Fortilife Director biofouling diagnostic tool developed for biofilm visualisation on reverse osmosis membranes.

Imaging techniques are important for biofilm studies. Biofilm samples should ideally be visualised with minimal sample preparation so as not to alter their original structure. However, this can be challenging and resource-intensive in most cases.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness in Europe and the birth cohort effect against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09: VEBIS primary care multicentre study, 2023/24.

IntroductionInfluenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B/Victoria viruses circulated in Europe in 2023/24, with A(H1N1)pdm09 dominance. First influenza infections in childhood may lead to different vaccine effectiveness (VE) in subsequent years.AimThe VEBIS primary care network estimated influenza VE in Europe using a multicentre test-negative study.

A protocol for high-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine effectiveness in the community and long-term care facilities using electronic health records.

Since the 2022-2023 season in Portugal, a high-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine is freely available for individuals living in long-term care facilities (LTCF). In 2024-2025, vaccination was extended to community-dwelling individuals aged ≥85 years. Given the scarcity of reported high-dose influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) estimates for this population, this study aims to estimate the high-dose relative and absolute IVE.

Effectiveness of the XBB.1.5 COVID-19 Vaccines Against SARS-CoV-2 Hospitalisation Among Adults Aged ≥ 65 Years During the BA.2.86/JN.1 Predominant Period, VEBIS Hospital Study, Europe, November 2023 to May 2024.

We estimated the effectiveness of the adapted monovalent XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccines against PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 hospitalisation during the BA.

Effectiveness of XBB.1.5 Vaccines Against Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Older Adults During the JN.1 Lineage-Predominant Period, European VEBIS Primary Care Multicentre Study, 20 November 2023-1 March 2024.

We estimated XBB.1.5 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection among adults aged ≥ 65 years during the 2023/2024 JN.

COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness in Autumn and Winter 2022 to 2023 Among Older Europeans.

Importance: In the context of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants or lineages and new vaccines, it is key to accurately monitor COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (CVE) to inform vaccination campaigns.

Objective: To estimate the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines administered in autumn and winter 2022 to 2023 against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection (with all circulating viruses and XBB lineage in particular) among people aged 60 years or older in Europe, and to compare different CVE approaches across the exposed and reference groups used.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This case-control study obtained data from VEBIS (Vaccine Effectiveness, Burden and Impact Studies), a multicenter study that collects COVID-19 and influenza data from 11 European sites: Croatia; France; Germany; Hungary; Ireland; Portugal; the Netherlands; Romania; Spain, national; Spain, Navarre region; and Sweden.

Bilateral Hyperplasia of Mandibular Coronoid Processes in a Pediatric Patient.

Langen Beck disease, a rare idiopathic disorder, causes enlarged coronoid processes of the mandible, leading to restricted oral opening and deteriorating health. This paper presents a 10-year-old boy's case with bilateral hyperplasia of the coronoid processes (HCP), diagnosed using cranial computed tomography, severely limiting oral opening to 18 mm. Treatment involved early intraoral coronoidectomy followed by physiotherapy, yielding immediate oral opening improvement without recurrence after 1 year.

Exploring the effect of clinical case definitions on influenza vaccine effectiveness estimation at primary care level: Results from the end-of-season 2022-23 VEBIS multicentre study in Europe.

Background: Within influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) studies at primary care level with a laboratory-confirmed outcome, clinical case definitions for recruitment of patients can vary. We used the 2022-23 VEBIS primary care European multicentre study end-of-season data to evaluate whether the clinical case definition affected IVE estimates.

Methods: We estimated VE using a multicentre test-negative case-control design.

Vaccine effectiveness against influenza hospitalisation in adults during the 2022/2023 mixed season of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B circulation, Europe: VEBIS SARI VE hospital network.

We conducted a multicentre hospital-based test-negative case-control study to measure vaccine effectiveness (VE) against PCR-confirmed influenza in adult patients with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) during the 2022/2023 influenza season in Europe. Among 5547 SARI patients ≥18 years, 2963 (53%) were vaccinated against influenza. Overall VE against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was 11% (95% CI: -23-36); 20% (95% CI: -4-39) against A(H3N2) and 56% (95% CI: 22-75) against B.

Interim 2023/24 influenza A vaccine effectiveness: VEBIS European primary care and hospital multicentre studies, September 2023 to January 2024.

Influenza A viruses circulated in Europe from September 2023 to January 2024, with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 predominance. We provide interim 2023/24 influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) estimates from two European studies, covering 10 countries across primary care (EU-PC) and hospital (EU-H) settings. Interim IVE was higher against A(H1N1)pdm09 than A(H3N2): EU-PC influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 IVE was 53% (95% CI: 41 to 63) and 30% (95% CI: -3 to 54) against influenza A(H3N2).

Effectiveness of the adapted bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines against hospitalisation in individuals aged ≥ 60 years during the Omicron XBB lineage-predominant period: VEBIS SARI VE network, Europe, February to August, 2023.

We conducted a multicentre hospital-based test-negative case-control study to measure the effectiveness of adapted bivalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Omicron XBB lineage-predominant period in patients aged ≥ 60 years with severe acute respiratory infection from five countries in Europe. Bivalent vaccines provided short-term additional protection compared with those vaccinated > 6 months before the campaign: from 80% (95% CI: 50 to 94) for 14-89 days post-vaccination, 15% (95% CI: -12 to 35) at 90-179 days, and lower to no effect thereafter.

Vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalisation in adults (≥ 20 years) during Alpha- and Delta-dominant circulation: I-MOVE-COVID-19 and VEBIS SARI VE networks, Europe, 2021.

