Spatiotemporal analysis of mosquito-borne infections and mosquito vectors in mainland Portugal.

Background: The incidence of mosquito-borne infections has increased worldwide. Mainland Portugal's characteristics might favour the (re)emergence of mosquito-borne diseases. This study aimed to characterize the spatial distribution of vectors and notification rates of imported cases of mosquito-borne infections in mainland Portugal and demarcate the areas where these geographies overlap.

Effect of Eight Months of Swimming on Bone Quality of Different Anatomical Regions: A Study on Wistar Rat Models.

Swimming is a popular sport with several health benefits, but its effects on bone quality are controversial possibly due to distinct effects on different anatomical regions. Our aim was to investigate the effect of 8-month swimming on bone growth, mass, geometry, trabecular microarchitecture and osteocyte density of the lumbar vertebrae, femur and tibia of male rats. Wistar rat models were assigned to either a swimming (n = 10; 2h/d, 5 d/week) or a physically active control group (n = 10) for 8 months, after which they were sacrificed and their lumbar vertebrae, femur and tibia assessed for bone mass, cortical geometry, trabecular microarchitecture and osteocyte density through µ-CT and histology.

Population genomics and connectivity of Vazella pourtalesii sponge grounds of the northwest Atlantic with conservation implications of deep sea vulnerable marine ecosystems.

Sponges are key ecosystem engineers that shape, structure and enhance the biodiversity of marine benthic communities globally. Sponge aggregations and reefs are recognized as vulnerable marine ecosystems (or VMEs) due to their susceptibility to damage from bottom-contact fishing gears. Ensuring their long-term sustainability, preservation, and ecosystem functions requires the implementation of sound scientific conservation tools.

On the infodynamics of ramifications in constructal design.

Infodynamics is the study of how information behaves and changes within a system during its development. This study investigates the insights that informational analysis can provide regarding the ramifications predicted by constructal design. First, infodynamic neologisms informature, defined as a measure of the amount of information in indeterminate physical systems, and infotropy-contextualized informature representing the degree of transformation of indeterminate physical systems-are introduced.

Harnessing Nature's Palette: Exploring Photosynthetic Pigments for Sustainable Biotechnology.

Photosynthetic microorganisms such as cyanobacteria, microalgae, and anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (APB) have emerged as sustainable and economic biotechnology platforms due to their ability to transform energy from light into chemicals through photosynthesis. The light is absorbed by photosynthetic pigment-protein antenna complexes which are composed of pigments such as bacteriochlorophylls (BChl) and carotenoids in APB, and chlorophylls (Chl), phycobiliproteins (PBP), and carotenoids in cyanobacteria and microalgae. These photosynthetic pigments are essential in the physiology of photosynthetic microorganisms and offer significant health benefits due to their potent antioxidant activity, with properties that include anticancer, antiaging, antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects.

The mitochondriotropic antioxidants AntiOxBEN and AntiOxCIN are structurally-similar but differentially alter energy homeostasis in human skin fibroblasts.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation play an import role in different human pathologies. In this context, mitochondrial targeting of potentially protective antioxidants by their coupling to the lipophilic triphenylphosphonium cation (TPP) is widely applied. Employing a six‑carbon (C) linker, we recently demonstrated that mitochondria-targeted phenolic antioxidants derived from gallic acid (AntiOxBEN) and caffeic acid (AntiOxCIN) counterbalance oxidative stress in primary human skin fibroblasts by activating ROS-protective mechanisms.

Exploring in vitro efficacy of rCHAPk with antibiotic combinations, and promising findings of its therapeutic potential for clinical-originated MRSA wound infection.

The increasing threat of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, which rapidly develops multidrug resistance and commonly colonizes wound surfaces, demands innovative strategies. Phage-encoded endolysins offer a dual-purpose approach as topical therapies for infectious skin wounds and synergistic agents to reduce high-dose antibiotic dependence. This study explores recombinant CHAPk (rCHAPk), efficiently synthesized within 3 h, displaying broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against 11 Gram-positive strains, including resistant variants, with rapid bactericidal kinetics.

