Healthcare professionals' understanding of addiction, treatment and recovery.

This study sought to explore and understand healthcare professionals' meanings and experiences with regard to the addiction concept, treatment and recovery. Semi-structured interviews with 18 healthcare professionals in the area of addiction were conducted: nine nurses, six psychologists, a psychiatrist, a social worker and a psychosocial technician. Based on a qualitative methodology, a thematic analysis was conducted using the NVivo software.

Non-invasive bladder cancer detection: Identification of a urinary volatile biomarker panel using GC-MS metabolomics and machine learning.

Early detection of bladder cancer (BC) remains a major clinical challenge due to the limitations of current diagnostic methods, which are often invasive, expensive, or insufficiently sensitive, particularly for early-stage disease. Metabolomics approaches, when integrated with machine learning (ML) techniques, offer a powerful platform for identifying novel, non-invasive biomarkers. In this study, urinary volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analysed from 87 BC patients and 90 age- and sex-matched cancer-free controls using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS).

Cerebrovascular Reactivity at Rest and Its Association With Cognitive Function in People With Genetic Frontotemporal Dementia.

Background And Objectives: Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is an indicator of cerebrovascular health, and its signature in familial frontotemporal dementia (FTD) remains unknown. The primary aim was to investigate CVR in genetic FTD using an fMRI index of vascular contractility termed resting-state fluctuation amplitudes (RSFAs) and to assess whether RSFA differences are moderated by age. A secondary aim was to study the relationship between RSFA and cognition.

The Impact of War on Asthma, a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: An EAACI Task Force Report.

Wartime events have been followed by an increase in asthma prevalence, which is believed to result from a combination of environmental hazards and psychological trauma. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate this relationship by pooling available data on various wartime exposures, such as occupational, environmental, and psychological factors. MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were searched for articles that measure the effect of war-related exposures on asthma.

The source-sink dynamics of Plasmodium vivax may undermine malaria elimination efforts in the Amazon: an epidemiological and population genomic study.

Background: Brazil's progress toward malaria elimination has stalled and 163,000 new cases (more than 80% caused by Plasmodium vivax) were recorded in the Brazilian Amazon in 2023. We hypothesize that human mobility continues to disperse parasites from hotspots to areas with decreasing endemicity.

Methods: We analyzed 5.

Nutrients as epigenetic modulators in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

To improve understanding of the multifaceted nature of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, in collaboration with the European Association for the Study of the Liver and the Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver, proposed a broader and more flexible definition, highlighting the role of underlying metabolic dysfunction. MASLD represents the most common chronic liver disease worldwide; however, the impact of the disease goes beyond its epidemiological aspects. Currently, the impact on patients and healthcare systems, due to hepatic and extrahepatic complications, is significant.

Optimizing laying hen diets: effect of partial maize meal replacement with wheat bran or biscuits crumbs and CECT 5940.

Background: Wheat bran (WB) and biscuit crumbs (BC) offer alternative feed sources for laying hens, potentially improving productivity and economic efficiency.

Objective: This work evaluated the partial replacement of maize meal with WB or BC, with or without the addition of CECT 5940, on the productive and economic performance of laying hens.

Methods: Five treatments were allocated as follows: T1: a basal diet; T2: a basal diet where 20% of maize meal was replaced by WB; T3: a basal diet that included 20% of WB plus CECT 5940; T4: a basal diet where 20% of maize meal was replaced by BC; and T5: a basal diet that included 20% of BC plus CECT 5940.

Preclinical detection of Alzheimer's disease pathology using conceptual discrimination abilities.

Background: Performance on the Conceptual Matching Task (CMT), a measure of discrimination between conceptually confusable items, has been suggested as a cognitive marker of rhinal cortex atrophy, one of the first brain regions affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology.

Objectives: We aimed to determine whether CMT can detect preclinical AD, and whether CMT performance is related to regional deposition of tau protein or other AD-associated lesions including amyloid (Aβ) accumulation and white matter hyperintensities (WMH).

Design, Setting And Participants: This cross-sectional study include 101 participants from the UCL2016-121 cohorts in Brussels, Belgium, classified as 56 Aβ-negative cognitively unimpaired (Aβ-CU), 25 Aβ-positive CU (Aβ+CU, preclinical AD), and 20 Aβ-positive mildly cognitively impaired (Aβ+MCI, prodromal AD) individuals.

A geographical database of Iberian peatland and swob records.

Recent efforts have compiled distribution data on peatlands in the Iberian Peninsula. However, the criteria used to define these ecosystems have often been derived from regions where climates are wetter and peatlands are more widespread. As a result, in this region, many peat-accumulating wetlands were overlooked.

Exploring the Emergent Concept of Patient Advocacy in Acute and Perioperative Settings: A Scoping Review.

Introduction: Staff shortages following the pandemic and the growing complexity of healthcare require continuous reflection on the part of professionals to improve patient protection efforts in high-pressure environments. This makes it essential to better understand and reinforce the role of patient advocacy in clinical practice. This study aims to map the concept of patient advocacy in nursing, identifying its key attributes, antecedents, and consequences in acute and perioperative settings, contributing to its update and integration into the current healthcare paradigm.

Case 340: Pulmonary Necrobiotic Nodules as a Lung Manifestation of Crohn Disease.

A 36-year-old woman with an otherwise unremarkable medical history was diagnosed with moderate to severe Crohn disease and was started on infliximab. One year later, infliximab was discontinued due to intolerance, and the patient began azathioprine and mesalazine treatment, achieving stable disease. Eight months after discontinuing infliximab, during a Crohn disease flare-up, an urgent abdominal CT examination was performed, partially documenting the lung bases.

