300 and Neuropsychological Test Study.

Introduction: Theta-burst stimulation (TBS) is a safe non-invasive neurostimulation technique used to improve cognitive and neuropsychiatric impairments. Combined outcome evaluation using event-related potentials (ERPs) and neuropsychological tests may allow a more thorough assessment of TBS treatment efficacy; however, some mixed results have been found, and their use remains scarce. Our main objective was to evaluate whether a session of TBS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) can impact upon the performance of both neuropsychological and neurophysiological tests.

STOP-Bang and NoSAS questionnaires as a screening tool for OSA: which one is the best choice?

Introduction: Currently there has been significant growth in the number of patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) referred to sleep clinics. In this sense, screening and stratification methods of the severity of this pathology have become increasingly relevant.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the NoSAS and STOP-Bang scores in the screening of OSA in a sleep clinic.

Helminth infections, atopy, asthma and allergic diseases: protocol for a systematic review of observational studies worldwide.

Introduction: Childhood infections, particularly those caused by helminths are considered to be important environmental exposures influencing the development of allergic diseases. However, epidemiological studies focusing on the relationship between helminth infections and risk of allergic diseases, performed worldwide, show inconsistent findings. Previous systematic reviews of observational studies published 10 or more years ago showed conflicting findings for effects of helminths on allergic diseases.

Sensitisation to aeroallergens in relation to asthma and other allergic diseases in Angolan children: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction And Objectives: In Africa, few studies of sensitisation profiles have been performed in children or adolescents and, in Angola, there are none. The objectives of the present study were to assess the sensitisation profile of Angolan schoolchildren and to determine the relationship between that pattern, sociodemographic factors, asthma and other allergic diseases.

Materials And Methods: Cross-sectional, observational study in 5-14-year-old children, performed between September and November 2017, in the Province of Bengo, Angola.

Prevalence and risk factors for food allergy in older people: protocol for a systematic review.

Introduction: Studies suggest that the prevalence of food allergy may be increasing worldwide. Results regarding the prevalence and features of adverse food reactions older people have, however, scarcely been analysed in the literature. Thus, the objective of the present systematic review will be to describe the prevalence of food allergy in older individuals, its risk factors, clinical features, as well as the most frequently and commonly involved foods.

Can theta burst stimulation safely influence auditory hearing thresholds in healthy young adults?

Objective: This TBS sham-controlled study aimed to evaluate the effects of intermittent TBS (iTBS) and continuous TBS (cTBS) upon ipsilateral hearing thresholds after stimulation on the left auditory cortex.

Methods: Sixty healthy adults, aged between 19 and 32 years (median of 23 years), were randomly distributed into three groups and underwent iTBS, cTBS or sham stimulation. Each double-blind experimental session comprised two pure tone audiometric evaluations per subject, before and after stimulation.

Sulfite concentration and the occurrence of headache in young adults: a prospective study.

Background/objectives: Sulfites are additives commonly used in food and wine industries that are associated to adverse clinical effects such as headaches. The objective of this study is to investigate the possible association between sulfite concentration in wine and the occurrence of headaches in young adults.

Subjects/methods: Eighty volunteers, aged between 18 and 25 years, were evaluated.

Inhaler training and asthma knowledge are associated with a higher proportion of patients with correct inhaler technique in young but not in elderly asthmatic patients.

Incorrect inhaler usage is frequent, particularly in elderly asthmatic patients. This study aimed at comparing inhaler technique errors and their determinants, as well inhaler technique self-perception versus real performance, between elderly and non-elderly asthmatics. Cross-sectional assessment of 92 elderly and 100 non-elderly asthmatics followed at specialty clinics.