Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Ajka Pribisalic, Romana Popovic, Fiorella Pia Salvatore, Maja Vatavuk, Marija Masanovic, Caroline Hayward, Ozren Polasek, Ivana Kolcic
Summary: The Mediterranean diet has been found to be beneficial for humans and the environment, but recent studies show a declining trend in adherence, particularly among younger and less affluent individuals. Factors associated with better adherence include female gender, older age, and higher material status, with a decrease seen after the 2007-2008 economic crisis. While adherence to the diet did not significantly change over time in the study, there was an increase in BMI for the subsample. Factors like gender, age, education, and physical activity were positively associated with adherence to the diet, while initial adherence and initial BMI were negatively correlated with BMI change.
Article
Demography
Valeria Ferraretto, Agnese Vitali
Summary: Leaving the parental home is an important milestone in young people's transition to adulthood. The association between parental socioeconomic status (SES) and the age at leaving home varies across European countries, with stronger effects seen in Southern and Eastern Europe compared to Western and Nordic countries. The study also found that between-country variation in the association is more significant than within-country variation, suggesting country-specific factors and other unobserved factors may play a role in home-leaving age.
POPULATION SPACE AND PLACE
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Michael Georgoulis, Ekavi N. Georgousopoulou, Christina Chrysohoou, Christos Pitsavos, Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos
Summary: This study examines the changes in adherence to the Mediterranean diet among Greek adults and finds a decline in adherence. People who adhere closely to the Mediterranean diet have better health outcomes and lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Beatrice Biasini, Alice Rosi, Davide Menozzi, Francesca Scazzina
Summary: The study found an intermediate level of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Italian adults, with only half of the participants acknowledging it as a sustainable dietary model. Most participants declared no or low perception of adopting a sustainable diet. Factors influencing high adherence scores to the Mediterranean Diet include being female, having higher income and education levels, considering the Mediterranean Diet as a sustainable dietary model, and self-perception of having a sustainable diet.
Article
Ecology
Iris E. Hendriks, Anna Escolano-Molto, Susana Flecha, Raquel Vaquer-Sunyer, Marlene Wesselmann, Nuria Marba
Summary: The increasing rates of CO2 due to human activities are causing potential climate threats for the Mediterranean Sea, including ocean acidification and warming. Two seagrass species, Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa, are important in mitigating climate change in this region. Seagrasses act as carbon sinks, balancing pH values during the day and storing carbon in the sediment. However, data on these processes are scattered and collected using different methodologies, making interpretation and generalization challenging. This study compares two methodologies, benthic chambers and multiparametric sensors, to analyze seagrass community metabolism and evaluate trends for these two species.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Liza A. Hoveling, Aart C. Liefbroer, Ute Bultmann, Nynke Smidt
Summary: Education and occupational prestige were inversely associated with MetS, while income was not related. Health behaviors played a partial role in explaining these associations, with smoking and physical activity being the key factors. Individuals with higher SEP had a lower risk of MetS mainly due to non-smoking, less excessive alcohol intake, and better diet quality, despite being less physically active.
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Miguel Leal, Paul Hudson, Shifteh Mobini, Johanna Sorensen, Paulo Miguel Madeira, Max Tesselaar, Jose Luis Zezere
Summary: This study examines the role of natural hazard insurance in Sweden and Portugal, showing that a large portion of weather and climate-related damage was not covered by insurance. It also analyzes the affordability of insurance in different regions and explores the impact of terrain features on flooding. More detailed data on insurance, flooding, and socioeconomic conditions are needed for better risk assessments.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Urte Klink, Jutta Mata, Roland Frank, Benjamin Schuez
Summary: A study in Germany found that individuals with higher socioeconomic status are more likely to adopt sustainable and health-conscious dietary behaviors. Educational attainment is the strongest and most consistent predictor of sustainable dietary choices.
FRONTIERS IN NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Tahani Boumenna, Tammy M. Scott, Jong-Soo Lee, Xiyuan Zhang, David Kriebel, Katherine L. Tucker, Natalia Palacios
Summary: Adherence to the MIND diet was associated with better cognitive function over 8 years of follow-up, but did not affect the 8-year cognitive trajectory. Educational level, income status, and job complexity were significantly associated with cognitive function, but did not modify the relationship between the MIND diet and cognition.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Sara Moreira, Pedro Moreira, Ana S. Sousa, Rita S. Guerra, Claudia Afonso, Alejandro Santos, Nuno Borges, Teresa F. Amaral, Patricia Padrao
Summary: This study analyzed data from elderly Portuguese adults and found that a high adherence to the Mediterranean Diet was associated with excessive sodium excretion in men, highlighting the importance of implementing strategies to reduce sodium intake for those following a Mediterranean Diet.
