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- Adherence to the mediterranean diet and the risk of metabolic syndrome: a preliminary studyPublication . Alves, Sara Elisa Brás; Monteiro, António M.; Fernandes, Adília; Fernandes, Hélder; Vaz, Josiana A.; Pereira, Ana Maria Geraldes Rodrigues; Mendes, EugéniaThe Mediterranean Diet has been widely recognized for its protective effects against cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (Zazpe et al., 2008). Metabolic syndrome, often defined as the simultaneous occurrence of health-related risk factors, is a growing concern in ageing populations (Swarup et al., 2024). Understanding how dietary patterns influence metabolic health in older adults is essential for promoting healthy ageing and preventing disease. Objectives: To explore the association between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and health-related risk factors among older adults. Methods: A crosssectional study was employed. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect participant data and assessed for sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported health status, presence of chronic diseases. Diet adherence was evaluated through the PREDIMED instrument (Zazpe et al., 2008). Metabolic Syndrome was inferred following cut-off values defined by The Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Cleeman, 2001). Blood collection for laboratory tests was performed following WHO guidelines. Informed consent obtained from all participants. Study approved by Ethical Council of Unidade Local de Saúde do Nordeste, Nº41/2024. Results: Ten participants, aged 69 to 81, adhere to the study. Most were female (90%), with 70% reporting at least one chronic disease. Abdominal obesity was noted in 40%, and 10% had elevated triglycerides, while 20% had high blood pressure. Approximately 50% of individuals exhibited a high level of Diet adherence, while 40% demonstrated moderate and low adherence. No participants met the criteria for Metabolic Syndrome. Statistically significant associations were found between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and the presence of chronic disease (r=0.869, p<0.01), and an inverse correlation with Mediterranean Diet score and the number of Metabolic Syndrome criteria (r=–0.707, p<0.05). Moreover, the Mediterranean diet score was inversely associated with cholesterol (r=–0.740, p<0.05). Conclusions: While no participants fulfilled the criteria for metabolic syndrome, individual risk factors were present in the sample. Higher adherence to the Mediterranean Diet was associated with fewer metabolic risk factors and better overall health indicators. These preliminary findings suggest that dietary patterns may play a key role in the metabolic health of older adults and warrant further investigation with a larger sample.
- Let´s get inclusivePublication . Cunha, Beatriz; Galvão, Ana Maria; Chumbo, Isabel; Anes, EugéniaIn Portugal, higher education has been undergoing changes related to globalization and democratization of access on the one hand and, on the other hand, to the expansion and diversification of the training offer. The increase in the number of foreign students brings greater diversity in terms of their individual, social, economic and cultural characteristics. Figures made available to Lusa by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, confirm that the number of PALOP students has increased by 170% in five years, from 7.355 to almost 19.993, The number of students from Portuguese-speaking African countries in higher education in Portugal has almost tripled in five years, but many face difficulties and there are high levels of dropouts, warns Miguel Chaves from the New University of Lisbon, stressing that the communication difficulties of these students are reflected in a "big problem", namely in terms of academic success. With diversity comes new challenges, which include: a greater demand to ensure effective higher education for all; the need for culturally inclusive and responsive teaching, with a focus on promoting equity, equality, and respect for diversity; and creating a space that allows different people to learn differently [1]. The challenge: to highlight the need to provide sustainable psychosocial support to students from PALOP countries. The approach and process: the approach was based on the Design thinking (DT) process [2]. It took place over the course of a semester. DT is a humanistic approach to innovation and creativity and in this project, the process focused on the students Stakeholders), starting with a deep empathy and discovery of needs in terms of mental health and well-being issues; difficulties encountered in the IPB platform depending on the needs and motivations of the students [3]. The result achieved: in order to raise awareness among IPB managers, the project was presented to the IPB board and academic services. The need for an up-to-date, intuitive platform with clear communication was highlighted, both for academic aspects and for support in the health area. Based on the report, two part-time medical doctors were hired. The next steps planned: it is our goal to contribute to a healthy and happy academic environment, with emphasis on the area of psychological and social well-being.
- Alelos do grupo sanguíneo do sistema ABO e suscetibilidade para a doença COVID-19: revisão sistemáticaPublication . Amorim, Ana; Caldeira, Maria João; Pereira, Tifany; Vaz, Josiana A.; Rodrigues, CarinaA COVID-19 é uma doença causada pelo vírus SARS-COV-2 que recentemente teve um grande impacto mundial pela sua evolução pandémica. O sistema ABO tem sido associado a certas doenças ao longo do tempo, e mais recentemente iniciaram estudos sobre a sua associação com a doença da COVID-19. Acredita-se a genética dos hospedeiros podem contribuir nas diversas manifestações clinicas e na severidade da doença apresentadas de individuo para individuo. Como tal, este estudo teve o objetivo de perceber se as variações genéticas encontradas cromossoma 9 do locus do gene ABO podem ter influência na suscetibilidade dos indivíduos para a doença COVID-19.
- Redes sociais, literacia em saúde e a utilização da medicina alternativa e complementar: uma revisão narrativaPublication . Carvalho. Ângela Almeida; Galvão, Ana Maria; Anes, EugéniaUma das principais fontes de informações atualmente são as redes sociais devido a facilidade de acesso e a quantidade de dados que agrega. É um veículo que soma uma enorme quantidade de informação ou desinformação em saúde e as medicinas alternativas e complementares (MAC). Bons níveis de literacia em saúde (LS) são essenciais para a capacidade de discernir a qualidade e veracidade das informações obtidas antes da tomada de decisões individuais. Objetivo: objetiva-se analisar a associação entre a literacia em saúde, a utilização das redes das redes sociais e a utilização de medicinas alternativas e complementares. Métodos: Realizada uma revisão narrativa da literatura através das plataformas digitais Google Académico, PubMed e ScienceDirect, com 21 artigos incluídos para análise. Resultados: As redes sociais são amplamente utilizadas atualmente pela população, constituindo uma das principais fontes de informação para temas como a saúde e a medicina alternativas e complementares. A quantidade de desinformação presente nas redes sociais representa um perigo à saúde devido ao potencial de influenciar atitudes e potencializar comportamentos de risco. A literacia em saúde aparece como um fator determinante e mediador da capacidade de discernir a qualidade das informações obtidas, influenciando a forma como os indivíduos processam e buscam informações das redes sociais, e suas atitudes perante as medicinas alternativas e complementares. A literacia em saúde, as redes sociais e as medicinas alternativas e complementares estão associadas no que diz respeito à obtenção, interpretação e utilização de informações de saúde e de práticas alternativas e complementares. Conclusão: As MACs possibilitam diversas opções para além das convencionais, sendo vital que os indivíduos sejam informados de todas as opções disponíveis com os mais atualizados dados para poderem exercer seu direito de decisão da forma mais informada e contextualizada possível.
- Inteligência artificial e os novos ambientes de ensino e aprendizagemPublication . Rodrigues, CarinaCom a introdução da Tecnologia Digital (TD) no de ensino, novas realidades foram sendo construídas e diferentes desafios têm vindo a ser colocados no que diz respeito ao desenvolvimento de ambientes de ensino e de aprendizagem. A Inteligência Artificial (IA) é hoje a espinha dorsal de muitas ferramentas digitais utilizadas em contextos pedagógicos. Os progressos tecnológicos, nomeadamente a capacidade de processamento dos computadores e desenvolvimento de novos algoritmos, conduziram a um aumento exponencial da utilização de ferramentas baseadas em IA nestas últimas décadas. As limitações vividas durante a pandemia COVID- 19 constituíram também um motor para o recurso a outras práticas pedagógicas. É urgente refletirmos sobre as competências em IA necessárias para professores e alunos e os riscos e oportunidades geradas pela sua utilização. Estamos diante de uma oportunidade única de transformação digital, que requer uma abordagem cuidadosa para garantir que a tecnologia seja utilizada de forma ética e eficaz, beneficiando todos os envolvidos no processo educativo. Palavras-chave: Competências Digitais, Inteligência Artificial; Ferramentas; Desenvolvimento Profissional; Princípios Éticos
- Ratreio serológico à COVID-19 em pequenos ruminantes de explorações do nordeste transmontanoPublication . Pereira, Tifany; Caldeira, Maria João; Quintas, Helder ; Rodrigues, Carina;Para compreender melhor a disseminação e o impacto do SARS-CoV-2, o vírus responsável pela pandemia de COVID-19, rastreios serológicos têm sido efetuados em diversas espécies animais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi pesquisar o nível de exposição ao vírus de pequenos ruminantes de explorações do Nordeste Transmontano realizando ensaios imunoenzimáticos (ELISA). Numa amostra de conveniência, foi realizada a colheita de sangue de cabras (n=357) e ovelhas (n=508) ao longo do período da pandemia, coincidindo com os períodos de predominância de três importantes variantes do SARS-CoV-2: alfa, delta e omicron. Para a deteção de anticorpos específicos contra o SARS-CoV-2 foram realizados testes ELISA, empregando anticorpos contra o domínio de ligação ao recetor (RBD: Receptor Binding Domain) das diferentes variantes sendo que o anticorpo secundário era também específico da espécie. As amostras foram consideradas positivas quando a diferença entre o sinal anti-RBD e o sinal BSA se apresentou acima de 0.6, e o sinal dos anticorpos anti-RBD era pelo menos 2.5 vezes maior do sinal