Drug Development.

Background: Cardiometabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia or obesity, constitute major causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide, especially among middle-aged individuals. The increasing incidence and association with aging and lifestyle, render the cardiometabolic diseases a societal concern. This is further reinforced by their association with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases (namely dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD)).

Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors.

Background: Environmental factors account for a considerable percentage of dementia cases. Studies in animal models have shown that environmental enrichment (EE; i.e.

Histopoly: A serious game for teaching histology to 1st year veterinary students.

Histology is a preclinical subject transversal in medical, dental, and veterinary curricula. Classical teaching approaches in histology are often undermined by lower motivation and engagement of students, which may be addressed by innovative learning environments. Herein, we developed a serious game approach and compared it with a classical teaching style.

Lichen novelties from Corvo Island (Azores, Portugal).

Background: Corvo is a small and remote island in the western group of the Azores Archipelago, Portugal. The Island's lichen biodiversity was largely understudied, with only 17 species documented to date.

New Information: This study reports 68 new records of lichen species on Corvo Island, representing an addition of two classes, eight orders, 18 families and 43 genera.

Differences in association between hypoalbuminaemia and mortality among younger versus older patients on haemodialysis.

Background: Ageing often affects biomarker production. Yet, clinical/optimal thresholds to guide clinical decisions do not consider this. Serum albumin decreases with age, but hypoalbuminaemia is defined as serum albumin <4.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Secondary to Visceral Leishmaniasis: A Case Report.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare clinical entity characterized by fever, constitutional symptoms, and hepatosplenomegaly associated with the presence of hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow and other organs. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe zoonotic disease hypoendemic in Portugal, particularly in the Alto Douro region. We report the case of a 21-year-old female patient with a recent diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, stage C3, in the context of severe pneumonia, who presented to the emergency department with fever, erythematous rash on the upper limbs and trunk, choluria and jaundice, one week after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Platelet distribution width-a prognosis marker in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Increased levels of platelet distribution width (PDW) can predict cardiac death and infarction recurrence in acute myocardial infarction. PDW appears to be a prognosis marker in acute heart failure (HF); however, its impact on chronic HF is still unknown. We investigated the impact of PDW on chronic HF.

Iron deficiency in acute coronary syndromes: prevalence and prognostic impact.

Introduction And Objectives: Iron deficiency (ID) is a well-known prognostic marker in heart failure (HF), independent of anemia. However, its impact in acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) is not well established.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of patients admitted with ACS from January to December 2019.

Septoplasty-mediated improvements in nasal patency and pulmonary function: A prospective study.

Background And Objective: Septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery (STR) is hypothesized to affect pulmonary function by modifying airway dynamics. This study investigates the impact of STR-mediated improvements in nasal patency on pulmonary function tests (PFTs).

Methods: In a prospective analysis, 37 adult patients undergoing STR were enrolled.

Measuring trends in extinction risk: a review of two decades of development and application of the Red List Index.

The Red List Index (RLI) is an indicator of the average extinction risk of groups of species and reflects trends in this through time. It is calculated from the number of species in each category on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with trends influenced by the number moving between categories when reassessed owing to genuine improvement or deterioration in status. The global RLI is aggregated across multiple taxonomic groups and can be disaggregated to show trends for subsets of species (e.

Hydroxychloroquine-induced Sweet's Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Sweet's syndrome (or acute febrile dermatosis) is a neutrophilic dermatosis with a characteristic presentation encompassing specific clinical (fever and erythemato-violaceous oedematous papules, plaques and nodules), laboratory (neutrophilia and increased inflammatory markers), and histological (dermal neutrophilic infiltrate without vasculitis) features. Its pathophysiology is poorly understood but there seems to be an auto-inflammatory component related to mutations in inflammasome genes. It has been subdivided into its classic form, malignancy-associated, and drug-induced, according to its aetiology.

Sports experience, affects and life satisfaction in Portuguese athletes with disabilities.

This study aims to validate the Portuguese version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86 for positive affect and 0.

Are Animal Models Necessary? Exploring (Dis)advantages and Alternatives.

