Abuse among Portuguese older people at a time of economic crisis recovery: findings from the Harmed study

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of abuse against Portuguese older people after an economic crisis and to assess how it has influenced health. A cross-sectional study was carried out including 677 older adults (≥60 years) during 2017. Results show that overall, 23.9% of older people reported being a victim of abuse in the last 12 months. The prevalence of psychological abuse was 19.9%, financial abuse 5.8%, physical abuse 2.5% and sexual abuse 1.9%. Older people who report abuse were more likely to have perceived insufficient income and low social support. The abuse was also significantly associated with poor health status and depressive symptoms. Even in an auspicious period, more than a fifth of older people experiences abuse which is associated with social and health vulnerabilities. These results support that an investment should be made in terms of policies toward an age-friendly environment.

Effect of two oral formulations of cannabidiol on responses to emotional stimuli in healthy human volunteers: pharmaceutical vehicle matters

OBJECTIVE

To compare plasma concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD) following oral administration of two formulations of the drug (powder and dissolved in oil), and to evaluate the effects of these distinct formulations on responses to emotional stimuli in healthy human volunteers.

METHODS

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group design, 45 healthy male volunteers were randomly assigned to three groups of 15 subjects that received either 150 mg of CBD powder; 150 mg of CBD dissolved in corn oil; or placebo. Blood samples were collected at different times after administration, and a facial emotion recognition task was completed after 150 min.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences across groups in the subjective and physiological measures, nor in the facial emotion recognition task. However, groups that received the drug showed statistically significant differences in baseline measures of plasma CBD, with a significantly greater difference in favor of the oil formulation.

CONCLUSION

When administered as a single 150-mg dose, neither formulation of oral CBD altered responses to emotional stimuli in healthy subjects. The oil-based CBD formulation resulted in more rapid achievement of peak plasma level, with an approximate fourfold increase in oral bioavailability.

“How many likes?”: The use of social media, body image insatisfaction and disordered eating

Introduction

Social media use has grown exponentially over the past few years, having a key role in communication among our youngsters. The impact of social media in mental health is still unclear. While some studies advocate that it increases social support and general satisfaction, others associate social media with the development of mental health issues. Social media can also perform some pressure regarding body image and eating behavior, caused by the idealistic appearance shown there in a very visual way.

Objectives

This review intends to identify the existing evidence regarding social media use, its impact on body image and eating behavior.

Methods

Search performed on May 11, 2020, including articles published since January 1st, 2006, written in Portuguese, English, Spanish and French. We used the MeSH terms ‘Body dissatisfaction’, ‘Body image’, ‘Feeding and eating disorders’, ‘Eating behaviors’ and ‘Social media’. The quality and strength of recommendation of the articles were evaluated using the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) scale from the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Results

716 articles were initially found. Eight were selected: two systematic reviews, three cohort studies, two cross-sectional studies and one observational study.

Conclusions

This review presents studies that establish a correlation between social media use, body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating. However, methodological and population heterogeneity can compromise the conclusions observed. With the current evidence, we can conclude that there is a relationship between the use of social media and changes in body image and/or eating behaviors in adolescents and young adults (SORT B).

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

The impact of the winery's wastewater treatment system on the winery water footprint

In the Mediterranean region, water scarcity has already prompted concern in the wine sector due to the strong impact it has on vineyard productivity and wine quality. Water footprint is an indicator that takes account of all the water involved in the creation of a product and may help producers to identify hotspots, and reduce water consumption and the corresponding production costs. In recent years several studies have been reported on wine water footprint determination, but mostly focused on the viticulture phase or assuming no grey water footprint at the winery since it has a treatment system. In the framework of the WineWaterFootprint project a medium-size winery was monitored, with direct measurements, regarding determination of the blue and grey components of water footprint. The determined winery water footprint ranged from 9.6 to 12.7 L of water per wine bottle of 0.75 L, the wastewater produced being responsible for about 98%, which means that the grey component cannot be disregarded. The developed scenarios show that a potential reduction of 87% in winery water footprint can be obtained with almost no investment. The challenge of reducing the grey footprint is not in technology development, but rather in the proper maintenance and monitoring of treatment systems.