A Multicenter, Retrospective Analysis of Long-Term Survival in 255 Dogs With Pheochromocytoma Treated With Alpha-Adrenoreceptor Antagonists or Surgery (2010-2021).

Background: The survival of dogs with pheochromocytoma (PCC) treated with adrenoreceptor antagonists has not been described or compared to surgically managed cases.

Hypothesis/objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate the survival of medically and surgically managed dogs with PCC and investigate factors associated with survival.

Animals: Two hundred fifty-five dogs with PCC, treated with alpha-adrenoreceptor antagonists (AA) without adrenalectomy (Group 1, n = 75), adrenalectomy +/- AA (Group 2, n = 128), or neither treatment (Group 3, n = 52).

Synaptic accumulation of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors mediates the effects of BDNF-TrkB signalling on synaptic plasticity and in hyperexcitability during status epilepticus.

Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key mediator of synaptic plasticity and memory formation in the hippocampus. However, the BDNF-induced alterations in the glutamate receptors coupled to the plasticity of glutamatergic synapses in the hippocampus have not been elucidated. In this work we investigated the putative role of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors in the plasticity of glutamatergic synapses induced by BDNF.

Hybrid regulation of non-conventional water sources powered by renewable energy: advancing circular water management for coastal cities resilience.

The increasing water scarcity and energy demands in coastal cities, exacerbated by climate variability, necessitate integrated and sustainable water management solutions. This study introduces a novel hybrid volume regulation framework that leverages non-conventional water sources including reclaimed wastewater, stormwater runoff, and desalinated water to achieve circular water use and zero discharge into natural bodies. The aim is the use of non-conventional resources by the integration of hydraulic and energy models through genetic algorithm optimization, enabling the design of a resilient infrastructure to improve the deficit hydric in irrigation communities.

Health literacy and its determinants among pregnant women in Portugal.

Background: Health literacy is a key determinant of health outcomes and equity, particularly during pregnancy, a period marked by increased information needs and critical health decisions. Despite its importance, data on health literacy among pregnant women in Portugal remain scarce. This study aimed to assess general health literacy levels and their associations with sociodemographic, health-related, and pregnancy-specific factors in a large sample of pregnant women from the district of Viseu, Portugal.

Severe asthma, biologic hypersensitivity and inefficacy: overcoming treatment barriers with tezepelumab.

Severe asthma is a heterogeneous disease involving multiple inflammatory pathways, with significant therapeutic challenges. Biologic therapies targeting T2 inflammation improve outcomes but may, in rare cases, trigger hypersensitivity reactions due to anti-drug antibodies, excipients, or protein structure. Additionally, some patients exhibit suboptimal or no response.

Vutrisiran in Transthyretin Amyloidosis: A Pooled Safety Analysis of HELIOS-A and HELIOS-B.

Background: Vutrisiran is an RNA interference therapeutic that has demonstrated efficacy for the treatment of patients with transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) with polyneuropathy and cardiomyopathy in the phase 3 HELIOS-A and HELIOS-B studies, respectively. During the initial randomized treatment periods of these studies, vutrisiran was well tolerated and had an acceptable safety profile.

Objectives: This pooled safety analysis aimed to evaluate the safety of vutrisiran in a large population of patients with hereditary ATTR and wild-type ATTR who received treatment for up to 58 months in HELIOS-A and HELIOS-B.

Predictors of father-infant attachment security in a Portuguese sample.

A growing literature shows that fathers play a critical role in their children's development and mental health. However, few studies have evaluated fathers as caregivers and attachment figures, particularly across cultures. We address this gap by investigating specific predictors of infant-father attachment patterns during the first year postpartum and their links to infant-father attachment at 12 months.

Seasonal patterns of mercury dynamics in thermokarst lakes from sporadic permafrost.

Mercury (Hg) is a natural occurring element but is often emitted from anthropogenic sources and reaches the Arctic via long-range atmospheric transport. Organic matter (OM)-rich thermokarst lakes are characteristic features of the permafrost landscape in this region, where monomethylmercury (MMHg) production can be enhanced, as this process is mainly carried out by prokaryotes. To better understand the complex Hg biogeochemical cycle, two distinct thermokarst lakes (SAS 1A and SAS 2A) in sporadic permafrost in the Sasapimakwananistikw (SAS) River Valley, Canadian Subarctic, were sampled during winter and summer of 2022.

Repositioning Antimicrobial Peptides Against WHO-Priority Fungi.

The growing threat of fungal infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals, is exacerbated by the limited number of antifungal drug classes, increasing resistance rates, and complex hostpathogen interactions. In response to this public health concern, the World Health Organization published its first list of fungal priority pathogens, including C. auris, A.

[Diagnosis and Laboratory Follow-Up of Patients with Multiple Myeloma: Guidelines from the Portuguese Multiple Myeloma Group].

Multiple myeloma is a neoplasm of plasma cells that in most cases is associated with the secretion of monoclonal immunoglobulins and can involve multiple organs. Its timely diagnosis is essential to limit or avoid irreversible damage and dysfunction of target organs. Appropriate initial stratification of patients allows for optimization in the selection and sequence of therapy, as well as proper follow-up during treatment and monitoring, impacting survival.

Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis infections and impact on growth performance of Churra Galega Mirandesa lambs.

Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis are important protozoan parasites that impair the health and growth of lambs, leading to productivity losses in sheep production systems. Understanding their impact is essential for developing effective management strategies to improve lamb health.