Impact of infrasound exposure and streptozotocin-induced glucose intolerance on bone composition in Wistar rats.

The elemental composition of chemical elements can vary between healthy and diseased tissues, providing essential insights into metabolic processes in physiological and diseased states. This study aimed to evaluate the calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) levels in the bones of rats with/without streptozotocin-induced diabetes and/or exposure to infrasound. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy was used to determine the concentrations of Ca and P in Wistar rat tibiae samples.

The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale - Short Form (DERS-SF): psychometric properties and invariance between genders.

Background: The understanding of how individuals manage their emotional experiences has flourished dramatically over the last decades, including assessing of emotion (dys)regulation. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) is a well-validated and extensively used self-report instrument for emotion regulation problems. Despite the wide use of DERS in both clinical and research settings, its length potentially increases fatigue and frustration in respondents and limits its inclusion in brief research protocols.

Urban Noise Exposure and Cardiometabolic Diseases: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study in Lisbon.

Introduction: Urban noise pollution has been associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Nevertheless, existing observational studies relating to noise exposure and metabolic syndrome are based on non-generalizable cohorts. Lisbon remains a noisy city where this association has not been evaluated, and for this reason, we studied the relationship between exposure to urban noise and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and hypertension.

High-intensity infrasound effects on glucose metabolism in rats.

Recent focus has been given on the effects of high-intensity infrasound (HII) exposure, and whether it induces changes in pancreatic morphology and glucose metabolism is still unknown. As such, we have studied the impact of HII exposure on glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, pancreatic islet morphology, muscle GLUT4 and plasma insulin and corticosterone levels. Normal and glucose intolerant wild-type Wistar rats were randomly divided in two groups: one group not exposed to HII and the other continuously exposed to HII.

Effects of high-intensity infrasound on liver lipid content of rats.

Previous experimental studies show that exposure to noise with high and audible frequencies causes multiple metabolic alterations, such as increased liver glycogen and triglycerides. However, the effect of exposure to sound with lower frequencies, such as high-intensity infrasound (frequency <20 Hz and sound pressure level >90 dB), on the liver lipid content is still unclear. As such, we aimed to study the effect of exposure to high-intensity infrasound of both normal and glucose intolerant rats on the liver lipid content.

Atrial fibrosis and decreased connexin 43 in rat hearts after exposure to high-intensity infrasound.

Background: Noise is an important environmental risk factor. Industrial environments are rich in high-intensity infrasound (hi-IFS), which we have found to induce myocardial and coronary perivascular fibrosis in rats. The effects of exposure to IFS on the ventricles have been studied, but not on the atria.

Infrasound induces coronary perivascular fibrosis in rats.

Background: Chronic exposure to industrial noise is known to affect biological systems, namely, by inducing fibrosis in the absence of inflammatory cells. In rat hearts exposed to this environmental hazard, we have previously found myocardial and perivascular fibrosis. The acoustic spectrum of industrial environments is particularly rich in high-intensity infrasound (<20 Hz), whose effects on the heart are unknown.

Tissue eosinophilia in oral intraepithelial neoplasia as a probable indicator of invasion.

Objective: To investigate the presence of eosinophils in oral intraepithelial neoplasia (OIN) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) lesions and its relation to invasion.

Subjects And Methods: Ninety-nine oral biopsies were selected and subdivided into the following: OIN-1(16 cases), OIN-2 (18 cases), OIN-3 (17 cases), microinvasive OSCC (10 cases), non-metastatic OSCC (22 cases) and metastatic OSCC (16 cases). The tissue eosinophilia was evaluated histologically in slices stained with haematoxylin and eosin.

Respiratory Epithelium Lined Cyst of the Maxilla: Differential Diagnosis.

Maxillary cysts, including the cysts lined by respiratory epithelium, can present a diagnostic challenge. We report an unusual case of a maxillary cyst on an endodontically treated tooth #16, in which the cavity was totally lined by a respiratory epithelium. The patient, a 35-year-old male, presented with a generalized chronic periodontitis and complained of a pain in the tooth #16 region.

Speech and Voice Response to a Levodopa Challenge in Late-Stage Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) patients are affected by hypokinetic dysarthria, characterized by hypophonia and dysprosody, which worsens with disease progression. Levodopa's (l-dopa) effect on quality of speech is inconclusive; no data are currently available for late-stage PD (LSPD).

Objective: To assess the modifications of speech and voice in LSPD following an acute l-dopa challenge.

Substantia Nigra Neuromelanin as an Imaging Biomarker of Disease Progression in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: A specific T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence has been shown to detect substantia nigra (SN) neuromelanin (NM) signal changes that accurately discriminate Parkinson's disease (PD) patients from controls, even in early disease stages. However, it is unclear what happens to these SN changes in later disease stages and if they can be a marker of disease progression.

Objective: to investigate the pattern of SN-NM area loss and contrast ratio (CR) intensity changes in late-stage PD (LSPD) compared to earlier disease stages.

LOW SERUM CHROMIUM IS RARE IN PATIENTS THAT UNDERWENT ENDOSCOPIC GASTROSTOMY FOR LONG TERM ENTERAL FEEDING.

Background: Patients that underwent Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) present with protein-energy malnutrition. Trace elements are required in small quantities and Chromium (Cr) displays a major role in the metabolism.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate Cr levels and its relationship with serum proteins, BMI and underlying diseases during the first 3 months of PEG feeding.

Response of non-motor symptoms to levodopa in late-stage Parkinson's disease: Results of a levodopa challenge test.

Background: Non-motor symptoms (NMS) are extremely common among late-stage Parkinson's disease (LSPD) patients. Levodopa (L-dopa) responsiveness seems to decrease with disease progression but its effect on NMS in LSPD still needs to be investigated.

Objective: To assess the response of blood pressure (BP), pain, fatigue and anxiety to L-dopa in LSPD patients.

Determinants of self-medication with NSAIDs in a Portuguese community pharmacy.

Background: Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a widely used therapeutic group in the world, and particularly in the Portuguese population.

Objective: To compare NSAID's use by prescription and self-medication acquisition and to determine the pattern of indication of NSAIDs, their usage profile and possible implications for patients' safety.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was used where individuals presenting at a community pharmacy requesting NSAIDs during the study period (one month) were invited to answer a face-to-face interview where socio-demographic characteristics, the indication pattern and previous experience of side effects were assessed.

A systematic review of the characteristics and validity of monitoring technologies to assess Parkinson's disease.

Background: There is growing interest in having objective assessment of health-related outcomes using technology-based devices that provide unbiased measurements which can be used in clinical practice and scientific research. Many studies have investigated the clinical manifestations of Parkinson's disease using such devices. However, clinimetric properties and clinical validation vary among the different devices.

Cognitive Impairment in Fall-Related Studies in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: There is increasing evidence to suggest a tight relationship between cognitive impairment and falls in Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we draw attention to a potentially significant flaw in the existent falls-related research, namely the apparent exclusion of patients with cognitive impairment or dementia.

Objective: Our objective was to review all published, on-going or scheduled fall-related intervention studies, in order to investigate the extent to which cognitively impaired individuals with PD were included in these studies.

Relationship between menopause and periodontal disease: a cross-sectional study in a Portuguese population.

Background: Menopause is associated with important systemic and oral changes. Many researchers have tried to evaluate the influence of hormonal changes associated with menopause in the periodontium, however results are contradictory.

Objective: Evaluate the possible effects of menopause on the severity of periodontal disease and tooth loss, by considering several general, oral and periodontal parameters.

Quantitative home-based assessment of Parkinson's symptoms: the SENSE-PARK feasibility and usability study.

Background: Currently, assessment of symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease is mainly performed in the clinic. However, these assessments have limitations because they provide only a snapshot of the condition.

Methods: The feasibility and usability of an objective, continuous and relatively unobtrusive system (SENSE-PARK System), which consists of wearable sensors (three worn during the day and one worn at night), a smartphone-based App, a balance board and computer software, was tested 24/7 over 12 weeks in a study including 22 PD patients.

Histomorphometric evaluation of the small coronary arteries in rats exposed to industrial noise.

Unlabelled: Morphological changes induced by industrial noise (IN) have been experimentally observed in several organs. Histological observations of the coronary arteries showed prominent perivascular tissue and fibrosis among IN-exposed rats. The effects on the small arteries are unknown.