Hypoderma spp. larvae cause subcutaneous myiasis in several animal species. The objective of the present investigation was to identify and characterize morphologically and molecularly the larvae of Hypoderma spp. collected from cattle (Bos taurus taurus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the district of Castelo Branco, Portugal. For this purpose, a total of 8 larvae were collected from cattle (n=2) and red deer (n=6). After morphological identification of Hypoderma spp. larvae, molecular characterization was based on PCR-RFLP and mitochondrial CO1 gene sequence analysis. All larvae were morphologically characterized as the third instar larvae (L3) of H. actaeon. Two restriction enzymes were used for molecular identification of the larvae. TaqI restriction enzyme was not able to cut H. actaeon. However, MboII restriction enzyme differentiated Hypoderma species showing 210 and 450 bp bands in H. actaeon. Furthermore, according to the alignment of the mt-CO1 gene sequences of Hypoderma species and to PCR-RFLP findings, all the identified Hypoderma larvae were confirmed as H. actaeon. This is the first report of identification of Hypoderma spp. (Diptera; Oestridae) from cattle and red deer in Portugal, based on morphological and molecular analyses.
Animals ; Cattle* ; Deer* ; Larva ; Myiasis ; Portugal* ; Sequence Analysis

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) is a rare hereditary amyloidosis that is characterized by slowly progressive peripheral polyneuropathy with other systemic involvement. More than 100 amyloidogenic transthyretin gene mutations have been reported, mainly in endemic areas of Portugal, Japan, and Sweden. We describe two brothers who exhibited progressive painful sensorimotor polyneuropathy with autonomic dysfunction. Gene analysis revealed a heterozygous Asp38Ala substitution in the transthyretin gene; this represents the first reported case of FAP in Korea.
Amyloidosis ; Amyloidosis, Familial ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Polyneuropathies ; Portugal ; Prealbumin ; Siblings ; Sweden

History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Neurology ; history ; Nobel Prize ; Philately ; Portugal ; Psychosurgery ; history ; methods

BACKGROUNDAging of population in Macau has become a serious problem and we are diagnosing more and more patients with prostate cancer. To investigate the effect of ethnicity and environment on incidence of prostate carcinoma, we compared the difference of biopsy and postoperative pathology of prostate between indigenous Chinese (Chinese) and Chinese of Portuguese descent (Portuguese) with elevated serologic prostate specific antigen (PSA) and incidence of prostate carcinoma in Macau.

METHODSBetween 1999 and 2006, prostate biopsy was performed in a random sample of 462 patients with elevated serologic PSA who, on followup, were diagnosed in this hospital with benign prostate hyperplasia. Of these, 416 were indigenous Chinese, 46 Portuguese. Based on demographic statistics by Macau government for 2005, we compared differences in incidences of prostate carcinoma, positive rate of random prostate biopsy in patients with elevated serologic PSA, factors related to serological PSA and pathological grade and stage between both ethnic groups.

RESULTSProstate carcinoma was diagnosed on biopsy in 178 cases. Positive biopsies of prostate carcinoma were present in 160 Chinese with positive rate of 38.5% and in 18 Portuguese with 39.1%. For patients diagnosed with prostate carcinoma, there was no significant difference in age, incidence, grade of cancerous cells, stage of the disease, incidence of inflammation of prostatic tissues or prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) related to elevated PSA between the groups (All P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere was no significant difference in incidence or characteristics of prostate carcinoma between people of Portuguese and Chinese descent in Macau based on our limited data. Long term residence in the same environment may be associated with the incidence and progression of prostate carcinoma in Portuguese living in Macau, but further rigorous epidemiological investigation and analysis of risk factors about prostate carcinoma are needed to corroborate this conclusion.

Aged ; China ; ethnology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Macau ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Portugal ; ethnology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; epidemiology ; pathology

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Societal factors seem to exercise a strong influence on hearing aid uptake, use, and satisfaction. In particular, knowledge, perception, and attitude of people will have bearing towards their and others health behavior and decisions. The current study aimed at understanding the perception of hearing aids by adults belonging to the general population in different countries. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study employed a crosssectional design. A sample of 404 adults from India, Iran, Portugal, and the United Kingdom were recruited by relying on a convenience sampling. Previously published data was re-analyzed but it was applied for different approach. Free association task was used to collect the data. They were asked to provide up to five words or phrases that come to mind when thinking about “hearing aids.” The data was initially analyzed based on qualitative content analysis. This was followed by quantitative cluster analysis and chi square analysis. RESULTS: The content analysis suggested 39 main categories of responses related to hearing aids. The cluster analysis resulted in five main clusters, namely: 1) positive attitude, 2) external factors, 3) hearing aid use and satisfaction, 4) etiology, and 5) benefits and limitations of technology. A few demographic factors (i.e., education, occupation type, country) showed association with different clusters, although country of origin seemed to be associated with most clusters. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides us with unique insights into the perception of hearing aids by the general public, and additionally, the way demographic variables may influence these perceptions.
Adult ; Demography ; Education ; Free Association ; Great Britain ; Health Behavior ; Hearing Aids ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; India ; Iran ; Occupations ; Portugal ; Thinking

The development courses of acupuncture and moxibustion as well as the present situation, education and legislation in Portugal were reviewed in this article. Acupuncture and Moxibustion has been developed in Portugal since 1980's. The first acupuncture school appeared in the year of 1992. Until now, courses on Chinese medicine and acupuncture has already been set up in about six universities. Acupuncture legislation started in the year 2003. At present, professional levels of acupuncture practitioners vary a lot. There are over 50 indications currently. And acupuncture treatment is basically at one's own expense.
Acupuncture ; economics ; education ; legislation & jurisprudence ; trends ; Acupuncture Therapy ; economics ; history ; trends ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; economics ; history ; trends ; Portugal

