Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2025-03-01"
Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Stressors and expected performance of soccer athletes: the role of sport confidence and cognitive appraisalPublication . Morais, Catarina; Simães, Clara; Gomes, A. Rui; Gonçalves, Beatriz MartinsThis study aimed to provide a framework for how athletes evaluate stress before a competition and how stress relates to cognitive appraisal, sport confidence, and expectations of performance. Participants were 327 youth male athletes, aged 15–19 years (M = 16.90; SD = 1.00), who competed in the Portuguese National Football League and completed a questionnaire 24–48 hr before their match, using the critical incident methodology. Results revealed that opponents were the main source of stress for athletes and that the more athletes stress about their opponents, the more they tend to perceive the situation as threatening (and less challenging), the lower their perceptions of coping and sport confidence which, in turn, predicted lower expectations of individual and collective performance. In sum, perceiving the stressful situation as either a challenge or a threat predicts young athletes’ sport confidence and, consequently, expected performance when dealing with stressful competitive situations.
- Nurses and allied professionals’ engagement in clinical research-in-practice: a statement of the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing & Allied Professions of the European Society of CardiologyPublication . Fredericks, Suzanne; Sanders, Julie; Back, Maria; Desteghe, Lien; Gomes, Ana; Marques-Sule, Elena; Simpson, Maggie; Hendriks, Jeroen M.Many nurses and allied professionals (NAPs) lack the skills, knowledge and confidence to engage in conducting and implementing research. This statement describes the importance of NAPs' involvement in clinical research within the context of cardiovascular care. The existing gaps, barriers and enablers to NAPs involvement in research as a potential response to workforce issues in these professions as well as to contribute to excellence in patient care delivery and associated outcomes are identified. Specifically, career development pathways for NAPs are discussed. Finally, potential future directions for NAP research in clinical practice are provided.
- Explaining the process of learning about dignity by undergraduate nursing students: a grounded theory studyPublication . Franco, Hugo; Caldeira, Sílvia; Nunes, LucíliaBackground: The learning process about dignity and how undergraduate nursing students experience and use this ethical knowledge is an under-represented field in nursing research. To overcome the lack of conceptual clarity, it is important to understand what processes and dimensions students develop to support this learning outcome. Objective: This study aimed to explain the process of learning about dignity by undergraduate nursing students. Research design and methods: A qualitative study was conducted using the grounded theory method. Participants and research context: Data was collected through free reports and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 participants. A focus group was held for the selective coding. Sampling began purposefully and evolved into theoretical. Reflective and theoretical memos were generated from the data collection and constant comparison. Data analysis was performed using qualitative data analysis software using Corbin and Strauss’ method. Ethical considerations: The research was approved by a specialized research ethics committee from a Health School. Findings: The process of learning about dignity by undergraduate nursing students revealed ‘recognition of dignity’ as the core category, supported by five main categories: ‘proto-conscience of dignity’, ‘pathway to nursing’, ‘consciousness of dignity’, ‘ways of learning’, and ‘becoming capable’. These categories illustrate the processes and dimensions involved in nursing students’ concept translation of dignity learning, allowing a theory to emerge. Conclusions: The ‘Recognition of Dignity’ theory aims to contribute to developing educational, training, and supervision processes for nursing programs. It seeks to enhance the ethical and moral development of undergraduate nursing students by helping them understand the concept of dignity and its fundamental importance in nursing.
