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- Effect of a tea tree oil mouthwash on plaque-induced gingivitis when comparing to chlorhexidine: an exploratory randomised clinical trialPublication . Menat, Alfred; Rozan, Cecília; Barroso, Helena; Proença, Luís; Salema-Oom, Madalena; Botelho, João; Zhiri, Abdesselam; Manso, Ana CristinaGingivitis, the most common periodontal disease, is an inflammatory condition of the gingiva resulting from bacterial biofilm accumulation without periodontal attachment loss. Chlorhexidine (CHX) is the gold standard for chemical plaque control, yet its prolonged use is associated with undesirable side effects. Tea tree essential oil (TTO, Melaleuca alternifolia), with documented antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, has emerged as a potential natural alternative. This exploratory randomized, controlled, triple-blind clinical trial evaluated the antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and clinical effects of a 1% TTO-based mouthwash compared with 0.12% CHX in 30 adults with plaque-induced gingivitis. Both mouthwashes significantly reduced plaque and gingival indices as well as bacterial counts after 15 days (p < 0.001), with no significant intergroup differences in clinical outcomes. CHX achieved a greater reduction in bacterial load, while TTO presented fewer adverse effects, limited to mild taste alteration and transient increase in salivary flow. Both formulations exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity, though clinical tolerance was high. These results suggest that, under the tested conditions, TTO formulation at 1% (v/v) exerts an antibacterial effect comparable to CHX, while displaying a dose-dependent pattern.
- Editorial : novel rehabilitation approaches for non-communicable diseases in the era of precision medicinePublication . Fernandes, Júlio Belo; Outeiro, Tiago F.; Baixinho, Cristina Lavareda; Godinho, CatarinaEditorial
- Editorial : enhancing companion animal welfare through advanced behavioral management strategiesPublication . Demirbas, Yasemin Salgirli; McPeake, Kevin James; Pereira, Joana Soares; De Jaeger, XavierEditorial
- Editorial : coping with antimicrobial resistance in the context of dental medicinePublication . Bessa, Lucinda J.; D’Ercole, Simonetta; Alves, RicardoEditorial
- Chronic intestinal failure : Portuguese overview and future perspectivesPublication . Bargas, André; Glória, Luisa; Fonseca, Jorge; Marinho, Anibal; Gouveia, Paula; Lal, SimonBackground: Chronic intestinal failure (CIF) is a rare and complex condition in which patients require long-term intravenous supplementation to maintain health and quality of life. Across Europe, initiatives led by the European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Nutrition Health Alliance have sought to harmonize definitions, care standards, and access to home parenteral support. However, international differences remain significant, particularly in countries where CIF care structures are still developing. Summary: This review outlines the current landscape of CIF care in Portugal, from its formal recognition to the ongoing establishment of national standards. This review revisits the traditional difficulties of CIF patients’ management, the changes that come along with the publication of Health Directive 017/2020 marking a turning point, providing a legal and organizational framework for home management and multidisciplinary nutrition support teams. Recent Portuguese and European studies highlight both the progress achieved and the continuing gaps in coordination, registry data, and specialized services. Integrating the new ESPEN quality-of-care standards into clinical practice represents an opportunity to consolidate a structured national network, promote equity of access, and align Portuguese practice with broader European benchmarks. Key Messages: CIF remains underrecognized and underreported in Portugal, highlighting the need for developing the current national registry and dedicated referral network. Legislative advances and professional initiatives represent critical first steps toward equitable, evidence-based CIF management and integration into European care models. Implementation of structured multidisciplinary teams and adherence to ESPEN quality-of-care standards are pivotal to improving safety, outcomes, and cost efficiency. Portuguese progress has been clear and significant, but there is still a long way to travel before reaching European standards of CIF patient care.
- Can poor nutrition and diet influence temporomandibular disorder? A systematic reviewPublication . Lima, Flávio Fidêncio de; Razavian, Artin; Hosokawa, Mai; Foscaldo, Tatiana Ferreira; Koldzo, Melisa; Poluha, Rodrigo Lorenzi; Christidis, Maria; Christidis, Nikolaos; Canales, Giancarlo De la TorreBackground: The relationship between diet, nutrition, and painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is not well established, despite increasing interest in lifestyle factors in chronic pain. This systematic review aimed to synthesize available evidence on how dietary patterns and nutritional status may be associated with painful TMD. Methods: An electronic search was conducted in the databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Web of Science for clinical and observational trials from the beginning of each database to November 2025. Risk of bias was performed using the Study Quality Assessment Tools from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Results: Out of 7,760 records and after the risk of bias assessment, only seven studies judged as having a low risk of bias were included. Overall, the included studies indicate that the association between dietary factors and TMD remains unclear. Prospective cohort studies did not demonstrate that prenatal or adolescent diet quality independently predicted TMD. Cross-sectional studies suggested that specific dietary patterns may be related to TMD-related symptoms. Women with myogenous TMD showed lower intake of several nutrients compared with controls. Experimental evidence indicated that monosodium glutamate ingestion increased pain intensity in myofascial TMD, while the only randomized trial found no significant pain differences between vitamin D supplementation and diclofenac. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that some dietary components and nutritional factors may be associated with TMD-related symptoms or pain responses; however, the findings are limited, heterogeneous, and insufficient to support firm causal or therapeutic conclusions.