Efecto de los cultivos autóctonos en la producción de Paio, un embutido curado tradicional portugués

En los países mediterráneos, como Portugal, los embutidos curados tradicionales son muy apreciados. A menudo se siguen fabricando en pequeñas unidades de procesamiento, de acuerdo con los procedimientos tradicionales. Los objetivos del presente estudio fueron evaluar el efecto de diferentes cultivos iniciadores y su concentración óptima, para reducir la carga microbiana y las aminas biogénicas en productos finales, con el objetivo de mejorar la seguridad de los embutidos sin deteriorar la aceptación sensorial. pH, aw, perfil microbiológico, aminas biogénicas, análisis del perfil de color y textura fueron evaluados. Las cepas y las concentraciones a utilizar, se seleccionaron en base a resultados previos: Staphylococcus xylosus, Lactobacillus sakei y una cepa de levadura a una concentración de 106 ufc / g de masa de carne cada una, se añadió 0,25% de dextrosa. Siempre se utilizó un lote control sin cultivos iniciadores. Los valores de aw fueron menores en los embutidos inoculados. En general, los valores de pH fueron ligeramente superiores en los embutidos inoculados. El tratamiento con L. sakei solo fue el más efectivo en la reducción del nivel de contaminación con L. monocytogenes, sin embargo este efecto parece perderse en cultivos mixtas. La inoculación, disminuyó generalmente el contenido de putrescina, de cadaverina y de tiramina. La inoculación de levadura parece contribuir al color más oscuro de los Paios. Con respecto a la textura, el Paio control demostró valores más altos de la dureza.

Social representations of smoking behaviour in 13-year-old adolescents

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify adolescents' social representations on smoking using a qualitative approach.

METHODS

Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted by trained interviewers. The interviews were recorded with participant's permission after our comprehensive explanation of the interview process. After transcript the content of each interview, information was synthesised under each of main question, and a conceptual content analysis was undertaken. The analysis was performed by two of the authors, and the conflicts were resolved by a third person.

RESULTS

Adolescents suggested different explanations for general people and adolescent smoking behaviour. While in general people smoking behaviour was mostly related to dependence, in adolescence it is referred to be associated with status improving among peers and to keep up social relations. We realised that adolescents are aware of the serious health implications of smoking, but they only referred it as a long-term effect in adulthood and no consequences during adolescence were for seen. We also noted the difficulties in giving preventive measures targeted on adolescents.

CONCLUSION

This study points out the importance of peers as agents of socialization in tobacco consumption, and shows the importance of anti-smoking campaigns among this age group with emphasis on smoking consequences in adolescence.

Effects of resistance training on cytokines

It is speculated that exercise training decreases resting levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and C-reactive protein (CRP); reduces body mass and leptin (LP); and increases adiponectin (AD) and insulin sensitivity. This systematic review analyzed the effectiveness of resistance training (RT) longitudinal clinical studies on AD, LP, CRP and TNF-alpha. Seventeen studies were included and the majority of randomized controlled trials support that RT produces increases in AD, and decreases in both LP and CRP. Greater responses in AD and LP were evident in overweight and obese individuals; while RT appeared to be effective in reducing CRP in obese individuals, and older adults. Additionally, women may be more responsive to RT effects on AD, LP and CRP. Training duration and intensity may affect the response of AD and CRP with greater responses shown with 16 weeks or more of training and/or with intensities greater than 80% of one repetition maximum. No response to RT of TNF-alpha levels was apparent. Although based on a limited number of studies, some of which are uncontrolled non-randomized in design, our review suggests some positive effects of RT programs on cytokine levels, but specifics of the responses in different populations need further elucidation.