Staphylococcus (S.) aureus is a common infectious agent of bovine chronic mastitis, a disease that is difficult to eradicate. The abilities of Staphylococci to be internalized and form a biofilm can contribute to host immunological defence evasion that subsequently impairs antimicrobial therapy. The invasive capability of six S. aureus field isolates with different biofilm-forming profiles was compared in vitro using a bovine mammary epithelial cell line. This was further confirmed in primary cell cultures using fluorescent rRNA probes against S. aureus. The results suggest that S. aureus invasion levels are not related to biofilm formation.
Animals ; *Biofilms ; Cattle ; Cell Line ; Colony Count, Microbial/veterinary ; Epithelial Cells/microbiology ; Female ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Mastitis, Bovine/*microbiology ; Portugal ; Staphylococcal Infections/*veterinary ; Staphylococcus aureus/classification/genetics/immunology/*physiology ; Virulence Factors/i

PURPOSE: Myocardial infarction can occur due to known risk factors and lifestyle choices. The difficulties that patients experience after discharge can lead to readmission and nonadherence to lifestyle change. The purpose of this study was to analyze the difficulties experienced by patients after hospitalization due to myocardial infarction and to identify the predictors of readmission and unchanged lifestyles. METHODS: The study used a mixed-methods design across 106 patients who had experienced a first episode of acute myocardial infarction. The data were collected from two patient interviews and the patients' medical records. A logistic regression was used to predict unchanged lifestyle and readmission. RESULTS: In the first interview, 74.5% of the patients reported receiving information prior to discharge. Six months after discharge, 80.2% mentioned that they had changed their lifestyles, but only 59.4% reported that their health had improved, and 75.5% continued to have concerns regarding their health. Patients described difficulties with regard to psychological problems, family dynamics, professional issues, problems with managing cardiovascular symptoms, and complications associated with hospital interventions. A follow-up assessment revealed that 12.3% of patients had been readmitted for cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis revealed significant predictors of readmission amongst patients with hypertension and three-vessel disease. Specifically, the number of people in the household, per capita income, and a lack of information/education provided at discharge as well as problems related to mental health after discharge predicted unchanged lifestyle. An educational program might be advantageous to clarify doubts and involve patients in their own disease management.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Attitude to Health/ethnology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Education/methods ; Healthy Lifestyle ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/ethnology/psychology/*therapy ; Patient Readmission/statistics & numerical data ; Portugal/ethnology ; Risk Factors ; Self Care

In 2008, Korea has enacted new ordinances about the role of estheticians, but this law can be interpreted ambiguously, restricting hiring of estheticians in medical clinics. The purpose of the study is to obtain information about medical-esthetic systems in other countries. We have taken a survey of this object from 30 OECD & Asian countries, and the questionnaires returned from a total of 22 countries (Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, Israel, and Thailand), were used for the final analysis. The results are summarized as follows. In most countries, estheticians working independently deal with only healthy, normal skin. In most countries, estheticians working independently have no right to operate any medical instruments. In all 17 countries that returned the questionnaires medical clinics can employ estheticians, and only theses estheticians who belong to the medical clinics can handle the non-invasive medical instruments under the supervision of doctors. In 17 countries that have related legal regulations, nurses, under the control of doctors, can perform wider range of duties in various settings than estheticians. The survey concludes that the duties of estheticians are closely related with medical skin care services and estheticians can perform various non-invasive medical procedures only under the control of doctors. From consulting a variety of medical-esthetic systems in other countries, we propose that the estheticians be allowed to work in medical clinics to provide better medical services for the patients and to make more chances of employment for themselves.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Austria ; Canada ; Denmark ; Employment ; Finland ; France ; Germany ; Great Britain ; Humans ; Hungary ; Israel ; Japan ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Netherlands ; New Zealand ; Norway ; Organization and Administration ; Portugal ; Questionnaires ; Singapore ; Skin ; Skin Care ; Slovakia ; Social Control, Formal ; Spain ; Switzerland ; Turkey ; United States

This study was carried out to investigate fifteen cases of acute lethal infection of calves (< or = 4 months of age) by the protozoan parasite Theileria (T.) annulata in the south of Portugal. Calves developed multifocal to coalescent nodular skin lesions, similar to multicentric malignant lymphoma. Infestation with ticks (genus Hyalomma) was intense. Theileria was seen in blood and lymph node smears, and T. annulata infection was confirmed by isolation of schizont-transformed cells and sequencing of hypervariable region 4 of the 18S rRNA gene. At necropsy, hemorrhagic nodules or nodules with a hemorrhagic halo were seen, particularly in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, skeletal and cardiac muscles, pharynx, trachea and intestinal serosa. Histologically, nodules were formed by large, round, lymphoblastoid neoplastic-like cells. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) identified these cells as mostly CD3 positive T lymphocytes and MAC387 positive macrophages. A marker for B lymphocytes (CD79alphacy) labeled very few cells. T. annulata infected cells in these nodules were also identified by IHC through the use of two monoclonal antibodies (1C7 and 1C12) which are diagnostic for the parasite. It was concluded that the pathological changes observed in the different organs and tissues were caused by proliferation of schizont-infected macrophages, which subsequently stimulate a severe uncontrolled proliferation of uninfected T lymphocytes.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology/pathology ; Cell Growth Processes/physiology ; DNA, Protozoan/chemistry/genetics ; Disease Outbreaks/*veterinary ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry/veterinary ; Lymphocytes/parasitology/*pathology ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Portugal/epidemiology ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/chemistry/genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Skin Diseases/epidemiology/parasitology/pathology/*veterinary ; Theileria annulata/*isolation & purification ; Theileriasis/epidemiology/parasitology/*pathology