Stress, anxiety and depression in dental students: Impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 pandemic

Introduction: With the emergence of COVID-19, dental medicine students were faced with a new reality, as a modification of the learning methods in Dentistry colleges happened. The aim of this study was to characterise the possible effects of Covid-19 pandemic in terms of anxiety, depression, and stress among students of dentistry. Matherials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2020 and May 2021. A total of 1115 participants from a total of approximately 3000 students from the seven university institutions that teach the master's degree in dentistry in Portugal, agreed to participate. An online self-reported questionnaire was applied through Google Forms® platform. The questionnaire was divided in three sections: the students' sociodemographic characterisation, pedagogical aspects, and questions about anxiety, depression, and stress using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress-21 Scale. Results: Normal levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, were found in 41%, 36.7%, and 22.7% of the participants, respectively. Being female was the most significant and strong predictor of anxiety and stress, and for depression, not feeling fulfilled in the course they were in was the most significant variable. Conclusion: The participants presented high values of anxiety, depression, and stress, during the pandemic state. Gender and not feeling fulfilled in the course were important predictors. © 2022 The Authors. European Journal of Dental Education published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Criação massal de Ageniaspis citricola para o controle biológico da larva minadora da folha dos citros.

A larva minadora das folhas dos citros (MFC), Phyllocnistis citrella, é uma das pragas de maior importância para a citricultura mundial, pois ataca todas as variedades, principalmente plantas novas e mudas em viveiros, na qual provoca redução na taxa fotossintética, queda prematura das folhas e redução no crescimento e produtividade das plantas. A microvespa Ageniaspis citricola (microhimenoptero) é considerado o inimigo natural do MFC.PDF. 164_11

Planeamento Fiscal nas operações relativas a instrumentos financeiros derivados e a sua tributação

Mestrado em FiscalidadeEsta dissertação tem por objetivo a análise e um estudo sobre o planeamento fiscal no âmbito das Operações relativas a instrumentos financeiros derivados (doravante referido como "IFD") e a sua tributação em sede de IRS, salientando-se a importância da função e objectivo da cobertura de risco, nos termos do artigo 49.º do CIRC. De facto, trata-se de um tema actual e de grande relevância, no âmbito de um contexto económico e fiscal a nível internacional, sobre o qual muito tem sido debatido e discutido, acerca das causas nefastas, devido a um planeamento fiscal abusivo, resultando numa concorrência fiscal prejudicial e no impacto da actual crise financeira mundial. Neste trabalho, prentende-se, em primeiro lugar, efectuar uma breve e sucinta distinção entre evasão e fraude fiscais, com alusão à liberdade de gestão fiscal, os respectivos deveres de comunicação e as normas anti-abuso, enquanto balizas e barreiras ao planeamento fiscal, com vista a combater-se os mais variados e complexos esquemas de planeamento fiscal abusivo. Sem olvidar, que os instrumentos legislativos de reacção contra os comportamentos fiscais abusivos, que têm em vista evitar uma utilização abusiva das leis fiscais, tendo em conta as formas inadequadas de negócios jurídicos realizados por razões de ordem fiscal, tais como a simulação em matéria fiscal, a fraude à lei e negócios indirectos, onde nestes últimos, estão enquadrados os IDF1. Em segundo lugar, visa-se definir e caracterizar alguns IFD - os swaps, futuros e opções (incluindo-se nestes os warrants) - efectuando uma abordagem à tributação directa dos IFD no sistema fiscal português e angolano, tendo em conta as recentes alterações fiscais, nesta matéria, efectuadas em ambos os sistemas fiscais, mencionando a utilização dos mesmos como instrumentos de planeamento fiscal, assim como a possibilidade de utilização de paraísos fiscais, de forma lícita ou evasiva. Com efeito, tendo em conta o fenómeno da globalização económica que se tem manifestado, trata-se de uma matéria com grande complexidade, dada a sua problemática em termos fiscais, atendendo à «dinâmica do mercado de capitais e a oferta diversificada de instrumentos financeiros derivados»2.The aim of this dissertation is the analysis and study of tax planning in operations related to derivatives financial instruments (henceforth referred to as "DFI") and its taxation on personal income tax, highlighting the importance of the purpose and function of hedging in risk, in accordance with article 49 of the Corporate Income Tax Code. In fact, this is a current topic and of great relevance, in the context of economic and tax at an international level, on which much has been debated and discussed about the damaging effects due to abusive tax planning, resulting in harmful tax competition and the impact of the current global financial crisis. Firstly, in this work, I intend to make a brief and succinct distinction between tax avoidance and tax fraud, with reference to fiscal management freedom, their communication duties and the anti-abuse rules, as landmarks and barriers to tax planning, in order to combat the most varied and complex abusive tax planning schemes. The legislative instruments of the reaction against abusive tax behaviors, with order to avoid an abusive use of tax laws, relatively the inadequate forms of legal transactions, performed for fiscal order reasons, such as the simulation in tax matters, legis fraus and indirect business which integrate DFI. Secondly, the objective is to define and characterize some DFI - swaps, futures and options (including the warrants) - performing an approach of the DFI direct taxation in the portuguese and angolan tax system, taking into account the recent tax changes in this area, carried out in both tax systems, mentioning their utilization as tax planning instruments, as well as the possible use of tax havens, lawfully or evasively. Indeed, taking into account the economic globalization phenomenon which has manifested itself, it's a matter of great complexity, given its problematic in fiscal terms, given the dynamics of the capital market and the diversity offer of DFI