BSA. Os resultados evidenciaram uma maior percentagem de casos positivos na amostra de cabras 10% (n= 35), destas 31% foram identificados com anticorpo anti-RBD da variante alfa, 40% delta, 6% omicron e 23% positivas para alfa e delta. Nas ovelhas apenas 3% dos casos foram identificados como positivos (n=14), sendo que 50% foram identificados com anticorpo anti-RBD da variante alfa, 21% delta e 29% alfa mais delta. Embora tenha sido identificada a presença de anticorpos específicos do vírus é essencial confirmar se esses animais podem atuar como reservatórios para o vírus. Esta abordagem tem sido utilizada para outras espécies de animais. Identificar a exposição dos animais ao SARS-CoV-2 pode ajudar a entender melhor como o vírus circula entre diferentes espécies e revelar novas vias de transmissão. Identificar novos reservatórios animais do vírus é, na atualidade, da máxima importância para controlar e prevenir futuros surtos.
- Q fever in Portugal: a one health-oriented literature reviewPublication . Caldeira, Maria João; Pereira, Tifany; Qiuntas, Hélder; Mesquita, João R; Rodrigues, CarinaQ fever is a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii), a highly infectious and environmentally persistent bacterium. Its transmission from animals to humans occurs mainly via inhalation of contaminated aerosols, often originating from small ruminants. Although the disease is widely distributed in Europe, its burden remains underestimated due to nonspecific clinical presentation and insufficient surveillance integration. As part of an ongoing PhD project in Biomedical Sciences, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to assess the current state of knowledge on Q fever in Portugal. This work aimed to synthesize available data from animal, human and environmental studies, while comparing findings with the broader European context. Over 40 national studies were analyzed, covering humans, domestic and wild animals, ticks, and environmental matrices. Reported seroprevalence values ranged widely: from 0% up to 45.9% in some livestock studies, with values often exceeding 30% in goats and sheep. In human studies with occupational exposure, positivity rates reached 30.7%. Molecular detection of C. burnetii was reported in milk, placentas, and reproductive tissues, and in urban tick populations. The analysis revealed major gaps in national surveillance. Notably, there are no published studies specifically targeting the northeastern region of Portugal, despite its relevance in small ruminant production, and furthermore, no study to date has simultaneously assessed humans, animals and environmental matrices in the same geographic context, a key limitation for understanding transmission dynamics and implementing the One Health approach. These findings underline the need for targeted and integrated research in underrepresented regions. The next stages of the doctoral project will involve the collection and analysis of new biological and environmental samples in northeastern region of Portugal, with the goal of mapping local C. burnetii circulation and proposing context-adapted surveillance strategies.
- Toxoplasma gondii in northeastern Portugal: a narrative review of a neglected zoonotic infection in a one health contextPublication . Pereira, Tifany; Quintas, Helder; Lopes, Ana Patrícia; Caldeira, Maria; Salvador, Sílvia Beato; Rodrigues, Carina; ;Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite that infects warm-blooded animals, including humans1. Despite its global distribution and considerable impact on public health, animal production, and the environment, it remains overlooked, exemplifying a One Health issue2,3. Transmission occurs mainly through ingestion of infective stages: sporulated oocysts, via contaminated water, soil, or food, tissue cysts in undercooked meat, or tachyzoites, through transplacental transmission or unpasteurized dairy products1,4. Though often asymptomatic, toxoplasmosis can cause severe outcomes in immunocompromised individuals and during pregnancy. Small ruminants are particularly susceptible, with infection linked to reproductive losses and zoonotic transmission via meat5. In Portugal, T. gondii infection, and toxoplasmosis, remains underreported and poorly studied. The Northeastern region (Trás-os- Montes) is especially relevant due to the high density of small ruminant farming and close human, animal and environment interactions6. A narrative review of the literature on the epidemiological status of T. gondii infection in Northeast Portugal was carried out. Sources included PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and institutional reports (EFSA, ECDC, INE). The EFSA/ECDC/20237 report a 4.2% rise in congenital toxoplasmosis and a 29% positivity in small ruminants, the highest in five years. In Portugal, according to the only national survey (1979–1980)8, seroprevalence was 47%, with the North presenting the highest percentage (51%). Subsequent studies revealed regional fluctuations8–12 and more recently, a 72.8% value was reported amongst workers with occupational exposure13. In the Northeastern region (2004–2010)14–17, active circulation of T. gondii was demonstrated in various animal species including wild and livestock, particularly small ruminants, as well as in women of childbearing age. The detection of genotype II, associated with moderate virulence, in meat intended for consumption reinforces the zoonotic risk18. These findings highlight the urgent need for updated and integrated epidemiological studies, supported by a One Health approach.
