Is a tiered restrictions system an effective intervention for COVID-19 control? Results from Portugal, November-December 2020.

BACKGROUND: In November 2020, similar to other European countries, Portugal implemented a tiered restrictions system to control the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to compare the COVID-19 growth rate across tiers to assess the effect of a tiered restrictions system in Portugal, using models with different times between tiers assessment. Our hypothesis was that being in a higher tier brings a faster deceleration in the growth rate than being in a lower tier. METHODS: The national database of notified COVID-19 cases and publicly available data were used to analyse the effect of the tiered restrictions system on the COVID-19 incidence growth rate. The tiers were based on the European Centre for Disease Control risk classification: moderate, high, very and extremely high. We used a generalised mixed-effects regression model to estimate the growth rate ratio (GRR) for each tier, comparing the growth rates of higher tiers using moderate tier as reference. Three models were fitted using different times between tiers assessment, separated by 14 days. RESULTS: We included 156 034 cases. Very high tier was the most frequent combination in all the three moments assessed (21.2%), and almost 50% of the municipalities never changed tier during the study period. Immediately after the tiers implementation, a reduction was identified in the municipalities in high tier (GRR high tier: 0.90 [95%CI: 0.79; 1.02]) and very high tier (GRR very high tier: 0.68 [95%CI: 0.61; 0.77]), however with some imprecision in the 95% confidence interval for the high tier. A reduction in very high tier growth rate was identified two weeks (GRR: 0.79 [95%CI: 0.71; 0.88]) and four weeks (GRR: 0.77 [95%CI: 0.74; 0.82]) after the implementation, compared to moderate tier. In high tier, a reduction was also identified in both times, although smaller. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a reduction in the growth rate in very high tier after the tiered restriction system was implemented, but we also observed a lag between tiered restriction system implementation and the onset of consequent effects. This could suggest the importance of early implementation of stricter measures for pandemic control. Thus, studies analysing a broader period of time are needed.

Optimizing Antimicrobial Efficacy: Investigating the Impact of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle Shape and Size.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been investigated due to their distinct properties, variety of structures and sizes, and mainly for their antimicrobial activity. They have received a positive safety evaluation from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for packaging applications as transparent ultraviolet (UV) light absorbers based on the absence of significant migration of zinc oxide in particulate form. ZnO NPs with different morphologies (spherical, flower, and sheet) have been synthesized via different sol-gel methods and extensively characterized by several solid-state techniques, namely vibrational spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. The ZnO NPs were assessed for their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (gram-negative bacteria) and Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive bacteria) to study the influence of morphology and size on efficacy. ZnO NPs with different morphologies and sizes demonstrated antimicrobial activity against both bacteria. The highest microbial cell reduction rate (7-8 log CFU mL-1 for E. coli and 6-7 log CFU mL-1 for S. aureus) was obtained for the sheet- and spherical-shaped NPs as a result of the high specific surface area. In fact, the higher surface areas of the sheet- and spherical-shaped nanoparticles (18.5 and 13.4 m2 g-1, respectively), compared to the flower-shaped NPs (5.3 m2g-1), seem to promote more efficient bacterial cell reduction. The spherical-shaped particles were also smaller (31 nm) compared with the flower-shaped (233 × 249 nm) ones. The flower ZnO NP resulted in a 4-5 log CFU mL-1 reduction for E. coli and 3-4 log CFU mL-1 reduction for S. aureus. The lower apparent antibacterial activity of the flower-shaped could be associated with either the lack of defects on the particle core or the shape shielding effect. Compared to S. aureus, E. coli seems to be less resistant to ZnO NPs, which may be explained by the characteristics of its cell membrane. With simple synthesis techniques, which do not allow the size and shape of the nanoparticles to be controlled simultaneously, it is a challenge to elucidate the effect of each of these two parameters on antibacterial performance.

Sickle cell trait in São Tomé e Príncipe: a population-based prevalence study in women of reproductive age.

