Incidence and Health Related Quality of Life of Opioid-Induced Constipation in Chronic Noncancer Pain Patients: A Prospective Multicentre Cohort Study

High rates of opioid use for chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) have been reported worldwide, despite its association with adverse events, inappropriate use, and limited analgesic effect. Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is the most prevalent and disabling adverse effect associated with opioid therapy. Our aim was to assess the incidence, health related quality of life (HRQOL), and disability in OIC patients.This work was supported by intramural funds from the Chair on Pain Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, and by projects “Porto Neurosciences and Neurologic Disease Research Initiative at i3S” (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000008) and “NanoSTIMA” (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000016), which are financed by the North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, and through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A new approach to the Sachs-Wolfe effect

We present a new approach to the Sachs-Wolfe effect, which is based on the dynamics of photons in a space and time varying gravitational field. We consider the influence of plasma dispersion effects on photon propagation, and establish the limits of validity of the usual results of the standard cosmological approach, for the large scale temperature anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background. New dynamical contributions to the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect are also discussed.Comment: 5 page

A new approach to the Sachs-Wolfe effect

We present a new approach to the Sachs-Wolfe effect, which is based on the dynamics of photons in a space and time varying gravitational field. We consider the influence of plasma dispersion effects on photon propagation, and establish the limits of validity of the usual results of the standard cosmological approach, for the large scale temperature anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background. New dynamical contributions to the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect are also discussed.Comment: 5 page

Association of physical activity with physical function and quality of life in people with hip and knee osteoarthritis: longitudinal analysis of a population-based cohort

Hip and knee osteoarthritis (HKOA) is a chronic disease characterized by joint pain that leads to reduced physical function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). At present, no cure is available. Clinical trials indicate that people with HKOA benefit from physical activity in several health-related outcomes. However, few studies have evaluated the long-term positive effect of regular physical activity. This study analyzed participants with HKOA from a nationwide population-based cohort (EpiDoC Cohort) to assess the impact of physical activity on patients' physical function and HRQoL over a long-term follow-up. The regular weekly frequency of intentional physical activity was self-reported as non-frequent (0 times/week), frequent (1-2 times/week), or very frequent (≥ 3 times/week). This study followed 1086 participants over a mean period of 4.7 ± 3.4 years, during which 6.3% and 14.9% of participants reported frequent and very frequent physical activity, respectively. Using linear mixed models, we found that frequent (β = - 0.101 [- 0.187, - 0.016]; β = 0.039 [- 0.002, 0.080]) and very frequent physical activity (β = - 0.061 [- 0.118, - 0.004]; β = 0.057 [0.029, 0.084]) were associated with improved physical function and HRQoL over time, respectively, when compared with non-frequent exercise, adjusting for years to baseline, sex, age, years of education, body mass index, multimorbidity, hospitalizations, clinical severity, and unmanageable pain levels. These findings raise awareness of the importance of maintaining exercise/physical activity long term to optimize HRQoL and physical function. Further studies must address barriers and facilitators to improve the adoption of regular physical activity among citizens with HKOA.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Characteristics and outcomes of heart failure hospitalization before implementation of a heart failure clinic: The PRECIC study

Objective: This study aims to characterize patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (HF) in an internal medicine department and their one-year mortality and rate of rehospitalization for decompensated HF. Methods: This retrospective observational study enrolled all patients discharged in 2012 after hospitalization for acute HF. Discharge summaries, clinical records and telephone interviews were analysed. The data reports to the year before implementation of a heart failure clinic. Results: Four hundred and twenty-nine patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 79 years, 62.5% female. The most prevalent comorbidity and etiology was hypertension (86.7%) and the most frequent decompensation trigger was infection. HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) was present in 70.5%. In-hospital mortality was 7.9%. At discharge more than half of the patients were prescribed beta-blockers (52.8%) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (52%). Women presented a significantly higher proportion of HFpEF than men (75.3% vs. 62.7%, p=0.01). Patients with diabetes and those with ischemic etiology had significantly higher pro-portions of HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) (34.8% vs. 24.3% in non-diabetic patients,p=0.027, and 56.2% vs. 15.6% for other etiologies, p<0.001). The HFrEF group were more fre-quently discharged under beta-blockers and spironolactone (75.2% vs. 46.4% in the HFpEF group,p<0.001 and 31.2% vs. 12.6% in the HFpEF group, p<0.001, respectively). Mortality was 34.3%and rehospitalization for HF was 30.5% in one-year follow-up.Conclusions: The population characterized is an elderly one, mainly female and with HFpEF.Nearly a third of patients died and/or were rehospitalized in the year following discharge

FruitFlyProtec - Melhorar o combate a moscas da fruta por monitorização e avaliação de eficácia de meios de proteção alternativos para Ceratitis capitata e Drosophila suzukii e avaliação do risco de introdução e distribuição potencial para Bactrocera dorsalis

Este projeto tem como objetivos: - Para Drosophila suzukii propõe-se (i) desenvolver métodos expeditos para monitorizar populações em diferentes condições ecológicas; (ii) identificar os principais fatores de risco como hospedeiros alternativos às culturas (repositórios); (iii) definir estratégias de proteção da cultura, em especial medidas preventivas e avaliação de eficácia de técnicas de captura em massa ou outros meios de proteção inovadores; - Para Ceratitis capitata pretende-se realizar a prospeção e avaliação da atividade e eficácia de limitação por predadores e parasitóides, avaliação de iscos, armadilhas e extratos de plantas com bioatividade; - Para Bactrocera dorsalis pretende-se identificar os fatores de risco e a distribuição geográfica potencial no Continente e nas Regiões Autónomas dos Açores e Madeira, tendo em conta as condições ótimas e limitantes do seu desenvolvimento e voo e os hospedeiros potenciais – zonagem de risco potencial.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio