Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2025-08"
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- Correlation between trace element concentrations in the blood of female hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and egg quality in nesting populations of São Tomé IslandPublication . Morão, Inês; Simões, Tiago; Busom Casado, Roger; Vieira, Sara; Ferreira-Airaud, Betânia; Caliani, Ilaria; Di Noi, Agata; Casini, Silvia; Fossi, Maria C.; Lemos, Marco F.L.; Novais, Sara C.Metals and metalloids can pose a significant threat to sea turtles, as these contaminants tend to accumulate in their bodies over time, due to their long lifespans and varied feeding habits. São Tomé and Príncipe's archipelago hosts the last remaining rookery for hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the region. The study aimed to determine the levels of metals and metalloids accumulated by this population and to investigate their possible genotoxicity in nesting females' blood as well as potential effects on their eggs in terms of morphometric characteristics and the quality of their lipidic reserves, essential for embryo development. Higher levels of Hg were found to be correlated with increased “lobed-shaped nuclei” in erythrocytic count, suggesting genotoxicity effects in this population. Higher levels of Se were correlated with thicker and heavier eggshells, while Pb levels were associated with the reduction of the egg's diameter. Metal contamination in females' blood significantly affected yolk polar fatty acids. Significant negative correlations were found between general metal contamination (PLI) and saturated fatty acids (SFA), while positive correlations were observed for essential omega-6 fatty acids (n6), mostly influenced by Cu, Fe, and Hg concentrations. This suggests that these omega-6 fatty acids are being synthesized from SFA, potentially indicating stress response by metal exposure. The present results point to some potential alterations in the normal embryonic development of these turtle eggs, influenced by metal contamination, which should raise some concerns about the future of this critically endangered species and call for additional conservation efforts in the region.
- UNIVERSOS PARALELOSPublication . Policarpo, DianaNuma seleção de projetos há sempre uma ligação que se estabelece entre eles. Falaremos hoje de quatro projetos que concretizei recentemente: Death Grip (2019), Nets of Hyphae (2021-22), Ciguatera (2022-25) e Mutual Benefits (2024). Estes são universos e interesses que, pelo menos para mim, se tocam e crescem uns para os outros. Eu trabalho de uma forma muito experimental. O meu trajeto começou com uma educação musical inicial que me levou a trabalhar o som e a instalá-lo. Comecei com esse tipo de instalações, embora o meu interesse de base seja a escultura (ainda hoje faço escultura). É uma grande paixão que tenho. Isso revela-se em diversos projetos recentes, onde voltei a esculpir à mão. Os projetos de que aqui falaremos têm em comum uma transversalidade de certos elementos que gosto de trabalhar, entre eles a espacialização sonora, o filme multicanal e o desenho que, conceptual e esteticamente, se cruzam na busca por coisas novas, tal como as colaborações, que fazem com que diferentes modos de fazer entrem em contacto, o que eu acho muito prazeroso. A minha prática é colaborativa.
- A Playful Panacea – Exploring the Role of Board Games to Assess Behaviour in People with DementiaPublication . Lopes, Susana; Cavaleiro, Alexandre; Rosa, MarleneAssessing behaviour in people with dementia is crucial for managing disease progression yet remains a significant challenge. This study explores the relationship between engagement and performance in a board game, aiming to position board games as a potential tool for assessing behaviour in people with dementia. An observational study was conducted with 13 individuals diagnosed with dementia, analyzing their engagement in cognitive and functional tasks and their relationship with the Ta!Ti! game performance. Despite clinical variability among participants, they tended to show higher engagement in cognitive tasks, particularly those involving visual processing. Qualitative game performance was found to correlate with both behavioural and verbal engagement during cognitive tasks. These findings suggest that board games could serve as valuable, complementary tools for evaluating engagement across different activities in people with dementia.
- Antithrombotic therapy after stent implantation. One size does not fit allPublication . Morais, João; Oliveira, MárioThe study published by Baptista et al.1 sought to assess the quality of antithrombotic therapy in a group of 996 patients with diabetes prior to coronary percutaneous intervention, searching for how guidelines are being applied in a realworld setting.
