Effectiveness of a new thermal insulation blanket in the control of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia and comfort: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Disturbances in the thermoregulatory system can precipitate inadvertent hypothermia in patients undergoing surgeries lasting over 60 min, causing serious complications in the recovery process. Cutaneous thermal protection is relevant for the control of temperature of patients in the perioperative setting. The standard thermal protection widely utilized is an electric forced warm air blanket.

Effectiveness of A Nurse-Led Multimodal Intervention in Preventing Blood Culture Contamination: A Before-and-After Study.

Blood culture is crucial for accurate and timely bacteremia diagnosis and guide antibiotic therapy. However, during culture sampling, contamination can occur, resulting in misdiagnosis, unnecessary antibiotic exposure, and prolonged hospitalization. This before-and-after intervention study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a multimodal intervention in preventing blood culture contamination.

Understanding quality of life's challenges in sarcoma patients: A mixed-methods study.

Purpose: Sarcoma, a highly aggressive form of cancer, profoundly affects patients both physically and psychologically. This study aimed to assess sarcoma patients' health-related quality of life and explore their experiences of living with the disease and their specific care requirements.

Methods: This research employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design.

Decylprodigiosin: a new member of the prodigiosin family isolated from a seaweed-associated .

Bioprospecting actinobacterial secondary metabolism from untapped marine sources may lead to the discovery of biotechnologically-relevant compounds. While studying the diversity and bioactive potential of Actinomycetota associated with a green seaweed collected in the northern Portuguese cost, strain CT-F61, identified as , was isolated. Its extracts displayed a strong anticancer activity on breast carcinoma T-47D and colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells, being effective as well against a panel of human and fish pathogenic bacteria.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Testing of the Portuguese Version of the Iceland-Family Illness Beliefs Questionnaire.

Illness beliefs have a role in the adaptation, coping, well-being, healing, and recovery in families of children/adolescents with chronic illness. The assessment of family illness beliefs can support family nursing interventions that address the suffering of family members when illness arises. The purpose of this study was to translate, cross-culturally adapt, and psychometrically test the Portuguese version of the Iceland-Family Illness Beliefs Questionnaire.

Translation, Adaptation, and Validation of the Cultural Competence Assessment in Portuguese Nurses.

Previous research shows significant benefits resulting from improving culturally competent nursing care. Thus, the purpose of this study was to translate, adapt, and validate the Cultural Competence Assessment (CCA) in a sample of Portuguese nurses. A psychometric study of the CCA, after translation into European Portuguese, was performed with a snowball sample of 284 nurses.

Assessing the Effectiveness of a Massive Open Online Course for Caregivers Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Methodological Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges to health care systems, particularly impacting the older population due to their vulnerability and increased susceptibility to severe complications. Many of the most vulnerable individuals rely on informal caregivers, who play a vital role in enabling them to continue living in their homes. However, social isolation and limited access to health services during the pandemic have made caregiving more difficult.

Development of a perioperative thermal insulation system: Testing comfort properties for different textile sets.

The poorly physical and psychological conditions of the patients make the body thermal protection crucial in the perioperative context, due to the risk of hypothermia. The lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of textile coverings in protecting patients in the operating room, underscores the recommendation of the forced warming system using non-woven fabric for ensuring the best thermal protection in the perioperative context. This study is part of a development process of a three-layered thermal insulation system, a blanket for use in the perioperative context.

Seizure-induced increase in microglial cell population in the developing zebrafish brain.

Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder characterized by unprovoked and recurrent seizures, of which 60% are of unknown etiology. Recent studies implicate microglia in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. However, their role in this process, in particular following early-life seizures, remains poorly understood due in part to the lack of suitable experimental models allowing the in vivo imaging of microglial activity.

Transient remission of hyperparathyroidism after fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is the unregulated overproduction of parathyroid hormone (PTH), resulting in abnormal calcium homeostasis. PHPT is most commonly caused by a single adenoma of the parathyroid gland, which can have an intrathyroid location in rare cases. The measurement of intact PTH in the washout fluid obtained by ultrasound (US)-guided fineneedle aspiration (FNA) can be useful in clarifying the aetiology of these lesions.

Monitoring Patient-Reported Outcomes in Self-management of Postsurgical Symptoms in Oncology: A Scoping Review.

Background: Surgery is used widely for cancer treatment, and in most types, after discharge, patients usually report multiple symptoms, which, if not controlled, can put postoperative recovery at risk. Understanding which patient-reported outcomes (PROs) should be monitored could have a significant impact on reducing the symptom burden associated with cancer and its treatment by playing a pivotal role in developing symptom self-management plans and designing tailored approaches to optimize patients' symptom self-management behaviors.