BACKGROUND: Sickle Cell Disorder is Africa's most prevalent genetic disease. Yet, it remains a neglected condition, with high mortality under-five, and a lack of population-based studies in the region. This is the first of its kind in São Tomé e Príncipe, aiming to estimate the prevalence of sickle cell trait and other haemoglobin variants in women of reproductive age and its associated factors. METHODS: We conducted a cluster survey in 35 neighbourhoods. Haemoglobin was assessed through point-of-care capillary electrophoresis or high-performance liquid chromatography, and sociodemographic data through questionnaires. The weighted prevalence of sickle cell trait (HbAS) and HbC carriers was estimated with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). We calculated weighted prevalence ratios (95% CI) through robust Poisson regression for its association with age and individual and collective genetic heritage. FINDINGS: The prevalence of sickle cell trait in women of reproductive age in São Tomé e Príncipe (n = 376) was 13.45% (95% CI: 9.05-19.00). The prevalence of HbC carriers was 8.00% (95% CI: 4.71-12.00). Older age and speaking Forro or Angolar were positively associated with having sickle cell trait. INTERPRETATION: The prevalence of sickle cell trait in São Tomé e Príncipe ranks high in the West African region. The country should follow international guidelines, implementing newborn screening and comprehensive healthcare management.

Microfluidic Paper-Based Device Incorporated with Silica Nanoparticles for Iodide Quantification in Marine Source Dietary Supplements.

Iodine is an essential micronutrient for humans due to its fundamental role in the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones. As a key parameter to assess health conditions, iodine intake needs to be monitored to ascertain and prevent iodine deficiency. Iodine is available from various food sources (such as seaweed, fish, and seafood, among others) and dietary supplements (multivitamins or mineral supplements). In this work, a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD) to quantify iodide in seaweed and dietary supplements is described. The developed µPAD is a small microfluidic device that emerges as quite relevant in terms of its analytical capacity. The quantification of iodide is based on the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of iodine, which acts as the catalyst to produce the blue form of TMB. Additionally, powder silica was used to intensify and uniformize the colour of the obtained product. Following optimization, the developed µPAD enabled iodide quantification within the range of 10-100 µM, with a detection limit of 3 µM, and was successfully applied to seaweeds and dietary supplements. The device represents a valuable tool for point-of-care analysis, can be used by untrained personnel at home, and is easily disposable, low-cost, and user-friendly.

Use of a rhodamine-based chelator in a microfluidic paper-based analytical device for the in-situ copper quantification in natural waters.

This work describes the development of a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD) for the determination of copper in fresh and marine waters. A functionalized rhodamine-based chelator was synthesized and used as a chromogenic reagent, forming a highly intense pink complex with the analyte. The aim was to create a paper device that offers optimal performance and provides in-situ, rapid and cost-effective analysis in line with World Health Organization guidelines. The influence on the determination of several physical and chemical parameters was evaluated aiming to achieve the best performance. Under optimised conditions, a linear correlation was established in the range of 0.05-0.50 mg L-1 of copper, with a limit of detection of 10 µg L-1. The accuracy of the proposed method was assessed by comparing the results obtained with the developed µPAD and the results obtained with Inductively Coupled Plasma measurements (RE < 10 %). Recovery studies were also performed using different types of water samples with no need for any prior sample pre-treatment: tap, well, river and seawater. The average recovery percentage of 101 % (RSD = 4.3 %) was obtained, a clear indication of no multiplicative matrix interferences.

Nano-encapsulated Cu(II) complex as a promising insecticidal for Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).