Paraovarian tumor of borderline malignancy - a case report

A case of a 23-year-old woman with a paraovarian tumor is presented. The patient complained of pelvic pain and abdominal swelling. Cystectomy was the initial surgical treatment, but after the histological diagnosis, a staging surgery was carried out. The clinical aspects and subsequent management of related cases are discussed, and a literature review is made.

Endometrioid adenocarcinoma arising in endometriosis foci six years after estrogen replacement therapy: a case report

We present a case of a 53-year-old woman who developed an endometrioid adenocarcinoma six years after total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), who was on estrogenic-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Paraovarian tumor of borderline malignancy – a case report

A case of a 23-year-old woman with a paraovarian tumor is presented. The patient complained of pelvic pain and abdominal swelling. Cystectomy was the initial surgical treatment, but after the histological diagnosis, a staging surgery was carried out. The clinical aspects and subsequent management of related cases are discussed, and a literature review is made.

Transvaginal ultrasonography and hysteroscopy in postmenopausal bleeding: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the diagnostic value of transvaginal ultrasonography and hysteroscopy in patients with postmenopausal bleeding.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Between January 1, 1998 and June 30, 1999, 88 outpatient women with postmenopausal bleeding were enrolled in a prospective study. They underwent transvaginal ultrasonography and hysteroscopy, and were submitted to directed biopsy during hysteroscopy. Findings were classified as normal endometrium, suggestive of atrophy, focal abnormality (benign or suspicious), and diffuse thickness (benign or suspicious). Data was compared with the final diagnosis, established by histological examination, as atrophy, benign pathology, atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma.

RESULTS

Among 88 women enrolled, 15 were excluded because hysteroscopy was impossible, and four had abandoned the study. The histological findings were scanty material in 12 (17.4%), atrophy in 24 (34.8%), cystic atrophy in one (1.4%), normal endometrium in five (7.2%), tuberculous endometritis in one (1.4%), polyps in 12 (17.4%), leiomyoma in one (1.4%), non-atypical hyperplasia in three (4.3%), atypical hyperplasia in one (1.4%) and endometrial carcinoma in nine cases (13.0%). For the assessment of endometrial carcinoma, ultrasonography revealed sensitivity 77.8%, specificity 93.3%, positive predictive value 63.6%, negative predictive value 96.6%; and hysteroscopy revealed sensitivity of 88.9%, specificity 98.3%, positive predictive value 88.9%, negative predictive value 98.3%. The combined use of both methods revealed sensitivity 100%, specificity 91.7%, positive predictive value 64.3%, negative predictive value 100%.

CONCLUSIONS

Both imagiological methods were found to be useful screening tests for endometrial carcinoma. Hysteroscopy was a superior diagnostic procedure.

[Comparison of coronary arteriosclerosis in patients with myocardial infarction and angina pectoris]

PURPOSE

To compare the severity of the coronary heart disease and the presence of coronary risk factors between angina and myocardial infarction (MI) patients.

METHODS

We studied 62 patients with MI and 129 with angina through coronary angiography to evaluate occlusion (lesion of 99% or 100%), extent (with a score of 0-5 derived by the number of vessels affected) and severity (3 groups of different stenosis degrees). Two experiment observers blindly interpreted the angiograms.

RESULTS

Patients with MI had more occlusions (50% vs 13.2% [p < 0.01]), more severity (79% vs 54.3% with > 90% stenosis [p < 0.02]) and more extent (2.0 vs 0.87; [p < 0.001]), even when controlled for current coronary risk factors and disease duration. Smoking was the only independent risk factor related to MI (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Among the studied patients, coronary heart disease extent and severity was greater in the MI group, as well as the prevalence smoking.

Acromesomelic dwarfism: a new variation

The rate skeletal disorder, acromesomelic dwarfism, is characterized by short stature and short limbs. Bone dysplasia is evident. We report two cases of a variation of this disorder in a Portuguese woman and her son. The clinical features of these two cases differ from those of cases previously reported in the literature.