IntroductionTwo large multicentre European hospital networks have estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19 since 2021.AimWe aimed to measure VE against PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 in hospitalised severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) patients ≥ 20 years, combining data from these networks during Alpha (March-June)- and Delta (June-December)-dominant periods, 2021.MethodsForty-six participating hospitals across 14 countries follow a similar generic protocol using the test-negative case-control design.

Synthesis and characterization of highly diluted polyanionic iron(II) spin crossover systems.

Spin crossover (SCO) complexes, through their reversible spin transition under external stimuli, can work as switchable memory materials. Here, we present a protocol for the synthesis and characterization of a specific polyanionic iron SCO complex and its diluted systems. We describe steps for its synthesis and the determination of crystallographic structure of the SCO complex in diluted systems.

Monitoring COVID-19 and Influenza: The Added Value of a Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance System in Portugal.

Background: Severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) surveillance is recommended to assess the severity of respiratory infections disease. In 2021, the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, in collaboration with two general hospitals, implemented a SARI sentinel surveillance system based on electronic health registries. We describe its application in the 2021/2022 season and compare the evolution of SARI cases with the COVID-19 and influenza activity in two regions of Portugal.

Mobile colistin resistance (MCR), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and multidrug resistance monitoring in (commensal and pathogenic) in pig farming: need of harmonized guidelines and clinical breakpoints.

Current data on antimicrobial resistance in pig production is essential for the follow-up strategic programs to eventually preserve the effectiveness of last-resort antibiotics for humans. Here, we characterized 106 recovered in routine diagnosis (2020-2022) from fecal sample pigs, belonging to 74 Spanish industrial farms, affected by diarrhea. The analysis of virulence-gene targets associated with pathotypes of , determined 64 as pathogenic and 42 as commensal.

SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence Following a Large-Scale Vaccination Campaign in Portugal: Results of the National Serological Survey, September - November 2021.

Introduction: Following a COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign, it is important to evaluate the population level of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence rate of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies acquired due to infection or vaccination in the Portuguese population.

Material And Methods: The National Serological Survey (third wave - ISN3COVID-19) is a cross-sectional nationwide epidemiological study developed on a sample of 4545 Portuguese residents aged one year or older, between the 28th September 2021 and the 19th November 2021.

Effectiveness of complete primary vaccination against COVID-19 at primary care and community level during predominant Delta circulation in Europe: multicentre analysis, I-MOVE-COVID-19 and ECDC networks, July to August 2021.

IntroductionIn July and August 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant dominated in Europe.AimUsing a multicentre test-negative study, we measured COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic infection.MethodsIndividuals with COVID-19 or acute respiratory symptoms at primary care/community level in 10 European countries were tested for SARS-CoV-2.

Evaluation of the European Health Information Training Programme (EHITP): results from InfAct Joint Action.

Background: The InfAct (Information for Action) is a Joint Action of the European Commission's 3rd Health Programme with the main goal to build an infrastructure of a health information system for a stronger European Union and to strengthen its core elements. The InfAct Joint Action was developed along 36 months and structured in 10 work packages. Portugal co-led the Work Package 6 (WP6) of this project, which included the development of the proposal of a flagship capacity building programme - the European Health Information Training Programme - and its evaluation.

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Portugal following the third epidemic wave: results of the second National Serological Survey (ISN2COVID-19).

Background: Integrated approaches to surveillance of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are important for public health actions. The 2nd National Serological Survey (ISN2COVID-19) aimed to characterize the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccine-induced response in the Portuguese population following the third epidemic wave and the launch of the vaccination campaign.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using data on 8463 Portuguese 1-79 years of age, collected in February and March, 2021.

No effect modification of influenza virus vaccine effectiveness by age or chronic condition was observed in the 2010/11 to 2017/18 seasons.

Purpose: Most European influenza vaccine strategies target individuals at higher risk of complications, which include, among others, individuals aged ≥65 years and with chronic conditions. These individuals not only have a high-risk of post-infection complications but also could have lower capacity of acquiring adequate vaccine-induced protection. As such, chronic conditions and age could modify the effect of vaccines.

Correction to the article "Implementing an Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Study in a Hospital Context in Portugal: The EVA Hospital Project", Published on Acta Med Port 2021 Jan;34(1):20-27.

On page 23, Figure 1, where it reads: "Controls 157 2015-2016 season = 47" (area circled in the image bellow) It should read: (see new Figure 1 on pag. 62). On page 25, Table 2, third line of the last column, under "p-value", where it reads: 1 (see Table 2 in page 63) It should read: 1.

Implementing an Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Study in a Hospital Context in Portugal: The EVA Hospital Project.

Introduction: The project 'Integrated Monitoring of Vaccines in Europe' aimed to measure seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness against hospitalised adults, aged 65 years and over, with influenza. We describe the protocol implementation in Portugal.

Material And Methods: We implemented a test-negative design, targeting community-dwelling patients aged 65 years old and over hospitalised with severe acute respiratory illness.

Pressure-Modulated Broadband Emission in 2D Layered Hybrid Perovskite-Like Bromoplumbate.

Two-dimensional (2D) layered hybrid bromoplumbate perovskites are promising candidates for solution-processed light-emitting materials. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of two novel layered bromoplumbates: (4BrPhMA)PbBr () and (4BrPhA)PbBr (), where 4BrPhMA is (4-bromophenyl)methylammonium and 4BrPhA is (4-bromophenyl) ammonium. Despite similar optical absorption, these materials show remarkably different photoluminescence properties: emits a narrow exciton band at ca.