Nanoparticle (NP) research is an area of scientific interest with high potential for application in biomedical, optical, and electronic fields. Due to their relatively large surface area compared to their mass, NPs can be more chemically reactive and change their reactive strength or other properties. NP-based drug delivery systems provide transport and an effective and controlled way to release the drugs. This work aimed to study the solubility and biological activity of nano-encapsulated copper metal complexes for the induction of toxicity and mortality in larvae of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. After the nano-encapsulated metal complexes were prepared, the efficiency of this incorporation was determined by electron paramagnetic resonance, and toxicity bioassays were performed. The polymeric-based PLGA NPs encapsulating metal complexes exhibited high toxicity and specificity for target organisms (insect vectors, i.e., A. aegypti), with relatively less environmental impact and long-term control of their breeding.

Investigating the role of symptom valorisation in tuberculosis patient delay in urban areas in Portugal.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis delay contributes to increased tuberculosis (TB) transmission and morbimortality. TB incidence has been decreasing in Portugal, but median patient delay (PD) has risen. Symptom valorisation may determine PD by influencing help-seeking behaviour. We aimed to analyse the association between symptom valorisation and PD, while characterising individuals who disregarded their symptoms. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among TB patients in Lisbon and Oporto in 2019 - 2021. Subjects who delayed seeking care because they did not value their symptoms or thought these would go away on their own were considered to have disregarded their symptoms. PD was categorised using a 21-day cut-off, and a 30-day cut-off for sensitivity analysis. We estimated the effect of symptom valorisation on PD through a directed acyclic graph. Then, a multivariable regression analysis characterised patients that disregarded their symptoms, adjusting for relevant variables. We fitted Poisson regression models to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR). RESULTS: The study included 75 patients. Median PD was 25 days (IQR 11.5-63.5), and 56.0% of participants had PD exceeding 21 days. Symptom disregard was reported by 38.7% of patients. Patients who did not value their symptoms had higher prevalence of PD exceeding 21 days compared to those who valued their symptoms [PR 1.59 (95% CI 1.05-2.42)]. The sensitivity analysis showed consistent point estimates but wider confidence intervals [PR 1.39 (95% CI 0.77-2.55)]. Being a smoker was a risk factor for symptom disregard [PR 2.35 (95% CI 1.14-4.82)], while living in Oporto [PR 0.35 (95% CI 0.16-0.75)] and having higher household incomes [PR 0.39 (95% CI 0.17-0.94)] were protective factors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings emphasise the importance of symptom valorisation in timely TB diagnosis. Patients who did not value their symptoms had longer PD, indicating a need for interventions to improve symptom recognition. Our findings also corroborate the importance of the socioeconomic determinants of health, highlighting tobacco as a risk factor both for TB and for PD.

Effectiveness of antimicrobial interventions directed at tackling antimicrobial resistance in animal production: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In the last decades, a more prudent and rational use of antimicrobials has been progressively directed towards animal production to reduce antimicrobial selective pressure and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in microorganisms and safeguard the antimicrobial efficacy of treatments in human medicine. This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of interventions that have been applied to reduce or improve veterinary antimicrobial usage and aimed at decreasing resistant bacteria in chicken broiler and pig production contexts. METHODS: Original articles were identified by searching PubMed™, Scopus™, The Cochrane Library™, and Web of Science™, and grey literature by searching DANS EASY™, WorldCat™ and RCAAP™. Inclusion criteria included: chicken broiler or pig populations (predestined for meat production), interventions intended to reduce/improve antimicrobial use, comparator with standard or no use of antimicrobials, outcomes related to prevalence of resistant bacteria, farm level studies, original data, and analytical observational studies. Data was extracted from eligible studies and meta-analysis using random or fixed effects models was conducted for combinations including type of intervention, bacterial species, production type and animal populations. Models were selected according to heterogeneity between studies. The effectiveness of interventions was assessed using pooled odds ratio of resistance to antimicrobial substances/classes by bacteria for associations between animal populations with and without intervention. RESULTS: A total of 46 studies were eligible for review. For chicken broilers, most interventions were identified as antimicrobial restrictions on all non-therapeutic use (46%), complete restriction (27%), and prohibition on antimicrobials used for growth promotion (23%). As for pig populations, restrictions were mainly observed on all non-therapeutic use (37%), complete restriction (37%) and group treatments (22%). For meta-analysis, 21 studies were pooled after assessment of existing combinations. These combinations demonstrated a protective effect for most antimicrobial classes in Escherichia coli, Campylobacter and Enterococcus isolates from samples of chicken broilers as well in Escherichia coli and Campylobacter spp. from samples of pigs, compared to animals raised under conventional production or without intervention. Increased odds of resistance were only observed for cephalosporins in E. coli and broilers raised without antimicrobials, and to fluoroquinolones and quinolones in Campylobacter and pigs raised without antimicrobials, compared to conventional production. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that organic production, antimicrobial-free farms, and group treatment restrictions are recommended for AMR reduction, providing information that may support decision-making to tackle AMR and better reporting to improve comparability of results between studies.

LOCUS (LOng Covid-Understanding Symptoms, events and use of services in Portugal): A three-component study protocol.

Approximately 10% of patients experience symptoms of Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC) after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Akin acute COVID-19, PCC may impact a multitude of organs and systems, such as the cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and neurological systems. The frequency and associated risk factors of PCC are still unclear among both community and hospital settings in individuals with a history of COVID-19. The LOCUS study was designed to clarify the PCC's burden and associated risk factors. LOCUS is a multi-component study that encompasses three complementary building blocks. The "Cardiovascular and respiratory events following COVID-19" component is set to estimate the incidence of cardiovascular and respiratory events after COVID-19 in eight Portuguese hospitals via electronic health records consultation. The "Physical and mental symptoms following COVID-19" component aims to address the community prevalence of self-reported PCC symptoms through a questionnaire-based approach. Finally, the "Treating and living with Post COVID-19 Condition" component will employ semi-structured interviews and focus groups to characterise reported experiences of using or working in healthcare and community services for the treatment of PCC symptoms. This multi-component study represents an innovative approach to exploring the health consequences of PCC. Its results are expected to provide a key contribution to the optimisation of healthcare services design.

Non-transferrin-bound iron determination in blood serum using microsequential injection solid phase spectrometry- proof of concept.

Non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) is a group of circulating toxic iron forms, which occur in iron overload or health conditions with dysregulation of iron metabolism. NTBI is responsible for increased oxidative stress and tissue iron loading. Despite its relevance as a biochemical marker in several diseases, a standardized assay is still lacking. Several methods were developed to quantify NTBI, but results show high inter-method and even inter-laboratory variability. Thus, the development of a consistent NTBI assay is a major goal in the management of iron overload and related clinical conditions. In this work, a micro sequential injection lab-on-valve (µSI-LOV) method in a solid phase spectrophotometry (SPS) mode was developed for the quantification of NTBI, using a bidentate 3,4-hydroxypyridinone (3,4-HPO) ligand anchored to sepharose beads as a chromogenic reagent. To attain SPS, the functionalized beads were packed into a column in the flow cell, and the analyte, NTBI retained as iron (III), formed a colored complex at the beads while eliminating the sample matrix. The dynamic concentration range was 1.62-7.16 µmol L-1 of iron (III), with a limit of detection of 0.49 µmol L-1 and a limit of quantification of 1.62 µmol L-1. The proposed µSI-LOV-SPS method is a contribution to the development of an automatic method for the quantification of the NTBI in serum samples.

Biogenic Amine Sensing Based on Rosamine a N-Methylpyridinium Derivative Supported on Silica Materials from Rice Husk.

In this work new rosamine-silica composites were prepared and their sensing ability towards different amines was assessed. Rice husk wastes were used as a biogenic silica source. Silica was extracted by thermal treatment, before rice husk ash and after acid leaching with citric acid-treated rice husk ash. Mesoporous material (SBA-15) was also prepared using the extracted silica. The prepared materials were characterized by several techniques such as FTIR, XRD, SEM and N2 adsorption. The materials were then used as adsorbents of the chromophore N-methylpyridinium rosamine (Ros4PyMe). The obtained loaded composites were tested in solution for amines sensing (n-butylamine, aniline, putrescine and cadaverine). The detection studies were analyzed by fluorescence and revealed 40% and 48% quenching in fluorescence intensity for the composite Ros4PyMe@SBA in the presence of the biogenic amines cadaverine and putrescine, respectively. The composite was also sensitive in the powder form, changing the color from violet to pale pink in the presence of putrescine vapors with a fast response (around 2 min), the process being reversible by exposure to air.