Objective: To map the PROs used for patients' postsurgical symptom self-management after hospital discharge following cancer surgery.

Psychometric properties of the European Portuguese version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ family impact module.

Purpose: This study aims to assess the psychometric properties of the European Portuguese version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Family Impact Module in parents of children/adolescents with chronic health conditions.

Design And Methods: The European Portuguese version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Family Impact Module was administered to 237 parents of children/adolescents with chronic disease and/or chronic disorder. Participants were recruited from the day hospital and/or outpatient services of four hospitals in Northern Portugal, the majority being mothers (87.

Incorporation and modification of fatty acids in cyanobacterial natural products biosynthesis.

Fatty acid-derived alkyl chains are often found in natural products, where they can exert a number of different functions, most notably biological membrane interactions. Such alkyl chains are difficult to modify regio- and stereoselectively, since most positions are distant from any directing functional group. Chemical and biochemical diversification of these moieties is therefore a challenge, and most organisms do not modify alkyl moieties to a great extent.

A Rare Geriatric Diagnosis of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis: A Case Report.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare form of systemic disease characterized by inflammation and necrotizing effects of the small and medium blood vessels. It is a vasculitis found in all age groups and both genders, although its etiology is unknown. The mean age at diagnosis is 40 years, consisting of an uncommon cause of vasculitis in people older than 65 years.

Shorted Happiness at Work Scale: Psychometric Proprieties of the Portuguese Version in a Sample of Nurses.

In the last decades, happiness at work has been studied due to social changes; increased workload; stress; and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Happiness at work is considered an umbrella concept as it covers individual and organizational aspects of working life. The aim of this study is to analyze the psychometric properties of the Shorted Happiness at Work Scale (SHAW) in a sample of Portuguese nurses.

Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version of the Iceland-Family Perceived Support Questionnaire in Parents of Children and Adolescents with Chronic Condition.

The support from nurses perceived by family members of children with chronic conditions has been shown to be a protective factor at different levels in a family's health. As such, nurses need to have instruments that assess this perception to increase the quality of the care provided to those families. This methodological study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Portuguese translation of the Iceland-Family Perceived Support Questionnaire (ICE-FPSQ) in parents of children/adolescents with chronic conditions.

Realistic simulation in nursing education: Testing two scenario-based models.

Aim: To evaluate students' self-perceived pedagogical outcomes when using a digital scenario-based tool compared to traditional scenarios printed on paper.

Design: This study used a within-subjects experiment.

Method: A digital platform for scenario development was developed, focusing on patients' regaining independence and returning home after an acute event.

Biosynthesis of the Unusual Carbon Skeleton of Nocuolin A.

Nocuolin A is a cytotoxic cyanobacterial metabolite that is proposed to be produced by enzymes of the biosynthetic gene cluster. Nocuolin A features a 1,2,3-oxadiazine moiety, a structural feature unique among natural products and, so far, inaccessible through organic synthesis, suggesting that novel enzymatic chemistry might be involved in its biosynthesis. This heterocycle is substituted with two alkyl chains and a 3-hydroxypropanoyl moiety.

Esophageal Candidiasis in a Non-HIV Patient: A Primary Care Diagnosis.

A 74-year-old man visited his family doctor for dysphagia and was diagnosed with esophageal candidiasis. His risk factors included type 2 diabetes mellitus, long-term intake of budesonide/formoterol inhaler 160/45 µg, and pantoprazole 20 mg. He was treated with fluconazole 200 mg per day for 14 days.

Malignancy risk of thyroid nodules: quality assessment of the thyroid ultrasound report.

Background: Thyroid nodules are a challenge in clinical practice and thyroid ultrasonography is essential for assessing the risk of malignancy. The use of ultrasound-based malignancy risk classification systems has been recommended by several scientific societies but radiologist's adherence to these guidelines may vary. The authors aimed to analyze the quality of the information provided by the thyroid ultrasound report, to assess the malignancy risk of thyroid nodules, in Portugal.

Engagement in civic organisations in old age: Motivations for participation and retention.

Although the importance of older citizens' civic engagement has been highlighted in research and policy, the topic remains underexplored. In this study, we discuss older Portuguese citizens' motivations for civic engagement. The research is based on interviews with eighteen participants aged over 60, who are retired but active in civic organisations, in which they hold or have held leadership positions.

Risk Factors Associated with Falls among Nursing Home Residents: A Case-Control Study.

Introduction: To identify factors predictive of falls and enable appropriate management of fall risk it is necessary to understand the behaviour and health conditions of older adults living in nursing homes.

Objective: This study had two main objectives. The first was to find significant predictors for falls in older adults living in nursing homes.