Twelve weeks of exercise training improves cognitive status, physical performance and quality of life in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which there is slow and gradual impairment of mental function. Considering the increase in cases due to population aging, the potential benefits of physical training in AD are of great importance and need further elucidation. This study aims to identify the impact of physical training on crucial aspects of AD such as cognitive status, physical performances, quality of life and activities of daily living.

Impact of Polysorbate 80 on the Antimicrobial Activity of Oregano and Thyme.

Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) possess significant antimicrobial potential against spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. However, their efficacy can vary depending on the test method, making it difficult to standardise results. This study aimed to investigate the effect of polysorbate 80, a common surfactant used to emulsify EOs, on antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determinations.

Multiomics dissection of human RAG deficiency reveals distinctive patterns of immune dysregulation but a common inflammatory signature.

Human recombination-activating gene (RAG) deficiency can manifest with distinct clinical and immunological phenotypes. By applying a multiomics approach to a large group of -mutated patients, we aimed at characterizing the immunopathology associated with each phenotype. Although defective T and B cell development is common to all phenotypes, patients with hypomorphic variants can generate T and B cells with signatures of immune dysregulation and produce autoantibodies to a broad range of self-antigens, including type I interferons.

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.

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.

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.

The impacts of alien species on river bioassessment.

The extent of alien taxa impacts on river ecosystem health is unclear, but their frequency continues to rise. We investigated 1) the prevalence of including alien taxa in common bioindicators used in river bioassessment, 2) the effect of alien taxa on the richness and abundance of natives, and 3) whether including alien taxa in bioassessment tools increased their sensitivity to river degradation. In the 17 countries analyzed fish represented the greatest number of alien species (1726), followed by macrophytes (925), macroinvertebrates (556), and diatoms (7).

Unveiling the Potential of C Factor Applied to Pilot Bioavailability/Bioequivalence Studies-A Case Study with Pazopanib Drug Products.

When companies are uncertain about the potential of a new formulation to be bioequivalent to a Reference product, it is common practice to carry out downsized pilot studies as a gatekeeping in vivo strategy to decide whether to move forward or not with a full-size pivotal study. However, due to the small study size, these studies are inarguably more sensitive to variability. To address and mitigate the uncertainty of the conclusions of pilot studies concerning the maximum observed concentration (C), the factor was proposed as an alternative approach to the average bioequivalence statistical methodology.

Sustainable Carbon Dots Loaded into Carboxymethylcellulose Based Hydrogels for Uterine Cancer Bioimaging.

: The development of innovative materials for disease diagnostics and therapeutics is a fast-growing area of scientific research. In this work, we report the development of innovative hydrogels incorporating carbon dots (Cdots) for bioimaging purposes. : The Cdots were prepared using a sustainable and low-cost process, starting with an underused fiber from the Brazilian semiarid region.

Copper and Antimicrobial Residues in the Liver and Kidney-Antimicrobial Resistance and Cu Tolerance Unrelated in from Piglets' Faeces.

Antimicrobials, widely used in livestock, have induced the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, prompting farmers to explore alternatives like copper. This study aims to determine antimicrobial residues and Cu concentrations in the liver and kidney of piglets and to investigate the correlation between Cu and antimicrobial use and the resistance to Cu and antimicrobials of isolated from piglets' faeces. Antimicrobial residues were quantified by UHPLC-ToF-MS; Cu was quantified using FAAS; microbiological methods were used for isolation, CuSO minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), and antimicrobial susceptibility; and to detect genes, Real-Time PCR was used.

Hospital Context Determinants of Variability in Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevalence: Multi-Level Analysis.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) represent a major challenge in patient safety that affects services disproportionally. This paper aimed to assess how the HAI prevalence varies between hospital services and what contextual characteristics may explain such variance. A cross-sectional study was conducted on adult patients in Portuguese hospitals, using data from the European point prevalence survey of HAI prevalence.

Exploring the Role of Perfusion in Skin Graft Viability on the Scalp and Lower Limb: An Analysis of Graft Bed, Margin, and Donor Skin Using Laser Speckle.

: Reperfusion is a major determinant of skin graft viability. The contributions of the perfusion status of the wound bed, wound margin, and donor skin to the success of the skin graft are unclear. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between perfusion variables and graft necrosis extension on the scalp and lower limb.

Assessing Type 2 Diabetes Risk in the Post-Pandemic Era: A Pharmacy-Led FINDRISC Screening Study.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major global health issue, with type 2 diabetes (T2D) accounting for over 90% of cases. Community pharmacies, given their accessibility, are well positioned to assist in early detection and management of T2D. This study evaluated post-pandemic T2D risk in a Portuguese population using the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) across five community pharmacies.

Effectiveness of Non-Pharmacological Interventions in the Management of Pediatric Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review.

(1) Background: Chronic pain in children remains an under-researched area, especially compared to acute pain. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in the management of pediatric chronic pain and their impact on the well-being of both children and their families. Given the growing interest in integrative treatments to reduce reliance on pharmacological solutions, this review addresses the need for alternative therapeutic approaches.