Synthesis of Novel Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Rhodamine Conjugates and Their Ability for Sensing Cu2+ and Li.

The search for accurate and sensitive methods to detect chemical substances, namely cations and anions, is urgent and widely sought due to the enormous impact that some of these chemical species have on human health and on the environment. Here, we present a new platform for the efficient sensing of Cu2+ and Li+ cations. For this purpose, two novel photoactive diketopyrrolopyrrole-rhodamine conjugates were synthesized through the condensation of a diketopyrrolopyrrole dicarbaldehyde with rhodamine B hydrazide. The resulting chemosensors 1 and 2, bearing one or two rhodamine hydrazide moieties, respectively, were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry, and their photophysical and ion-responsive behaviours were investigated via absorption and fluorescence measurements. Chemosensors 1 and 2 displayed a rapid colorimetric response upon the addition of Cu2+, with a remarkable increase in the absorbance and fluorescence intensities. The addition of other metal ions caused no significant effects. Moreover, the resulting chemosensor-Cu2+ complexes revealed to be good probes for the sensing of Li+ with reversibility and low detection limits. The recognition ability of the new chemosensors was investigated by absorption and fluorescence titrations and competitive studies.

Measuring the impact of COVID-19 vaccination and immunity waning: A modelling study for Portugal.

Vaccination strategies to control COVID-19 have been ongoing worldwide since the end of 2020. Understanding their possible effect is key to prevent future disease spread. Using a modelling approach, this study intends to measure the impact of the COVID-19 Portuguese vaccination strategy on the effective reproduction number and explore three scenarios for vaccine effectiveness waning. Namely, the no-immunity-loss, 1-year and 3-years of immunity duration scenarios. We adapted an age-structured SEIR deterministic model and used Portuguese hospitalisation data for the model calibration. Results show that, although the Portuguese vaccination plan had a substantial impact in reducing overall transmission, it might not be sufficient to control disease spread. A significant vaccination coverage of those above 5 years old, a vaccine effectiveness against disease of at least 80% and softer non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), such as mask usage and social distancing, would be necessary to control disease spread in the worst scenario considered. The immunity duration scenario of 1-year displays a resurgence of COVID-19 hospitalisations by the end of 2021, the same is observed in 3-year scenario although with a lower magnitude. The no-immunity-loss scenario presents a low increase in hospitalisations. In both the 1-year and 3-year scenarios, a vaccination boost of those above 65 years old would result in a 53% and 38% peak reduction of non-ICU hospitalisations, respectively. These results suggest that NPIs should not be fully phased-out but instead be combined with a fast booster vaccination strategy to reduce healthcare burden.

A combined experimental and computational study to discover novel tyrosinase inhibitors.

Depigmenting properties of tyrosinase inhibitors (TAi) boosted the search for new compounds applicable in cosmetics. Kojic acid, a 3-hydroxy-4-pyrone, is the most studied tyrosinase inhibitor but undesirable side effects, like dermatitis, and unspecified mechanism led to its exclusion in several countries. To discover safer and more efficient TA, we evaluated tyrosinase inhibitory effect of twelve 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinones (3,4-HPO) in vitro and considering the two reaction steps of inhibition in mushroom tyrosinase enzyme. In parallel we performed molecular docking studies in human and mushroom enzymes. Ligands I6 and I11 were the most effective compounds considering their inhibitory activity in both reaction steps. Our studies revealed that I6 has a non-competitive and mixed type of inhibition for monophenolase and diphenolase activity, while ligand I11 showed a mixed and competitive inhibition type for each reaction step. Molecular Docking results indicated that ligands tend to bind the enzyme by coordinating directly with the binuclear cooper centre and highlighted the relevance of voluminous and non-polar substituents at R2 to avoid the binding of the ligands to the enzyme. The work clarifies the type of inhibition established for kojic acid and points out the differences found for the set of 3,4-HPO chelators studied as prospective tyrosinase inhibitors.