Caregiving in severe mental illness: the psychometric properties of the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire in Portugal

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the achievements of previous research, caregiving assessments in severe mental illness should be crossculturally validated in order to define risk groups or to evaluate family work. This study reports on the psychometric properties of the European version of the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire (IEQ-EU) in Portugal.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A Portuguese translation of the IEQ-EU was developed according to the 'European Psychiatric Services: Inputs Linked to Outcome Domains and Needs' (EPSILON) group guidelines. We then studied 194 caregivers who were related to patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in psychiatric outpatient services. All relatives were assessed using the IEQ-EU. In order to describe the corresponding patients' sample, the majority (n = 162) was evaluated with the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS II); 108 patients were also assessed with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The factor structure of the Portuguese version of the questionnaire was similar to the original; internal consistency was good, with Cronbach's α ranging from 0.71 to 0.87 in the IEQ-EU scales (total score and domains: tension, supervision, worrying, urging); test-retest reliability yielded intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) from 0.80 to 0.94, concerning the same scores. Ecological validity was confirmed. Most caregiving consequences were reported on the worrying domain of the IEQ-EU.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Validity and reliability of the Portuguese IEQ-EU translation were established. Specifically the four IEQ-EU subscale domains seem to be valid in Portugal.</p

Effect of oral ingestion of an extract of the herb Uncaria tomentosa on the biodistribution of sodium pertechnetate in rats

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of the oral ingestion of an extract of the herb Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) on the biodistribution of the radiobiocomplex sodium pertechnetate (Na99mTcO4) in rats. The animals (male Wistar rats, 2 months old, 180-220 g), were treated (1 mL) with an U. tomentosa extract (32 mg/mL, N = 5) or 0.9% NaCl solution (control, N = 5) for 7 days. After this period, Na99mTcO4 (3.7 MBq, 0.3 mL) was injected through the ocular plexus and after 10 min the rats were killed, the organs isolated and counted in a well-gamma counter. A significant (P < 0.05) alteration in Na99mTcO4 uptake i) from 0.57 +/- 0.008 to 0.39 +/- 0.06 %ATI/organ (P < 0.05) and from 0.57 +/- 0.17 to 0.39 +/- 0.14 %ATI/g (P < 0.05) was observed in the heart, ii) from 0.07 +/- 0.02 to 0.19 +/- 0.07 %ATI/g in the pancreas, and iii) from 0.07 +/- 0.01 to 0.18 +/- 0.07 %ATI/g (P < 0.05) in muscle after treatment with this extract. Although these results were obtained with animals, caution is advisable in the interpretation of the nuclear medicine examination when the patient is using this herb. This finding is probably an example of drug interaction with a radiopharmaceutical, a fact that could lead to misdiagnosis of the examination in clinical practice with unexpected consequences for the patient