Article
Business
Sarah Meier, Robert J. R. Elliott, Eric Strobl
Summary: We estimated the impact of wildfires on GDP growth rate and employment in Southern Europe from 2011 to 2018. By matching economic data with burned area perimeters, we found that experiencing at least one wildfire led to a decrease in annual GDP growth rate and a significant production loss for Southern Europe. Furthermore, the impact on employment growth rate varied across economic activity types.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Cecile A. Obeid, Jessica S. Gubbels, Doris Jaalouk, Stef P. J. Kremers, Anke Oenema
Summary: This study provides an overview of adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the general adult population of Mediterranean countries. The findings suggest that there is moderate adherence to the Mediterranean diet in these countries, with room for improvement.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Justyna Godos, Giuseppe Grosso, Raffaele Ferri, Filippo Caraci, Giuseppe Lanza, Wahidah H. Al-Qahtani, Giuseppe Caruso, Sabrina Castellano
Summary: Studies show that adhering to the Mediterranean diet is associated with better mental and cognitive health, quality of life, and successful aging in middle-age and older adults. The results of this study indicate that individuals who adhere to the Mediterranean diet are less likely to have cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms, and are more likely to have good quality of life, good sleep quality, and successful aging.
EXPERIMENTAL GERONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Liza A. Hoveling, Aart C. Liefbroer, Ute Bultmann, Nynke Smidt
Summary: Higher education and income are positively associated with MetS remission, with education having a partial mediation effect through healthier behaviors. However, income is directly associated with MetS remission irrespective of health behaviors, while occupational prestige shows no significant association.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Adoracion Navarro-Torne, Eva Agostina Montuori, Vasiliki Kossyvaki, Cristina Mendez
Summary: The study found that the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal pneumonia in Spain was significantly higher than in Italy, and the indirect protective effects of vaccination for children were apparent.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Nuno M. P. Mendonca, Linda M. Hengeveld, Nancy Presse, Helena Canhao, Eleanor Simonsick, Stephen B. Kritchevsky, Samaneh Farsijani, Pierrette Gaudreau, Carol Jagger, Marjolein Visser
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between protein intake and grip strength, as well as the interaction between protein intake and physical activity, in relation to the rate of grip strength decline in older adults. The findings showed no evidence to support the hypothesis that higher protein intake, alone or in combination with higher physical activity, slowed the rate of grip strength decline in older adults.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Helena Santos, Ana Rita Henriques, Jaime Branco, Pedro M. Machado, Helena Canhao, Fernando M. Pimentel-Santos, Ana Maria Rodrigues
Summary: The study found that both spondyloarthritis and chronic low back pain have similar impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), including mental, physical, and social domains. Patients with spondyloarthritis and chronic low back pain reported significantly lower HRQoL compared to those without rheumatic diseases. Modifiable factors such as multimorbidity, active disease, obesity, and regular physical exercise were associated with HRQoL in these conditions.
QUALITY OF LIFE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Orthopedics
Daniela Costa, Eduardo B. Cruz, David G. Lopes, Catarina Nunes da Silva, Ana Rita Henriques, Diogo Luis, Jaime Branco, Helena Canhao, Ana M. Rodrigues
Summary: Pain due to knee and/or hip osteoarthritis is a common reason for seeking healthcare. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of unmanageable pain levels among people with osteoarthritis, identify factors associated with unmanageable pain, and compare therapeutic strategies used by individuals with unmanageable pain versus manageable pain.
