Violence against healthcare professionals: perspective of local focal points in the south of Portugal.

Background: Violence against health professionals is a growing problem that affects the quality of care provided and the well-being of workers. In the Alentejo region (Southern Portugal), the Regional Health Administration has been developing strategies to prevent and combat this phenomenon, namely, through the implementation of the Action Plan for the Prevention of Violence in the Health Sector. Violence in the health sector includes all situations in which a worker in the Ministry of Health's health institutions is exposed to any type of violence related to their work, putting their safety, well-being or health at risk, or that of others.

GPATCH11 variants cause mis-splicing and early-onset retinal dystrophy with neurological impairment.

Here we conduct a study involving 12 individuals with retinal dystrophy, neurological impairment, and skeletal abnormalities, with special focus on GPATCH11, a lesser-known G-patch domain-containing protein, regulator of RNA metabolism. To elucidate its role, we study fibroblasts from unaffected individuals and patients carrying the recurring c.328+1 G > T mutation, which specifically removes the main part of the G-patch domain while preserving the other domains.

World delirium awareness and quality survey in 2023-a worldwide point prevalence study.

Background: Delirium, an acute brain dysfunction, is proposed to be highly prevalent in clinical care and shown to significantly increase the risk of mortality and dementia.

Objectives: To report on the global prevalence of clinically documented delirium and delirium-related clinical practices in wards caring for paediatric and adult patients in healthcare facilities.

Design: A prospective, cross-sectional, 39-question survey completed on World Delirium Awareness Day, 15 March 2023.

Anesthesia management for total robotic liver transplantation: Inaugural case series in Europe.

Robotic liver transplantation represents a cutting-edge technique that may surpass traditional open surgery. Nonetheless, it introduces unique anesthetic challenges, including extended pneumoperitoneum, restricted patient access, and a risk of undetected blood loss. This article describes an anesthetic approach and patient outcomes for the first four total robotic liver transplants performed at a tertiary university hospital in Portugal, along with inaugural procedures of their kind in Europe.

Additively Manufactured Biodegradable Zn-Based Porous Scaffolds to Suppress Osteosarcoma and Promote Osteogenesis.

Postoperative therapies for osteosarcoma present substantial challenges due to tumor recurrence and extensive bone defects. To tackle these challenges, laser powder bed fusion is utilized to fabricate biodegradable Zn-Li porous scaffolds that supress tumors and promote osteogenesis. After the structure design and composition selection, the Zn-0.

Associations Between Instrumented Mouthguard-Measured Head Acceleration Events and Post-Match Biomarkers of Astroglial and Axonal Injury in Male Amateur Australian Football Players.

Background: Advances in instrumented mouthguards (iMGs) allow for accurate quantification of single high-acceleration head impacts and cumulative head acceleration exposure in collision sports. However, relationships between these measures and risk of brain cell injury remain unclear.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to quantify measures of non-concussive head impact exposure and assess their association with blood glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light (NfL) and phosphorylated-tau-181 (p-tau-181) levels in male Australian football players.

EXCELLENT Registry: A Prospective, Multicenter, Global Registry of Endovascular Stroke Treatment With the EMBOTRAP Device.

Background: The EXCELLENT registry aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the EMBOTRAP Revascularization Device in an all-comer population in a real-world setting, with a focus on the composition of retrieved clots.

Methods: EXCELLENT is a prospective, global registry of patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with EMBOTRAP as the first-line mechanical thrombectomy device conducted at 34 sites (25 sites contributing clot) from September 2018 to March 2021, utilizing core imaging and central histology laboratories blinded to clinical data, independent 90-day modified Rankin Scale assessment and Clinical Events Committee.

Results: After screening 3799 patients, a total of 997 subjects (mean age, 70.

Relative sparing of dopaminergic terminals in the caudate nucleus is a feature of rest tremor in Parkinson's disease.

Resting tremor (RT) is a Parkinson's disease (PD) symptom with an unclear relationship to the dopaminergic system. We analysed data from 432 subjects from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative, 57 additional PD patients and controls and 86 subjects referred for dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography (DaT-SPECT). Caudate binding ratio (CBR), but not putamen binding ratio, was higher in RT patients.

Responsibilities of Medical Professionals Amidst Geopolitical Conflict.

The ethical responsibilities of healthcare professionals amidst geopolitical conflict, particularly regarding their impact on patient care and healthcare delivery, present a significant challenge, especially during current strife. With the rise of national and international discord and debate, and the close relationship between war and healthcare, healthcare organizations are increasingly pressured to comment, which can reflect societal engagement, but also pose demands for maintaining professionalism. This article discusses the need for healthcare practitioners to navigate their roles in advocacy without compromising patient care, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection, adherence to ethical standards, and effective communication.