- Nurses' perspective on transitional care for older person with hip fracture: a qualitative studyPublication . Rocha, Paula; Lavareda Baixinho, Cristina; Albuquerque, Carlos; Batista, Susana; Henriques, Maria AdrianaBackground The aging process, being associated with a decrease in physical functionality, determines an increased risk of falling and, consequently, a greater risk of associated fractures. Among them, hip fracture often causes functional decline and difficulty returning to the state before the fracture. Objective To analyze nurses' perceptions of the transition process of the older person with hip fractures on returning home. Methods A descriptive, exploratory study of a qualitative nature was developed, based on two focus groups (FGs) with semi-structured interviews with nurses providing care to patients with hip fractures undergoing surgical treatment, whose activity takes place in a hospital context and care primary healthcare units, belonging to a Hospital in the central region of Portugal. Systematic data analysis and respective inductive work were carried out, with support from software Meetpulp®. Results The analysis of the two FGs, with 10 participants, outlines the contours of the problem that influences the personal, organizational and political spheres. Professionals recommend solutions to mitigate obstacles to the transition of care, such as: early involvement and better preparation of family members before discharge, offering greater support to caregivers, improving communication between professionals, creating a telephone support line, highlighting the importance networking and streamlining processes. Conclusion Nurses perceive important problems inherent to the transition process of older person with hip fractures, and the resulting impact on family caregivers and health services. The analysis of these aspects can constitute a basis for the reorganization of health services, in search of the best response to these needs.
- Tell Me What You’ve Done, and I’ll Predict What You’ll Do: The Role of Motivation and Past Behavior in Exercise AdherencePublication . Cid, Luis; Monteiro, Diogo; Bento, Teresa; Susano Jacinto, Miguel Ângelo; Pereira dos Santos de Sousa Vitorino, Anabela; Teixeira, Diogo S.; Duarte-Mendes, Pedro; Bastos, Vasco; Couto, NunoIntroduction: The main purpose of this study was to test a hierarchical model of motivation that integrates Achievement Goal Theory and Self-Determination Theory to explain and predict exercise adherence. Method: In total, 2180 exercisers (1020 female, 1160 male) aged between 18 and 60 years, from different gyms and health clubs, completed several scales validated in exercise settings, regarding perceived motivational climate, basic psychological need satisfaction, behavioral regulation, and exercise adherence. For the last measure, weekly computer access to a control system over a 6-month period before and after data collection was consulted. Results: Through structural equation models (SEM), it was verified that (1) task-involving climate positively predicted basic psychological needs. In turn, the satisfaction of these needs predicted autonomous motivation, which led to a positive prediction of adherence; (2) a small variation in exercise adherence was explained by the motivational model under analysis. Nevertheless, models significantly improved their analytical power when past adherence was inserted in the model increasing the explained variance in future behavior from 9.2% to 64%. Conclusions: In conclusion, autonomous motivation can predict people's exercise adherence, and past behavior increases that predictive effect. The present study brings scientific evidence to the popular saying "tell me what you've done and, and I'll predict what you'll do".
- Collaborative Practices in Mental Health Care: A Concept AnalysisPublication . Pinheiro, Eslia; Laranjeira, Carlos; Harmuch, Camila; Graça, José Mateus Bezerra; Ali, Amira Mohammed; Fekih-Romdhane, Feten; Yıldırım, Murat; Severo, Ana Kalliny; Franco, ElisângelaBackground/Objectives: Collaboration in mental health care is essential for implementing a model oriented towards the psychosocial rehabilitation of people based on multifaceted interventions involving different actors and sectors of society to respond to demands. Despite the benefits presented by the scientific evidence, there are still many barriers to collaborative care, and professionals continue to struggle in reorienting their conduct. The current situation demands organization and the framing of well-founded action plans to overcome challenges, which in turn requires a detailed understanding of collaborative practices in mental health care and their conceptual boundaries. A concept analysis was undertaken to propose a working definition of collaborative practices in mental health care (CPMHC). Methods: This paper used the Walker and Avant concept analysis method. This includes identifying the defining concept attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents. A literature search was carried out from November 2024 to February 2025 in three databases (Medline, CINAHL, and LILACS), considering studies published between 2010 and 2024. Results: The final sample of literature investigated consisted of 30 studies. The key attributes were effective communication, building bonds, co-responsibility for care, hierarchical flexibility, articulation between services, providers and community, monitoring and evaluating of care processes, and attention to the plurality of sociocultural contexts. Conclusions: This comprehensive analysis contributes to guiding future research and policy development of collaborative practices in mental health, considering the individual, relational, institutional, and social levels. Further research is possible to deepen the understanding of the production of collaborative practices in mental health in the face of the complexity of social relations and structural inequities.
