Category: Press Releases

Inconsistency of data on dog bites in Naples prevents accurate assessment of the phenomenon

Photo of a golden retriever. He is looking to the left with his mouth open. In the background, blurry bushes and grass.

Dogs are quite popular domestic animals around the world, yet their bite is a major public health problem. From the analysis of data on dog bites in Naples, serious and profound inconsistencies were found, revealing structural and significant weaknesses in the current data collection system. Read More →

Evaluation of technology for preventing surgical site infection

Text in portuguese: “Toalhas impregnadas com gluconato de clorexidina na prevenção da infecção do sítio cirúrgico: ensaio clínico randomizado piloto”, “Fernanda de Oliveira Andrade” and “Vanessa de Brito Poveda”.

Surgical site infections affect the recovery of patients and exert impact on the health and lives of those affected. Among the possible practices for preventing surgical wound infection, the use of chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated disposable cloth in the preoperative preparation of the skin of patients did not show benefits. Read More →

Chatbot assists nurses in the assessment of arteriovenous fistula in hemodialysis patients

Two screenshots of a conversation with the FAViana chatbot arranged side by side. On the left, the chat logo, a smiling robot. In the text, the virtual assistant introduces herself and asks the person some information about arteriovenous fistulas.

The content of a protocol for assessment of fistula maturation was used to build the knowledge base of a chatbot called “FAViana”. The chatbot prototype will offer an innovative alternative for the implementation of the nursing process in the care of nephrological patients. Read More →

Predictive factors for permanent congenital hypothyroidism was shown by a real-life study in Brazil

Photo: A doctor is holding a baby on an office table. She is smiling and looking at the baby. Baby looks at the camera and seems to bite a finger.

Congenital hypothyroidism can be permanent (PCH) or transient. A real-life retrospective trial aimed to determine predictive factors for PCH and verify its prevalence changes over time. It discovered the most important PCH predictors are the initial thyroid-stimulating hormone serum (TSH) and the blood spot TSH. Read More →

A shattered organisational culture or the effects of temporality within the school context

An hourglass with falling sand (most of the sand is at the bottom). In the background is a blurred photo of a classroom. You can see the room clearly through the glass of the hourglass.

Within the context of the culture of school organizations in Portugal, the effects of the New Public Management and the digitalization of education on the development of fragmented forms of culture were enhanced by the increased individualism, adherence to instrumental logics of action, and a diminished sense of belonging to the organization. Read More →

Planting trees on degraded pastures might improve the recovery of the soil

Photo of a man in a laboratory. He is standing in front of a table with equipment and a grid with several tubes. He holds one of the tubes with a tool and uses a tool inside the container.

The conversion of degraded pastures to forest legumes and soil depth promoted changes in the chemical composition of carbon. Through chemical carbon fractionation it is possible to detect in a fast and promising way soil chemical changes caused by land use and management techniques. Read More →

Water use in coconut crop can be more efficient during drought with deficit irrigation

Well-lit photo of a coconut tree with at least 10 coconuts on the tree and very wide leaves. On the ground, grass, soil, and two piles of coconuts (about 30 coconuts).

Sustained deficit irrigation can increase the efficiency of water use in dwarf coconut irrigation, but significantly reduces its productivity. The use of this technique is only economically justified in situations of restricted water supply for irrigation, as occurs during droughts in the Brazilian Northeast. Read More →

Ionospheric scintillation monitoring networks contribute to Global Navigation Satellite System

Composition with (1) a map of Brazil with colored polka dots in different cities; (2) small tables representing each month of the year 2014 and marked with colors; (3) a graphic with the title "Station SJCU (GPS) having elev ≥20"; (4) a graphic with lines that oscillate up and down; and (5) a photo of a cylindrical structure with a triangular top in an open space with grass.

The positioning and air navigation system using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is affected by ionospheric scintillations. To mitigate these effects, it is necessary to study the characteristics of these scintillations using data generated by scintillation monitor networks, in order to describe the main characteristics of these networks. Read More →

Homeostasis model assessment is negatively associated with the clamp-derived insulin sensitivity index in adolescents

Photo: a hand holding a glucose meter and pointing to a finger of the other hand. In the background, a glucose monitor.

The increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents is a health concern. Therefore, a valid and accessible method of assessing insulin resistance in this age group must be developed to monitor its progression and identifying adolescents at risk of developing associated factors. Read More →

HPV infection may not be responsible for prostate cancer, but it’s better to prevent

Photo of a man lying on a hospital equipment. Two health professionals are beside him. A metal plate is over the man's body.

Since effective vaccines against HPV already exist, understanding the dynamics between papillomavirus and prostate cancer is relevant because it can contribute to the development of strategies for prevention and early diagnosis, although prospective analysis does not clearly demonstrate a relationship. Read More →