Temporal change in minimum mortality temperature under changing climate: A multicountry multicommunity observational study spanning 1986-2015.

Background: The minimum mortality temperature (MMT) or MMT percentile (MMTP) is an indicator of population susceptibility to nonoptimum temperatures. MMT and MMTP change over time; however, the changing directions show region-wide heterogeneity. We examined the heterogeneity of temporal changes in MMT and MMTP across multiple communities and in multiple countries.

Cognitive assessment in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): a cognitive substudy of the multi-site clinical assessment of ME/CFS (MCAM).

Introduction: Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) experience cognitive problems with attention, information processing speed, working memory, learning efficiency, and executive function. Commonly, patients report worsening of cognitive symptoms over time after physical and/or cognitive challenges. To determine, monitor, and manage longitudinal decrements in cognitive function after such exposures, it is important to be able to screen for cognitive dysfunction and changes over time in clinic and also remotely at home.

Pain Management During Intrauterine Device Insertion in Nulliparous Women: A Scoping Review.

This study investigates the various methods of pain management during the insertion of intrauterine devices (IUDs) in nulliparous women. Currently, the only recommended method of pain management is 800 mg of ibuprofen taken one hour before insertion of the IUD. However, women continue to experience pain during the procedure.

Extended-duration work shifts among care workers: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: The available literature reviews of shift work among care workers are almost exclusively focused on 8-hour shifts and 12-hour shifts or 24-hour on-call shifts for physicians. We do not yet know the scope of evidence regarding extended-duration work shifts (defined as on-duty shifts of 16 or more hours per shift) in diverse healthcare settings, such as the impact on care workers and recipients of care. In this proposed scoping review, we aim to provide an overview of the current research regarding extended-duration work shifts among care workers in various healthcare settings.

Primary prevention in hospitals in 20 high-income countries in Europe - A case of not "Making Every Contact Count"?

This article provides a snapshot of primary prevention activities in hospitals in 20 European high-income countries, based on inputs from experts of the Observatory's Health Systems and Policies Monitor (HSPM) network using a structured questionnaire. We found that in the vast majority of countries (15), there are no systematic national policies on primary prevention in hospitals. Five countries (Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom) reported systematic primary prevention activities in hospitals, although in one of them (Cyprus) this was due to the fact that small hospitals in rural areas or less populated districts host providers of primary care.

Comparison of two metabolomics-platforms to discover biomarkers in critically ill patients from serum analysis.

Serum metabolome analysis is essential for identifying disease biomarkers and predicting patient outcomes in precision medicine. Thus, this study aims to compare Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) with Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in acquiring the serum metabolome of critically ill patients, associated with invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), and predicting death. Three groups of 8 patients were considered.

Missing appointments in Parkinson´s Disease: A longitudinal study on the pattern of attendance and its effects on motor and non-motor symptoms, quality of life and disability progression.

Background And Purpose: Parkinson's Disease (PD) requires regular therapeutic adjustments and ongoing outpatient clinic follow-up. Nevertheless, the impact of appointment non-attendance on PD patients concerning the different symptomatic dimensions of the condition remains uncertain. We compared the level of attendance of PD and Essential Tremor (ET) patients and assessed the value of attendance variables as predictors of progression in cognition, motor dysfunction, affect, disability and health-related quality of life in PD.

Survey of Bariatric Surgeon Calibration Tube Use in Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Purpose: The study objective was to identify variations in calibration tube use during sleeve gastrectomy and understand elements of ideal calibration tube performance.

Materials And Methods: A survey was distributed via email and social media to bariatric surgeons, who were asked to rate the performance of their current calibration tube and an ideal calibration tube for five technical milestones involving visualization, positioning, suction capability, and sleeve sizing. Data was analyzed using descriptive and bivariate analyses including chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

Combination of gold nanoparticles with near-infrared light as an alternative approach for melanoma management.

Melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer and recently approved drugs are often associated with resistance and significant adverse effects. Therefore, the design of more effective and safe options remains imperative. Photothermal therapy (PTT) using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) presents a promising and innovative approach.

Effectiveness of Gastric Cancer Endoscopic Screening in Intermediate-Risk Countries - Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Gastric Cancer (GC) is the fifth neoplasia with the highest incidence worldwide and the fourth with the highest mortality and its geographical distribution isn't homogeneous with high risk, intermediate-risk (IR) and low-risk areas. Advanced stage at diagnosis is related with high mortality of GC, but early detection greatly increases the chances of successful treatment. Upper endoscopy with biopsy is the gold-standard for diagnosis of GC.