Cork : properties, capabilities and applications

Cork is a natural, renewable, sustainable raw material that has been used for many centuries. As a result of this very long term interest, the scientific literature on cork is extensive. The present review focuses on the chemical composition, physical and mechanical properties of cork and on its products and sub-products. The substantial efforts to fully characterise cork, as well as new developments and evolving research, are reviewed, beginning with its histology, growth and morphology (at macro- and microscales). The chemical structure is analysed in detail, covering both the materials that form the wall structure and the low molecular weight, extractable components. The unique properties of cork are discussed and correlated with current knowledge on morphology and chemical structure. Finally, the important industrial applications of cork are reviewed, in the context of research to provide cork with novel, high added-value applications

BRCA1-like signature in triple negative breast cancer: Molecular and clinical characterization reveals subgroups with therapeutic potential.

Triple negative (TN) breast cancers make up some 15% of all breast cancers. Approximately 10-15% are mutant for the tumor suppressor, BRCA1. BRCA1 is required for homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair and deficiency results in genomic instability. BRCA1-mutated tumors have a specific pattern of genomic copy number aberrations that can be used to classify tumors as BRCA1-like or non-BRCA1-like. BRCA1 mutation, promoter methylation, BRCA1-like status and genome-wide expression data was determined for 112 TN breast cancer samples with long-term follow-up. Mutation status for 21 known DNA repair genes and PIK3CA was assessed. Gene expression and mutation frequency in BRCA1-like and non-BRCA1-like tumors were compared. Multivariate survival analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. BRCA1 germline mutation was identified in 10% of patients and 15% of tumors were BRCA1 promoter methylated. Fifty-five percent of tumors classified as BRCA1-like. The functions of genes significantly up-regulated in BRCA1-like tumors included cell cycle and DNA recombination and repair. TP53 was found to be frequently mutated in BRCA1-like (P < 0.05), while PIK3CA was frequently mutated in non-BRCA1-like tumors (P < 0.05). A significant association with worse prognosis was evident for patients with BRCA1-like tumors (adjusted HR = 3.32, 95% CI = 1.30-8.48, P = 0.01). TN tumors can be further divided into two major subgroups, BRCA1-like and non-BRCA1-like with different mutation and expression patterns and prognoses. Based on these molecular patterns, subgroups may be more sensitive to specific targeted agents such as PI3K or PARP inhibitors

Monitoring fungal burden and viability of Sporothrix spp. in skin lesions of cats for predicting antifungal treatment response

Skin lesions in feline sporotrichosis usually present a high fungal burden, making cats an important source of infection. This study evaluated the fungal burden and isolation in skin lesions of feline sporotrichosis during treatment with itraconazole (ITZ), combined with or without potassium iodide (KI). Treatment-naïve cats with culture-confirmed sporotrichosis and presenting skin ulcers were treated for up to 40 weeks with oral ITZ alone (n = 74) or combined with KI (n = 56). These cats were submitted to monthly sampling of the same lesion for mycological culture and cytopathology until healing of lesion or up to twelve weeks. The fungal burden was expressed as the mean yeast cell count in three microscopic fields from imprint smears. The fungal burden before treatment was significantly higher in cats in which the lesion persisted and in cases of treatment failure when using ITZ alone. After twelve weeks, the median fungal burden decreased to zero in both treatment protocols, suggesting a potential decrease in the risk of transmission of Sporothrix spp. from cats. These findings encourage the early treatment of feline sporotrichosis as a control measure. Moreover, the fungal burden in feline sporotrichosis lesions can be a prognostic indicator and a parameter for choosing appropriate therapeutic regimen