Nursing Students' Perceptions of Learning Through a Service Learning Programme with Older Adults Living in Poverty in a High-Income Country: A Descriptive Qualitative Study.

Background: Living in poverty negatively affects the biopsychosocial health of older adults. Nursing students need to develop competence to promote health and self-care behaviours amongst older adults living in poverty in high-income countries.

Aim: To explore nursing students' perceptions of a service learning programme aimed at promoting health and self-care among older adults living in poverty in a high-income country.

Organizational citizenship behavior: adaptation and validation of the OCB scale CCOE-R.

Introduction: Organizational Citizenship Behavior has evolved as a pivotal concept in organizational behavior because of its importance on fostering the success of organizations. Despite its recognized benefits, OCB's dimensions are not consensual in literature. The goal of this paper was to adapt and validated to be used in a broader work context an OCB scale (CCOE-R) initially developed for the Portuguese specific professional context, schools and the education sector.

Effectiveness of aspiration and the occurrence of adverse effects using the intramuscular route in adults: a systematic review protocol.

Objective: The objective of this review will be to evaluate the effect of prior aspiration versus non-aspiration during intramuscular injection on the occurrence of adverse effects in adult patients.

Introduction: Aspiration is a procedure conducted prior to the administration of intramuscular medications that aims to ensure that the needle tip is inserted in the proper place. Although aspiration is a common procedure, questions have been raised about adverse effects.

Development and Content Validity of a Questionnaire on Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Maintenance and Knowledge of Nursing Professionals Regarding Best Practices.

The aims of this study were to develop a questionnaire on peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) maintenance, evaluate its content validity, and assess factors influencing the level of knowledge of nursing professionals regarding best practices.The study was conducted in 3 stages: (1) development of a questionnaire on PIVC maintenance; (2) content validity assessment by experts with assessment of comprehensiveness, relevance, and clarity; and (3) application of the questionnaire to 1493 nursing professionals. Relationships between personal characteristics and knowledge levels were evaluated.

A 3D Computational Study on the Formation and Progression of Tumor Cells in Diffuse Gastric Cancer.

Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer is characterized by an increased risk of diffuse gastric cancer and lobular breast cancer, and is caused by pathogenic germline variants of E-cadherin and -E-catenin, which are key regulators of cell-cell adhesion. However, how the loss of cell-cell adhesion promotes cell dissemination remains to be fully understood. Therefore, a three-dimensional computer model was developed to describe the initial steps of diffuse gastric cancer development.

Laboratory changes during dupilumab treatment for atopic dermatitis.

Introduction: Dupilumab is an IL-4 / IL-13 inhibitor monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) with remarkable safety and efficacy profiles. However, former studies have reported an increase in serum eosinophils during treatment, with undetermined clinical significance.

The Objective: of this study is to evaluate changes in blood eosinophils and other laboratory parameters while on dupilumab.

Disentangling Sources of Momentum Fluctuations in Xe+Xe and Pb+Pb Collisions with the ATLAS Detector.

High-energy nuclear collisions create a quark-gluon plasma, whose initial condition and subsequent expansion vary from event to event, impacting the distribution of the eventwise average transverse momentum [P([p_{T}])]. Disentangling the contributions from fluctuations in the nuclear overlap size (geometrical component) and other sources at a fixed size (intrinsic component) remains a challenge. This problem is addressed by measuring the mean, variance, and skewness of P([p_{T}]) in ^{208}Pb+^{208}Pb and ^{129}Xe+^{129}Xe collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.

Type 2 inflammation: a Portuguese consensus using Web-Delphi and decision conferencing (INFLAT2-PT).

Objectives: Atopic/allergic diseases impose a growing burden on public health, affecting millions of patients worldwide. The main objective of this study was to develop a national expert consensus on relevant clinical questions related to type 2 inflammation.

Methods: We conducted: a comprehensive literature review with a qualitative analysis to identify the most repeated themes on the overlap of conditions; a modified 3-round Web-Delphi (or e-Delphi); and a final online decision conference.

[Healthcare-Associated Infections in Pediatric Patients: A Decade of Experience in an Intensive Care Unit].

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population and a growing problem in intensive care services. However, limited data are available on these infections in the Portuguese pediatric population. This study aimed to estimate its prevalence rate in a Portuguese pediatric intensive care unit, identifying the most frequent microorganisms and their antibiotic resistance profiles.

Portuguese Society of Ophthalmology and Portuguese Society of Human Genetics Joint Clinical Practice Guidelines for Genetic Testing in Inherited Retinal Dystrophies.

The Portuguese Society of Ophthalmology and the Portuguese Society of Human Genetics developed clinical practice guidelines to streamline genetic testing for inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs), underlining the critical role of molecular diagnosis in enhancing patient care. Genetic testing is pivotal in diagnosis, genetic counselling, prognosis and access to clinical trials, and new gene-specific therapies. These guidelines recommend genetic testing in all IRD patients and provide a detailed assessment of available testing methods, ensuring that genetic counselling is integrated into ophthalmic care.