Animal models have been crucial for scientific development, allowing researchers to understand the underlying mechanisms of various human conditions, and are far from becoming obsolete in scientific research. However, the ethics of animal experimentation has been a prevalent question between both experts and nonexperts. This essay tackles the advantages and disadvantages of the usage of animal models while delving into new alternatives that have emerged in light of contemporary science.

Iatrogenic intramural esophageal hematoma during EUS-B-FNA procedure.

Background: Esophageal ultrasound with bronchoscope fine needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA) is a valuable tool for the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer, complementing endobronchial lung ultrasound (EBUS). While generally considered safe, there is a notable lack of comprehensive knowledge within the interventional pulmonology community regarding potential complications.

Case Presentation: We present a case involving a 66-year-old male with squamous cell lung carcinoma undergoing mediastinal staging.

Impact of variables on recovery time in patients undergoing hemodialysis: an international survey.

Background: Dialysis recovery time (DRT) refers to the period during which fatigue and weakness subside following hemodialysis treatment, allowing patients to resume their daily routines. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing DRT in hemodialysis patients in Turkey and Portugal, where the prevalence of chronic kidney disease is notably high.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a private dialysis center in Turkey and three dialysis centers in Portugal.

Pangenome graphs and their applications in biodiversity genomics.

Complete datasets of genetic variants are key to biodiversity genomic studies. Long-read sequencing technologies allow the routine assembly of highly contiguous, haplotype-resolved reference genomes. However, even when complete, reference genomes from a single individual may bias downstream analyses and fail to adequately represent genetic diversity within a population or species.

Effect of fructooligosaccharides in full-hydrated lactic acid bacteria membrane models during thermal stress: A molecular simulation study.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are a promising choice for cryoprotection of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). However, the mechanism by which this protection takes place is not well understood. Molecular simulation is a key tool for gathering insights into complex physicochemical problems like this.

Bench scale Layer-by-Layer microencapasulation of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WCFS1.

Layer-by-Layer (LbL) self-assembly encapsulation is a promising technology for the protection and delivery of lactic acid bacteria. However, laboratory-scale encapsulation is often time-consuming, involves intensive protocols tailored for small-scale operations, requires substantial amounts of energy and water, and results in a low yield of encapsulated biomass. Scaling-up this process to a bench-bioreactor scale is not simply a matter of increasing culture volume as different key parameters (not particularly relevant at lab scale) become critical, including biomass production, the number of polymer layers, and the biomass-to-polymer mass ratio.

Cellular and biochemical alterations induced by diesel oil in the brown algaSargassum cymosumvar.stenophyllumcultured in vitro.

The effect of the in vitro acute exposure to diesel oil (0.001%, 0.01%, 0.

Early Integration of Palliative Care in Non-Oncological Patients: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Palliative care (PALC) is traditionally linked to end-of-life cancer care but also benefits advanced non-oncological diseases.

Objectives: This systematic review evaluated the impact of early PALC on quality of life (QOL), symptom management, advance care planning (ACP), and healthcare resource utilization (HRU) among non-oncological patients.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched for randomized controlled trials and clinical studies published between January 2018 and April 2023.

Associations Between Movement Behaviors, Cognition, and Academic Achievement in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.

Objective: This systematic review summarizes the literature on the associations between movement behaviors (eg, sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity [PA]) and cognition, and academic achievement (AA) in children and adolescents.

Methods: Four electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus) were searched from inception until October 2023.

Results: This systematic review included 24 reports, representing 48,558 youth aged 6-17.

A CRISPR view on genetic screens in Toxoplasma gondii.

Genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, have revolutionised the study of genes in a variety of organisms, including unicellular parasites. Today, the CRISPR-Cas9 technology is vastly applied in high-throughput screens to investigate interactions between the Apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii and its hosts. In vitro and in vivo T.

Biodiversity spatial distribution of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages is influenced by anthropogenic disturbances at multiple spatial extents.

Understanding the patterns and mechanisms of biodiversity and its organization in space is essential for developing effective conservation strategies. Zeta diversity is an index of how taxa are shared by several sites, providing information on how ecological filters, including anthropogenic disturbances, influence biodiversity distribution. This study documents how anthropogenic disturbances at multiple spatial extents affect the spatial variation of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in lotic ecosystems.