Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2023-03-31"
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- Q methodology in research on the health of vulnerable groupsPublication . Miguel, Susana; Silva, Rita; Bragança, Joana; Caldeira, Sílvia
- Estudo fenomenológico sobre o impacto do uso de máscara profilática na perceção que temos do eu e do outroPublication . Vilela, Marta Alves; Gonçalves, Armanda Paula CunhaO Coronavírus mudou o mundo como o conhecíamos, desde as tarefas básicas diárias à forma como nos relacionamos com o outro. Este trabalho assume o objetivo de explorar e compreender a experiência e impacto do uso de máscara profilática na perceção que temos de nós e do outro, bem como descrever o efeito do seu uso nas relações intersubjetivas, em particular, ao nível da comunicação e da manifestação de emoções. Os participantes são cinco jovens-adultos com rica experiência sobre o fenómeno, trata-se de um estudo qualitativo que recorre à abordagem fenomenológica, através do uso de entrevistas semiestruturadas. Os resultados obtidos revelam que a suscetibilidade percebida e os benefícios preventivos motivam o uso, sendo a experiência vista como positiva e vantajosa apesar das dificuldades. Quanto ao impacto nas relações e na perceção dos outros, o mais relatado foi ao nível do reconhecimento de rostos, da comunicação e do reconhecimento/ expressão de emoções. Houve uma diminuição da proximidade percebida, devido à menor demonstração de afetos, enquanto as pessoas que usam máscara são vistas como mais responsáveis, logo, mais confiáveis. Levando à conclusão que a experiência do uso de máscara é percebida como positiva e vantajosa, apesar de todas as adversidades, cabendo a cada um procurar as melhores estratégias de adaptação, afim de promover o bem-estar geral e de impedir a transmissão da doença aos demais. a principal implicação do estudo refere-se à informação adquirida que poderá ser usada de forma a diminuir o impacto (físico, psicológico e social) do uso de máscara facial no futuro, quer seja numa nova pandemia ou evento de saúde.
- Oral health related quality of life in institutionalized elderly in ViseuPublication . Balula, Sandra; Silva, Ana Margarida; Couto, Patrícia; Figueiredo, Cristina; Correia, André; Veiga, Nélio Jorge; Montero, JavierBackground: Portugal has an increasingly aging population, due to the raise of average life expectancy and low birth rates. This situation constitutes a challenge for public health, particularly regarding oral health related quality of life. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of oral health on the quality of life of institutionalized elderly people in the district of Viseu, Portugal. Materials and methods: An observational descriptive cross-sectional study was designed, composed of a population of elderly residents in nursing homes in the district of Viseu. Data collection was accomplished by an application of a questionnaire to assess sociodemographic and oral health aspects, the GOHAI index and the OHIP-14 index. Results: The sample consisted of 529 institutionalized elderly aged 65 years or older. As for gender, 69.4% (n=367) are women and 30.6% (n=162) men. According to the GOHAI index, a considerable number of participants (41.5%) have a “moderate” self-perception of oral health. Regarding the OHIP-14 index, it appears that the impact of oral health on quality of life is low, since the average of the global OHIP-14 was 15 (0-56). “Physical pain” was the most affected dimension (2.70), while the dimension with the least impact was “Social limitation” (1.52). Conclusion: in this research, oral health related quality of life was considered reasonable. However, there are participants in whom the impact of oral health in the quality of life is significant. Therefore, it is important to continue to develop strategies and join efforts to improve oral health and, consequently, the systemic health and quality of life of institutionalized elderly.
- Implementation of a pre-Good Laboratory Practice management system for academic researchPublication . Pinheiro, Ricardo; Abreu, Cloé; Bettencourt, Paulo J. G.
- Development of a new mRNA vaccine platform for tuberculosisPublication . Matarazzo, Laura; Taina‑González, Laura; Pinheiro, Ricardo; Pires, David; Fuente, Maria de la; Bettencourt, Paulo J. G.
- Mechanical and surface properties of a 3D-printed dental resin reinforced with graphenePublication . Salgado, Helena; Fialho, Joana; Marques, Marco; Vaz, Mário; Figueiral, Maria Helena; Mesquita, PedroObjectives: Commercial photocurable polymers used in dental additive manufacturing still have mechanical limitations. The incorporation of graphene may provide interesting advantages in this field. This study aimed to evaluate in vitro the effect of adding graphene nanoparticles to a 3D-printed polymethylmethacrylate dental resin in terms of surface roughness, flexural properties, and hardness. Methods: A 3D-printed dental resin (Dental Sand, Harz Lab) was loaded with four different graphene nanoplatelet (Graphenest) concentrations: 0.01wt%, 0.1wt%, 0.25wt%, and 0.5wt%. The neat resin was used as the control group. The surface roughness was measured with a contact profilometer using bar-shaped specimens (50x10x4mm). The flexural strength of specimens (80x10x4mm) from each group was calculated using the 3-point bending test in a Universal Test Machine. Hardness shore D was measured using a manual durometer on round-shaped specimens (12x6mm). Data were evaluated using the Kruskall-Wallis test followed by post-hoc Bonferroni corrected pairwise inter-group comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Graphene improved 3D-printed PMMA resin hardness with statistical significance at a concentration of 0.01wt% (p=0.043). Surface roughness increased with graphene concentrations above 0.01wt%, with statistically significant differences at 0.25wt% (p=0.006) and 0.5wt% (p=0.005) concentrations. Flexural properties worsened with increased graphene concentrations, and these differences were significant in the concentrations of 0.25wt% (p=0.028) and 0.5wt% (p=0.006). Conclusions: The use of graphene as a mechanical reinforcement nanomaterial seems to be viable at low concentrations without prejudice to the surface roughness of a 3D-printed polymethylmethacrylate resin. (Rev Port Estomatol Med Dent Cir Maxilofac.