Unraveling the hurdles of a large COVID-19 epidemiological investigation by viral genomics.

COVID-19 local outbreak response relies on subjective information to reconstruct transmission chains. We assessed the concordance between epidemiologically linked cases and viral genetic profiles, in the Baixo Vouga Region (Portugal), from March to June 2020. A total of 1925 COVID-19 cases were identified, with 1143 being assigned to 154 epiclusters. Viral genomic data was available for 128 cases. Public health authorities identified two large epiclusters (280 and 101 cases each) with a central role on the spread of the disease. Still, the genomic data revealed that each epicluster included two distinct SARS-CoV-2 genetic profiles and thus more than one transmission network. We were able to show that the initial transmission dynamics reconstruction was most likely accurate, but the increasing dimension of the epiclusters and its extension to densely populated settings (healthcare and nursing home settings) triggered the misidentification of links. Genomics was also key to resolve some sporadic cases and misidentified direction of transmission. The epidemiological investigation showed a sensitivity of 70%-86% to detect transmission chains. This study contributes to the understanding of the hurdles and caveats associated with the epidemiological investigation of hundreds of community cases in the context of a massive outbreak caused by a highly transmissible and new respiratory virus.

Functionalization of Rhodamine Platforms with 3-Hydroxy-4-pyridinone Chelating Units and Its Fluorescence Behavior towards Fe(III).

Functionalization of xanthene fluorophores with specific receptor units is an important topic of research aiming for the development of new analytical tools for biological sciences, clinical diagnosis, food and environmental monitoring. Herein, we report a new dihydrorosamine containing two active amino groups, which was functionalized with 3-benzyloxy-1-(3'-carboxypropyl)-2-methyl-4-pyridinone through an amide coupling strategy. Benzylated mono- and di-functionalized dihydrorosamine derivatives (H in position 9 of the xanthene) were obtained, but with modest reaction yields, requiring long and laborious purification procedures. Looking for a more efficient approach, rhodamine 110 was selected to react with the carboxypropyl pyridinone, enabling the isolation of the corresponding mono- and di-functionalized derivatives in amounts that depend on the excess of pyridinone added to the reaction. The structure of all compounds was established by 1H and 13C NMR, MS (ESI) and their absorption and emission properties were evaluated in dichloromethane. The fluorescence behavior of the debenzylated mono-rhodamine 110 derivative in the presence of Fe(III) was studied, making it an interesting fluorogenic dye for future optical sensing applications.