- Morin-loaded chitosan-poloxamer hydrogel as an osteoinductive delivery system for endodontic applicationsPublication . Pereira, Jesse Augusto; Martin, Victor; Araújo, Rita; Grenho, Liliana; Gomes, Pedro; Marto, Joana; Fernandes, Maria Helena; Santos, Catarina; Duque, CristianeConsidering the search for new biocompatible intracanal medicaments that can preserve remaining cells and stimulate bone tissue repair in the periapical region, this study aimed to synthesize and characterize the physicochemical properties of morin-loaded chitosan-poloxamer hydrogel (MCP) as well as to evaluate its osteogenic potential. Morin hydrate (M) was loaded into chitosan-poloxamer (CP) hydrogel and the resulting particles were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–vis spectrophotometer and scanning electron microscopy. Biological assays evaluated the metabolic activity, cell morphology and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of human bone marrow stem cells (HBMSC) in three different settings, such as the exposure to dissolved morin, hydrogel's leachates and assembled particles by indirect contact. Cells cultured in standard culture conditions were used as control. The effect of CP and MCP particles on the formation of collagenous and mineralized tissues was also assessed within the organotypic model of segmented embryonic chick femora. Datasets were assessed for one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey's post hoc test (p < 0.05). Morin at 50 μg/mL was cytocompatible and increased ALP activity. CP and MCP particles showed stability, and morin was entrapped in the hydrogel matrix without changing its chemical structure. Cultures treated with 30-min CP and MCP hydrogel leachates presented significantly higher metabolic activity compared to control. By indirect contact, CP particles increased metabolic activity, but only MCP particles induced an upregulation of ALP activity in comparison to control. The amount of collagenous tissue and mineralized area on the fractured embryonic chick femora was greater in MCP particles compared to CP counterparts. Chitosan-poloxamer platforms are suitable systems to delivery morin, enhancing cell proliferation and bone mineralization, which upholds its application as intracanal medication for endodontic purposes.
- Cytotoxic and antibiofilm properties of antibiotic-loaded thermoresponsive hydrogels for root canal therapyPublication . Duque, Cristiane; Braga, Gabriela Pacheco de Almeida; Carvalho, Juliana Machado de; Caiaffa, Karina Sampaio; Nunes, Gabriel Pereira; Rabelo, Rafaela Laruzo; Santos, Vanessa Rodrigues dos; Peres, Geórgia Rondó; Ribeiro, Lucas da Silva; Camargo, Emerson Rodrigues deDental infections can disrupt root development in immature permanent teeth, making traditional endodontic treatment challenging. Apexogenesis, a regenerative approach that promotes natural root development, offers a potential solution. However, issues related to disinfection and material biocompatibility still remain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the synergistic antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of double and triple antibiotic combinations against common oral pathogens, and to incorporate the most effective combination into a thermosensitive hydrogel, to develop an alternative intracanal medication. Antibiotics were tested alone and in combination in planktonic and biofilm conditions of oral bacteria and Candida albicans. The antibiotic combinations with potential antimicrobial synergy were tested on Enterococcus faecalis biofilms in radicular dentin by confocal microscopy. Metronidazole (ME), ciprofloxacin (CI), and fosfomycin (FO) were incorporated into poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL) hydrogels, and their antibiofilm activity was compared to PNVCL hydrogels containing chlorhexidine (CHX) or calcium hydroxide (CH). The cytotoxicity of the hydrogels was assessed on MDPC-23 odontoblast-like cells using metiltetrazolium assays. A statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test (p < 0.05). The combination of ME + CI + FO showed superior antibiofilm effects in mono- and dual-species biofilms and on biofilms inside dentinal tubules, comparable to CHX. PNVCL hydrogels with ME + CI + FO significantly reduced E. faecalis biofilms in dentinal tubules, exhibiting a higher efficacy than PNVCL + CH. Cytotoxicity tests revealed minimal effects on cell viability for both PNVCL hydrogels with and without antibiotics. In conclusion, ME + CI + FO showed potent antimicrobial synergy and, when loaded in thermosensitive PNVCL hydrogel, demonstrated significant antibiofilm activity and low cytotoxicity. These findings emphasize the potential of this formulation as an effective and biocompatible endodontic medication, especially for the treatment of immature permanent teeth.
- Financing the costs of tackling climate change: the financial transaction tax at the COP 30Publication . Correia, MiguelAdapting to climate change and mitigating its effects will require a major global financial effort. One of the financial instruments that has been discussed over the past two decades to finance this effort, without ever achieving visible success, is the Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). More recently, at the COP 28, the tax was given new impetus with the creation of the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force, led by France, Kenya and Barbados and supported by several other countries and a wide range of international organisations (including the IMF, the World Bank, the UN, the OECD and the G20), with the aim of identifying sources of financing for the global effort. The Task Force has identified the FTT as one of the levies that merits further research. It is hoped that at the forthcoming COP 30, to be held in Brazil in November 2025, the Task Force will present final technical proposals for the introduction of new levies at the global level, including an FTT. The aim of this study is to contribute to this endeavour by evaluating the FTT proposal recently released by the Task Force for public consultation and, where relevant, making policy suggestions for consideration.