Assessment of spiritual care competencies of critical care health professionals: An integrative review.

Objective: The primary aim of the present study was to assess the competencies related to the spiritual care by nurses and health professionals who work in intensive care units, and how these competencies influence clinical practice. As a secondary objective, we have discussed the strengths, weaknesses and threats of incorporating and teaching these competencies among the included studies.

Method: An integrative review of studies published in English, Spanish and Portuguese was performed in the following databases: Embase, Web of Science, Medline/PubMed, PsycInfo, LILACS and Cochrane.

Comparison of fractionation methods to assess Ni impact on anaerobic digestion: Filtration versus DGT.

Excess of trace elements (TE) significantly alters the performances of anaerobic digestors (AD). Due to interactions with organic matter in particular, only a small fraction of TE can effectively interact with the biomass. However, assessing the bioavailable fraction of TE remains an issue.

No match, more sleep: Greater weekend catch-up sleep in youth soccer players on free weekends.

This study aimed to compare young soccer players' week and weekend sleep behaviors in two different microcycle types: with and without an official match (no sporting commitments). Twenty-three youth male players (mean ± SD; age: 17.2 ± 0.

"Actor-critic" dichotomous hyperactivation and hypoconnectivity in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Dysfunctional response inhibition, mediated by the striatum and its connections, is thought to underly the clinical manifestations of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, the exact neural mechanisms remain controversial. In this study, we undertook a novel approach by positing that a) inhibition is a dynamic construct inherently susceptible to numerous failures, which require error-processing, and b) the actor-critic framework of reinforcement learning can integrate neural patterns of inhibition and error-processing in OCD with their behavioural correlates.

Detection of Echinococcus spp. and other taeniid species in lettuces and berries: Two international multicenter studies from the MEmE project.

Cystic and alveolar echinococcosis are severe zoonotic diseases characterized by long asymptomatic periods lasting months or years. Viable Echinococcus spp. eggs released into the environment through the feces of canids can infect humans through accidental ingestion via hand-to-mouth contact or consumption of contaminated food or water.

Plastics reset in an adult Procellariform seabird species during the breeding season.

Plastic ingestion has been extensively studied in seabirds. However, knowledge gaps remain in understanding how plastic loads behave over time and their residence inside Procellariforms. This study investigated the temporal dynamics of ingested plastics by adult Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) during the breeding season to shed light on plastic retention times.

AI-based models to predict decompensation on traumatic brain injury patients.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a form of brain injury caused by external forces, resulting in temporary or permanent impairment of brain function. Despite advancements in healthcare, TBI mortality rates can reach 30%-40% in severe cases. This study aims to assist clinical decision-making and enhance patient care for TBI-related complications by employing Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods and data-driven approaches to predict decompensation.

Status of Sepsis Care in European Hospitals: Results from an International Cross-Sectional Survey.

Rationale: Early detection, standardized therapy, adequate infrastructure and strategies for quality improvement should constitute essential components of every hospital's sepsis plan.

Objectives: To investigate the extent to which recommendations from the sepsis guidelines are implemented and the availability of infrastructure for the care of patients with sepsis in acute hospitals.

Methods: A multidisciplinary cross-sectional questionnaire was used to investigate sepsis care in hospitals.

Foveal Avascular Zone development by OCTA: weighing the influence of Gestational Age and neonatal early growth independently of Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Purpose: Focusing the premature birth and its potential complications, this study analyzes Foveal Avascular Zone (FAZ) measured by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) and its correlation with the severity of prematurity and neonatal growth.

Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was performed, involving 71 children school-age with history of prematurity and a full-term children control group. Several variables from the neonatal period were collected, such as Gestational Age (GA), Birth Weight (BW), initial Weight Gain (WG) and Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP).

The Impact of Tranexamic Acid Administration in Reduction Mammaplasty: A Systematic Review.