- How to choose a preceptor: aspects to consider based on a grounded theory studyPublication . Amaral, Guida; Figueiredo, Amélia SimõesBackground: Nurses in clinical practice settings share responsibility with academy teachers in the education of nursing students in clinical teaching. This dynamic is essential for the students’ learning and their skill development. During preceptorship, the nurse has to mobilize the available resources to act competently and effectively. The purpose of this article is to identify the aspects that should be considered when selecting a nurse preceptor. Methods: A qualitative study was carried out based on Grounded Theory using Strauss and Corbin’s version. The study took place in a medicine ward and a surgery ward of a hospital in the Lisbon metropolitan area. The authors conducted fourteen semi-structured interviews with nurses who were at different stages of Benner’s Professional Development Model and with different outlooks on nursing preceptorship. The initial script was reorganized after the pilot test. It was also adjusted after the first exploratory interviews and after the in-depth interviews in order to reflect the interviewees’ work experience and outlooks on preceptorship. The interviews had an average duration of 45 min and were audio recorded. Theoretical sampling was conducted considering the needs identified in data coding until we reached theoretical saturation. Data analysis began after the first interview, first by open coding, followed by axial and selective coding, always in a logic of constant comparison with theory. Ethical principles, scientific integrity and methodological rigour were ensured throughout the study. Results: Two categories emerged that were supported by all nurses: skills and individual characteristics. The former includes communication skills, relational skills, reflective skills, technical-scientific skills, and emotional skills, while the latter includes perceptiveness, responsibility, motivation, and professional initiative. Conclusion: Nurses value both the individual characteristics they possess and the skills they have developed throughout their career. The recognition of the aspects found in this study for the selection of nurse preceptors allows for an informed and reasoned decision making, with a view to the success of the preceptorship and to the improvement of the quality of nursing education.
- The value of lipid biomarkers in coronary heart disease : systematic reviewPublication . Frias, Beatriz de Castro; Ferreira, António César da Silva; Neto, Marina Felicidade Dias; Barros, António de SousaAccording to Instituto Nacional de Estatística, in 2017 in Portugal, 32 336 people die of cardiovascular diseases. The field of lipidomics has been gaining interest over the years to identify the feature of lipids that are associated with cardiovascular diseases, due to the ability of lipidomics to provide a detailed lipid profile, to characterize this type of pathologies. This review focus on lipidomic studies conducted to determine the link between lipid markers and coronary artery disease (CAD), including stable angina pectoris and, acute coronary syndromes (ACS) such as myocardial infarction, coronary calcification, and major adverse cardiac events. To determine these links between lipids and cardiovascular diseases, different articles were selected after researching in MedLine Databases from March to June 2020. The chosen articles had to mention a lipidomic comparison between cardiovascular pathologies and control groups. Based on the analysis of the different selected articles, the main mass spectrometry techniques used were HPLC and UHPLC. Through the analysis of different blood samples of healthy individuals, and from individuals that suffer from different pathologies, such as CAD and ACS, different lipid groups presented different levels between healthy individuals and patients that suffer from different pathologies. Sphingolipids and glycerophospholipids were the main lipid classes detected in abnormal levels in individuals that suffer from the previously mentioned pathologies. The relationship between sphingolipids and lipoproteins are a significant risk factor for CAD. Elevated levels of ceramides (Cer) and sphingomyelins (SM) can be linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases and the development of atherosclerosis. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is one of the most prominent glycerophospholipids. CAD and CAC have been linked to dysregulation of PC levels as well as increased activity and mass of PLA2, and the bioactive lipid products of various PLA2 isoforms have been linked to anti- and pro-atherosclerotic effects. Different lipid molecules of Cer, SM, and PC were also found in the selected articles, which can be used to detect cardiovascular diseases, such as CAD and ACS. To conclude, different sphingolipids and glycerophospholipids can be used to determine cardiovascular diseases, such as CAD and ACS. Despite that, the field lipidomics still needs to be more explored to analyze and give a proper diagnosis of these pathologies.
- Surgical site infections in colorectal surgery and generic prevention bundlesPublication . Cunha, Tiago; Maciel, João; Miguel, Susana; Zagalo, Carlos; Alves, Paulo
- Antimicrobial properties and bioactivity potential of smart nanoparticles for dental applicationsPublication . Correia, Bruna L.; Malekshiri, Moslem; Bartolomeu, Maria; Silva, Virgília; Oliveira, Ana; Noites, Rita; Cardoso, Miguel; Mendes, Karina; Gomes, Ana T. P. C.; Duarte, Ana Sofia