BMC MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Diogo Azevedo, Ana Maria Rodrigues, Helena Canhao, Alexandra M. Carvalho, Andre Souto
Summary: This paper introduces a similarity measure method called normalized compression distance (NCD), which is based on compression and can be used to construct the initial distance matrix for clustering methods. The authors propose a Python module called Zgli, which allows users to compute the NCD between files in a given folder. The results demonstrate that compression by column can achieve better clustering results for tabular data, and the categorical encoder can enhance the processing of categorical data.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Joao Pedro Ferreira, Adelino Leite-Moreira, Altamiro da Costa-Pereira, Antonio Jose Soares, Carlos Robalo-Cordeiro, Carmen Jeronimo, Cristina Gavina, Fausto J. Pinto, Fernando Schmitt, Francisca Saraiva, Francisco Vasques-Novoa, Helena Canhao, Henrique Cyrne-Carvalho, Isabel Palmeirim, Joana Pimenta, Joao Eurico Cabral Da Fonseca, Joao Firmino-Machado, Jorge Correia Pinto, Lino Goncalves, Miguel Castelo Branco, Nuno Sousa, Ricardo Fontes de Carvalho, Teresa Machado Luciano, Tiago Gil Oliveira, Catarina Resende Oliveira
Summary: Portugal has a chronic problem of underfunding in scientific research. Despite increasing national investment in recent years, it is still significantly insufficient. Clinical medicine, immunology, and multicenter epidemiological and cohort studies, which have huge potential for return on investment in clinical trials, are not given priority in the National Health Plan in Portugal, and researcher initiated studies in these fields are underfunded.
ACTA MEDICA PORTUGUESA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Luis Antunes Gomes, Ana Maria Rodrigues, Jaime Branco, Helena Canhao, Eduardo Brazete Cruz
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the courses of chronic low back pain (CLBP), its cumulative impact, and the indicators for the persistence of pain. The results showed that patients with CLBP could follow a persistent or relapsing course of pain in the long-term. Being female, presenting depressive symptoms, having a manual job, and higher disability at baseline were predictors of a persistent course of LBP.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Sara Reis Moura, Jaime Freitas, Claudia Ribeiro-Machado, Jorge Lopes, Nuno Neves, Helena Canhao, Ana Maria Rodrigues, Mario Adolfo Barbosa, Maria Ines Almeida
Summary: This study decodes the regulatory network of the lncRNA H19 on the extracellular matrix (ECM) and reveals its impact on bone regeneration. Inhibition of H19 expression results in decreased ECM density and collagen content, and promotes adipogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived stem cells. Furthermore, H19 is targeted by miR-29c, which is downregulated in osteoporotic bone tissue and affects MSC proliferation and collagen production. These findings suggest that H19 is a potential therapeutic target for controlling cell behavior and engineering the bone ECM.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
David G. Lopes, Nuno Mendonca, Ana Rita Henriques, Jaime Branco, Helena Canhao, Ana M. Rodrigues
Summary: This study examines the health trajectories of Portuguese older adults over a 10-year period and identifies associated sociodemographic, lifestyle factors and multimorbidity status. The findings show that physical disability increased and health-related quality of life declined with advancing age. Women had worse health at baseline but exhibited similar rates of change compared to men. Higher education and regular exercise were associated with better health outcomes, while multimorbidity and excess weight were associated with worse outcomes. This research provides valuable insights for resource allocation, healthcare improvement, and public health policymaking in Portugal.
Article
Rheumatology
Helena Santos, Ana R. Henriques, Pedro M. Machado, Clementina Lopez-Medina, Maxime Dougados, Helena Canhao, Ana M. Rodrigues, Fernando Pimentel-Santos
Summary: The study identifies the determinants of health-related quality of life and global functioning and health in patients with axial SpA, peripheral SpA, and PsA. Disease activity and physical function were found to be major factors influencing HRQoL and GH across different types of SpA. Clinical characteristics and sociodemographic factors also play an important role, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach for individual patients.
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Silvia Rego, Ana Rita Henriques, Sofia Silverio Serra, Teresa Costa, Ana Maria Rodrigues, Francisco Nunes
Summary: This paper presents the protocol for a scoping review that aims to map the existing methods for the clinical validation of digital endpoints. The scoping review will include searches from various electronic literature databases and gray literature sources. The review will provide a systematic assessment of the literature on methods for the clinical validation of digital endpoints and highlight any potential need for harmonization or reporting of methods.
JMIR RESEARCH PROTOCOLS
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
David G. Lopes, Daniela Costa, Eduardo B. Cruz, Nuno Mendonca, Ana Rita Henriques, Jaime Branco, Helena Canhao, Ana M. Rodrigues
Summary: This study analyzed the impact of long-term physical activity on physical function and health-related quality of life in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis. The results showed that frequent and very frequent physical activity were associated with improved physical function and health-related quality of life over time. These findings emphasize the importance of maintaining regular physical activity to optimize quality of life and physical function.
ARTHRITIS RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2023)