Assessing antimicrobial resistance occurrence in the Portuguese food system: Poultry, pigs and derived food, 2014-2018.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) spread in the food system is a major threat to public and animal health. We describe AMR trends in zoonotic bacteria and identify risk factors associated with AMR occurrence in animals and derived food in Portugal. Data from the Portuguese AMR surveillance programme on food-producing animals, 2014-2018, were used. AMR frequencies were calculated for Escherichia coli, Campylobacter and Salmonella in broilers, turkeys, pig populations and their derived food products. AMR-associated factors were studied for Salmonella isolates: population, sampling stage (farm, slaughterhouse and processing plant), sample type (environmental, carcase and food), sampler (HACCP, industry, official and official and industry), sample context (control and eradication programmes and monitoring), year (2014-2018) and season. Logistic regression was applied to estimate crude odds ratio and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The final models were obtained using a backward stepwise method. This study included 2,157 Escherichia coli, 561 Campylobacter and 1,071 Salmonella isolates. The highest prevalence estimates amongst tested antimicrobials for each bacterial species in 2014-2018 had the following ranges: (i) (fluoro)quinolones: E. coli: 84%-93%, Campylobacter: 94%-98%; (ii) tetracyclines: E. coli: 68%-91%, Campylobacter: 87%-91%, Salmonella: 72%; (iii) penicillins: E. coli: 82%-100%; (iv) sulphonamides: E. coli: 68%-82%. Compared with the reference categories for host (broiler), year (2014), season (winter) and sampler (HACCP own checks), resistance to at least one antimicrobial in Salmonella was significantly less likely in laying hens (aOR 0.28; 95% CI: 0.18-0.42), 2016 (aOR 0.56; 95% CI: 0.33-0.93), 2017 (aOR 0.29; 95% CI: 0.17-0.51) and 2018 (aOR 0.35; 95% CI: 0.20-0.61), autumn (aOR 0.63; 95% CI: 0.40-0.97) and more likely to occur in broiler products (aOR 5.14; 95% CI: 2.61-10.54), pork products (aOR 6.84; 95% CI: 3.74-12.98) and official and industry combined sampling (aOR 2.16; 95% CI: 1.06-4.47). This study reveals a high prevalence of Salmonella resistance, especially during the summer and in post-farm stages of the Portuguese food system to nearly all antimicrobials and in the summer in farms to (fluoro)quinolones. Measures to tackle resistance are required.

Ohmic heating-assisted synthesis and characterization of Zn(II), Cu(II) and Pd(II) complexes of heterocyclic-fused chlorins.

Chlorins are highly interesting compounds due to their spectroscopic properties in both UV-Vis and NIR regions. Upon coordination to a metal ion, the corresponding metallochlorins exhibit more valuable physicochemical properties that enable a broader range of applications, such as in photodynamic therapy (PDT), water splitting catalysis, optical sensor devices and dye-sensitized solar cells. Synthetic chemistry has been in a continuous quest to fulfil most green chemistry requirements through the development of efficient reactions. Being a heating process that does not depend on heat transfer to the reaction medium, ohmic heating accomplishes the mentioned requirements and allows a fast and uniform heating regime thanks to the ionic conductivity of the reaction medium. Herein, we report the metallation of pyrrolidine- and isoxazolidine-fused chlorins with Zn(II), Cu(II) and Pd(II) salts by ohmic heating, using non-toxic aqueous solutions, and their corresponding physico-chemical characterization. All pyrrolidine-fused chlorins showed higher yields, when compared with isoxazolidine ones. From the thermogravimetric analysis performed it is possible to infer that the metal enhances the steadiness of the macrocycle, making it easier to cause the thermal decomposition of the pyrrolidine- and isoxazolidine-fused chlorins. The Zn(II) complexes showed high absorption in the NIR spectral region, a low fluorescence quantum yield and a short excited singlet state, which indicate the high efficiency of intersystem crossing to the triplet state, making them very promising candidates as photosensitizers for PDT.

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy after Implementation of a Mass Vaccination Campaign.

An online cross-sectional study on COVID-19 vaccination adhesion was conducted in Portugal nine months after vaccination rollout (September-November 2021). Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with hesitancy to take the COVID-19 vaccine in the community-based survey, "COVID-19 Barometer: Social Opinion". Hesitancy was 11%; however, of those, 60.5% stated that they intended to take the vaccine. Hesitancy was associated with factors such as lower monthly household income; no intention of taking the flu vaccine this year; perceived reasonable health status; having two or more diseases; low confidence in the health service response; worse perception of the adequacy of anti-COVID-19 government measures; low or no perceived risk of getting COVID-19; feeling agitated, anxious or sad some days; and lack of trust in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines. Confidence in vaccines, namely against COVID-19, is paramount for public health and should be monitored during vaccination rollout. Clear communication of the risks and benefits of vaccination needs improvement to increase adherence and public confidence.