Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2025-08-04"
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- Attitudes and behaviors toward vaccination among nursing students from Spain and Portugal: a cross-sectional studyPublication . Pérez-Rivas, Francisco Javier; Esteban-Gonzalo, Laura; García-García, David; Bazán, María Julia Ajejas; Roquette-Viana, Maria Clara; Tholl, Adriana Dutra; Marques-Vieira, Cristina Maria AlvesBackground/Objectives Since nursing students will be future promoters of immunization, it is essential to compare the attitudes and behaviors toward vaccination among nursing students in Portugal and Spain, to provide a comparative and contextualised view of the perceptions and practices of future health professionals in two countries with similar health systems and training structures, but influenced by different socio-cultural frameworks. Therefore, allows for the identification of similarities and divergences in the disposition towards vaccination, which is key for the design of more effective and culturally sensitive educational and public health strategies. Methods This cross-sectional study assessed and compared attitudes and behaviors toward vaccination among nursing students from the Portuguese Catholic University (Lisbon, Portugal) and the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain). The study included 928 students from all four years of the nursing degree program, who completed the Questionnaire on Attitudes and Behaviors toward Vaccination in Health Sciences Students (ACVECS). Results The results showed significant differences between both countries. Spanish students presented more favorable attitudes and behaviors toward vaccination compared to Portuguese students (p<0.001). Women and native students obtained higher scores. Differences were observed according to academic year: in Spain, students in higher years showed better attitudes, while in Portugal it was first-year students who obtained higher scores. These differences could be influenced by cultural, educational, and pandemic-related factors. Conclusions Spanish students showed significantly more favorable attitudes and behaviors toward vaccination than Portuguese students. Native students had a better attitude toward vaccination in both countries, this difference being especially notable in behaviors oriented toward vaccination among Portuguese students.
- Microvascular, biochemical, and clinical impact of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in recalcitrant diabetic foot ulcersPublication . Martins-Mendes, Daniela; Costa, Raquel; Rodrigues, Ilda; Camacho, Óscar; Coelho, Pedro Barata; Paixão-Dias, Vítor; Luís, Carla; Pereira, Ana Cláudia; Fernandes, Rúben; Lima, Jorge; Soares, RaquelBackground: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a serious complication of diabetes and are often difficult to treat. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been proposed as an adjunctive treatment to promote healing, but its long-term clinical and biological effects remain insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of HBOT on systemic biomarkers, local microvasculature, and clinical outcomes in patients with DFUs. Methods: In this non-randomized prospective study, 20 patients with ischemic DFUs were followed over a 36-month period. Fourteen received HBOT in addition to standard care, while six received standard care alone. Clinical outcomes—including DFU resolution, recurrence, lower extremity amputation (LEA), and mortality—were assessed alongside systemic inflammatory and angiogenic biomarkers and wound characteristics at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, and 36 months. CD31 immunostaining was performed on available tissue samples. Results: The two groups were comparable at baseline (mean age 62 ± 12 years; diabetes duration 18 ± 9 years). At 3 months, the HBOT group showed significant reductions in erythrocyte sedimentation rate and DFU size (p < 0.05), with downward trends observed in C-reactive protein (CRP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and placental growth factor (PlGF), and an increase in stromal-derived factor-1 alpha (SDF1-?). No significant changes were observed in the control group. CD31+ microvessel density appeared to increase in HBOT-treated DFU tissue after one month, although the sample size was limited. Patients receiving HBOT had lower rates of LEA and mortality, improved wound healing, and sustained outcomes over three years. DFU recurrence rates were similar between groups. Conclusions: HBOT was associated with improved wound healing and favorable biomarker profiles in patients with treatment-resistant ischemic DFUs. While these findings are encouraging, the small sample size and non-randomized design limit their generalizability, highlighting the need for larger, controlled studies.
- Insect-based dinner products for meat substitution in ordinary diets: developing the quality criteria and experimental products for consumer interventionsPublication . Maya, C.; Flore, R.; Sun, Y.; Costa, A. I. A.; Cunha, L. M.; Rocha, C.; Monteiro, M. J. P.; Osimani, A.; Aquilanti, L.; Borght, M. Van Der; Vandeweyer, D.; Chiriac, I. E.; Peters, M.; Rukov, J.; Roos, N.The growing environmental impact of livestock farming has emphasised the need for more sustainable diets with lower meat consumption, identifying insects as a potential alternative protein source. The Sustainable Insect Chain (SUSINCHAIN) project aimed to incorporate six new insect protein products into regular dinner meals, aiming to replace 20% of meat protein through a six-week dietary intervention in Denmark and Portugal, namely a randomised controlled study targeting families with children and young and childless couples respectively. This paper presents the process undertaken by project partners to develop the specifications and establish the quality criteria for the six study products. Quality criteria focused on the immediate appeal and sensory properties of edible insects as food ingredients, particularly taste, texture, and appearance to promote acceptability. Initial sensory evaluations of product prototypes provided essential feedback for improvement. The development of insect-based food products, including those mimicking traditional meat products, highlighted the significance of sensory quality and consumer perception in product acceptance. Non-meat mimicking items had high sensory appeal, but were not perceived as meat replacements, typically being later added as side dishes or supplements by intervention participants. Balancing insect protein content with sensory appeal presented challenges, highlighting the need to consider portion sizes and presentation. Overall, animal meat protein replacement in dinner meals using insect-based foods requires an integrated approach that combines innovative product development, ongoing quality assessments, and a deep understanding of consumer preferences, crucial for market acceptance and adoption.