Background: Previous studies demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of tranexamic acid (TXA) in several surgical specialties. Recent publications suggested that TXA may also be beneficial in plastic surgery, including breast procedures.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of TXA in reduction mammaplasty by assessing several intraoperative and postoperative outcomes and the safety of its administration.

Achieving the state of Georgia 25% HIV incidence reduction target among men who have sex with men in Atlanta through expanded use of multimodal pre-exposure prophylaxis: A mathematical model.

The US faces substantial demographic and geographic disparities in both HIV burden and access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an effective strategy to prevent HIV acquisition. Long-acting cabotegravir (CAB) is a novel, injectable PrEP option which demonstrated superior reduction in risk of HIV acquisition compared to daily-oral PrEP in the HPTN083 trial. We modelled the impact of increased PrEP initiations and the introduction of long-acting CAB on HIV incidence among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Atlanta, Georgia, a population with a high burden of HIV.

Exploring early Acheulian technological decision-making: A controlled experimental approach to raw material selection for percussive artifacts in Melka Wakena, Ethiopia.

The evolution of human behaviour is marked by key decision-making processes reflected in technological variability in the early archaeological record. As part of the technological system, differences in raw material quality directly affect the way that humans produce, design and use stone tools. The selection, procurement and use of various raw materials requires decision-making to evaluate multiple factors such as suitability to produce and design tools, but also the materials' efficiency and durability in performing a given task.

Kidney Disease and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potentially curative therapy for patients with hematologic malignancies and certain solid tumors and nonmalignant hematologic conditions. Both acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) occur commonly after HSCT and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. AKI and CKD in this setting may result from direct effects of the transplant or be caused by pretransplant bone marrow conditioning regimens and/or nephrotoxic agents administered in the post-transplant period.

Chronic kidney disease as a predictor of long-term adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with aortoiliac disease: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Aortoiliac disease poses a significant cardiovascular (CV) risk, especially in individuals with chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to assess the predictive role of chronic kidney disease in long-term major adverse CV events in patients submitted to aortoiliac revascularization due to severe aortoiliac atherosclerotic disease.

Methods: From 2013 to 2023, patients who underwent aortoiliac revascularization for TASC II type D lesions, including those with chronic kidney disease, were selected from a prospective cohort study.

Effectiveness of Integrated Digital Solutions to Empower Older Adults in Aspects Related to Their Health: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Digital solutions, such as mobile apps or telemonitoring devices, are frequently considered facilitators in the process of empowering older adults, but they can also act as a source of digital exclusion or disempowerment if they are not adequate for older adults' needs and characteristics.

Objective: This study aimed to synthesize and critically evaluate existing evidence on the effectiveness of integrated digital solutions that enable interaction for empowering older adults in aspects related to their health and to explore potential factors (eg, type of technology, participants' characteristics) impacting effectiveness.

Methods: A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, ScienceDirect, SCOPUS, EBSCO, and SciELO using a combination of terms informed by previous reviews on empowerment.

Vitamin D as an add-on therapy to phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor in experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Severe vitamin D (vitD) deficiency is a very common condition in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and it is predictor of poor prognosis. There is emerging evidence suggesting a connection between the insufficient response to phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) and vitD deficiency in patients with PAH. In the present translational study, vitD deficiency was induced in Wistar rats by exposure to vitD free diet for 5 weeks and followed by Su5416 administration and hypoxia (10%) for 3 weeks, a standard experimental model of PAH.

Maternal touch in object- and nonobject-oriented play interactions: A longitudinal study at 7 and 12 months.

Social touch is a crucial part of how mothers interact with their infants, with different touch types serving distinct purposes in these exchanges. However, there is still a limited understanding of how mothers' touch behavior adapts to specific interactive tasks, particularly throughout infancy. To address this gap, we observed mother-infant dyads at 7 and 12 months during three structured social play tasks: (a) play with objects, (b) play without objects, and (c) play with a difficult object.