- Reforming Water Governance: Nordic Lessons for Southern EuropePublication . Santos, EleonoraWater governance in Europe faces mounting challenges from climate change, demographic pressures, and aging infrastructure—especially in Southern regions increasingly affected by drought and institutional fragmentation. In contrast, Nordic countries such as Denmark and Sweden exhibit coherent, integrated governance systems with strong regulatory oversight. This study introduces the Water Governance Maturity Index (WGMI), a document-based assessment tool designed to evaluate national water governance across five dimensions: institutional capacity, operational effectiveness, environmental ambition, equity, and climate adaptation. Applying the WGMI to eight EU countries—four Nordic and four Southern—reveals a persistent North–South divide in governance maturity. Nordic countries consistently score in the “advanced” or “model” range, while Southern countries face systemic gaps in implementation, climate integration, and territorial inclusion. Based on these findings, the study offers actionable policy recommendations, including the establishment of independent regulators, strengthening of river basin coordination, mainstreaming of climate-water strategies, and expansion of affordability and participation mechanisms. By translating complex governance principles into measurable indicators, the WGMI provides a practical tool for benchmarking reform progress and supporting the EU’s broader agenda for just resilience and climate adaptation. Unlike broader frameworks like SDG 6.5.1, the WGMI’s document-based, dimension-specific approach provides granular, actionable insights for governance reform, enhancing its utility for EU and global policymakers.
- Technology-mediated training programs for school health teams on special health care needs: a scoping reviewPublication . Pires, Maria do Céu Coelho Monteiro; Barbieri-Figueiredo, Maria do Céu Aguiar; Cardoso, Daniela Filipa Batista; Duque, Filipa Margarida; Tricas-Sauras, Maria Sandra; Prosen, Mirko; Menino, Eva Guilherme; Sousa, Paulino Artur Ferreira deObjective: To map technology-mediated training programs for school health teams thataddress special health needs in the school environment and to identify their characteristics.Method: The review followed the JBI methodology. Eight databases were searched forpublished and gray literature. Studies published in Portuguese, English or Spanish since2000 were included to capture emerging training programs. Results: Of the 1,106 studiesidentified, 29 were reviewed in full and eight were included in the final analysis. All studieswere carried out in the United States of America. Program topics included chronic healthconditions such as diabetes, asthma, procedures, as well as emergency situations, all aimed atschool nurses and based on a conceptual or pedagogical framework. The programs includedthematic modules of various lengths and offered online and hybrid training through variousdigital educational resources. Conclusions: Programs focused on chronic health conditionsand assessed professionals' knowledge, skill development, self-efficacy, and confidence; fewstudies provided a detailed exploration of the underlying pedagogical models and did notuse formative assessment.
- Spiritual Care Competence in Palliative Care: A Concept AnalysisPublication . Coelho, Joana; Querido, Ana; Costeira, Cristina; Laranjeira, Carlos; Carey, Lindsay B.Care is a multidimensional concept that includes spirituality as a dynamic and integrative aspect of human experience. Integrating spirituality into clinical practice enables a more comprehensive response to the full spectrum of human needs, which is why spiritual care competence emerges as an aptitude that fits the profile and skills to be developed by those working on care provision. Regrettably, not enough attention has been paid to spiritual care competence largely due to the lack of knowledge of professionals and what this entails. Therefore, this study aims to define the main attributes of the concept of Spiritual Care Competence in Palliative Care, identify its antecedents and consequences, examine its empirical referents, and clarify the conceptual boundaries. The concept analysis method of Walker and Avant was used. Main attributes were organized into three main domains: (1) intrapersonal resources, such as spiritual awareness, humility, sensitivity, confidence, wisdom, and intuition; (2) interpersonal resources, such as presence, active listening, compassion, and empathy; and (3) transpersonal resources, such as the ability to establish meaningful connections, assist in finding meaning, and explore hope. These domains can be nurtured over time but ultimately require professional maturity and experience. Antecedents of spiritual care competence include active engagement in care, formal training in spiritual care, and recognition of the individual's spiritual dimension. Consequences were identified for the person being cared for, the professional and the care environment and include suffering relief, reduced stress and anxiety, enhanced spiritual well-being, and lower healthcare costs. When spiritual care competence is intentionally cultivated and continuously developed, professionals advance toward the ideal of person-centered humanistic care, fostering better at the End-of-Life patient/family outcomes and contributing to professional satisfaction and personal fulfillment.