- Biomonitoring of wildfire emissions exposure among firefighters during active fire missionsPublication . Barros, B.; Paiva, A.M.; Azevedo, R.; Alves, Sara Elisa Brás;; Esteves, F.; Fernandes, Adília; Vaz, Josiana A.; Slezakova, K.; Pereira, M.C.; Costa, S.; Almeida, A.; Teixeira, J. P.; Oliveira, M.; Morais, S.The aim of this study was to conduct a multidisciplinary biomonitoring assessment of the exposure and health impacts of wildfire emissions on firefighters from the Northern Portugal, one of the regions most affected by wildfires. Firefighters from fourteen fire stations participated in pre- and post-exposure sampling campaigns during two consecutive years. Self-reporting biometric characteristics, lifestyle, clinical information, career years, environmental/occupational exposure along with urinary biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites (OHPAHs), metal(loid)s [from the priority pollutant lists compiled by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 14, United States Environmental Protection Agency 11, and the Human Biomonitoring for Europe Initiative priority 4], lung injury, lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, blood pressure, cardiac frequency, and hemogram were evaluated (Barros et al., 2025; Esteves et al., 2025; Paiva et al., 2024a; Paiva et al., 2024b). Stronger correlations were found between OHPAHs and metal(loid) levels and effect biomarkers after wildfire combat in comparison to pre-exposure. Wildfire exposure increased urinary -smokers. For the latter, copper, cadmium and barium ions correlated with lung injury; antimony and cadmium correlated with lipid peroxidation; DNA oxidation correlated with antimony, cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, selenium, and rubidium levels. Moreover, arsenic, antimony, lead, and copper induced lipid peroxidation, and lead was linked with DNA oxidation among wildfire-exposed smokers. Significant positive correlations were found for age and/or career length with cadmium, lead, barium, strontium, and mercury, and for body mass index with arsenic. These results point to an increased risk of health effects both in non-smoking and smoking firefighters because of their occupation, highlighting the necessity to strengthen prevention strategies.
- Particulate matter exposure and cardiovascular risk a reviewPublication . Alves, Sara Elisa Brás; Vaz, Josiana A.; Fernandes, Adília; Molés, P.Exposure to particulate matter is a growing public health concern due to its strong association with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases (World Health Organization, 2022). Firefighters face a significant cardiovascular risk due to repeated exposure to particulate matter from smoke, ashes, and combustion by-products (Fabian et al., 2014), combined with disrupted sleep, physical-emotional strain, and extreme heat (Bralewska et al, 2024). Most research only focuses on acute events during active firefighting, neglecting the long-term effects of chronic particulate matter exposure on their cardiovascular health (Esteves et al, 2024). This study reviews the association between long-term occupational exposure to particulate matter and cardiovascular risk in firefighters. A literature search was conducted using recent publications indexed in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane and Web of Science. Literature in English, published from January 2015 to December 2025, was included. Research after the World Trade Center disaster found a strong link between higher exposure levels to particulate matter and increased cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes, even after adjusting for traditional risk smoke significantly raises the lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease, with risks increasing with career length and incident frequency (Navarro et al, 2019). There is also evidence of a dose-dependent relationship between firefighting exposure and atrial fibrillation, indicating the combined effects of inhaled pollutants and occupational stress (Vanchiere et al, 2022). Short- porary blood pressure spikes, while chronic exposure contributes to sustained hypertension (Clementi et al, 2019). These findings emphasise the causal role of particulate matter exposure in cardiovascular issues and highlight the need for long-term monitoring and preventive measures for high-risk groups like firefighters. Future research should focus on addressing the gaps in long-term monitoring and exposure assessment to better understand cardiovascular risks associated with particulate exposure.