- Burden and disutility of sleep disturbance and early morning OFF symptoms in people with advancing Parkinson’s disease : a vignette-based approach using the EQ-5D-5LPublication . Domingos, Josefa; Arija, Pablo; Malaty, Irene A.; Pahwa, Rajesh; Chaudhuri, K. Ray; Boeri, Marco; Kuharic, Maja; Lalla, Anjana; Baldwin, Zachary; Yan, Connie H.; Heisen, Marieke; Mohan, Divya; Penton, HannahBackground: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms that fluctuate as oral medication wears off, causing periods when symptoms return (“OFF” time) and periods of control (“ON” time). These fluctuations often occur at night and early morning. Sleep disturbance (SD) and early-morning OFF time (EMO) have been shown to decrease health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with PD (PwP). However, limited evidence exists on how these symptoms impact health state utility values (HSUVs) used in economic modeling. This study aimed to estimate the burden and disutility of SD and EMO in PwP through vignettes valued using the EQ-5D-5 L. Methodology: An online survey was completed by adults (≥ 30 years) with self-reported PD diagnosis for ≥ 5 years and ≥ 2 h/day of OFF time, on oral PD medications, and residing in the US or UK. The survey included EQ-5D-5 L and EQ-VAS assessments for 4 vignettes—No SD or EMO, SD (without EMO), EMO (without SD), and Both SD and EMO—plus questions exploring the burden of SD and EMO. EQ-5D-5 L responses were converted into US utility values to estimate HSUVs and the disutility of SD and EMO. Results: Seventy-five individuals completed the survey; 52.00% were male, and 78.66% resided in the US. The average age was 64.32 years, with a mean time since diagnosis of 9.82 years and an average OFF time of 3.91 h/day. In the previous week, 96.00% and 98.67% of respondents reported experiencing SD and EMO, respectively. The presence of either SD (HSUV: 0.796) or EMO (HSUV: 0.701) alone resulted in lower EQ-5D-5 L utilities, with the presence of both valued least (HSUV: 0.528), compared with when both SD and EMO were absent (HSUV: 0.911). EQ-VAS scores ranged from 81.01 for no symptoms to 48.41 for both. Conclusions: SD and EMO impose a significant burden on PwP and decrease HSUVs. As SD and EMO were associated with significant disutility, they should be incorporated into economic models to comprehensively assess PD treatment benefits. Raising awareness among PwP and healthcare providers and prioritizing treatments that minimize SD and EMO can reduce their burden and improve HRQoL for PwP.
- Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae oil as an alternative to poultry oil in diets for European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)Publication . Acebes, Daniel; Canada, Paula; Sá, Tiago; Silva, Andreia F.; Magalhães, Sara; Murta, Daniel; Sousa, Ricardo; Valente, Luísa M. P.; Basto, AnaInsects have emerged as an alternative protein source for aquafeeds, and more recently, attention has turned into their lipidic fraction. This study evaluated the potential of black soldier fly larvae oil (BSFLO) to replace poultry oil (PO) in diets for two key Mediterranean aquaculture species: European seabass and gilthead seabream juveniles. A control diet containing 5.2% PO was formulated, along with three experimental diets in which PO was replaced by BSFLO at 33%, 66%, and 100% (1.7%, 3.4%, and 5.2% BSFLO dietary inclusion). Fish were fed to satiation for 8 weeks (gilthead seabream) and 12 weeks (European seabass) at 23.0 ± 0.7 °C and 22.8 ± 0.6 °C, respectively. All diets were well accepted by both species, with no adverse effects on feed intake. Growth performance and feed conversion ratio improved with the full replacement of PO by BSFLO, particularly in seabass. Increasing dietary levels of BSFLO led to greater lauric acid deposition in muscle, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and reduced lipid peroxidation in both species. The complete replacement of PO by BSFLO increased the muscle n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio in both seabass and seabream. Overall, BSFLO proved to be a promising lipid source in aquafeeds for seabass and seabream, with the total PO replacement by BSFLO yielding clear performance gains in seabass and contributing to a more favourable and stable muscle lipid profile (characterized by higher n-3/n-6 ratios, improved antioxidant status, and lower lipid peroxidation) which may support product quality in both species.
- Bench-press performed with a velocity- and tempo-based approach : are there differences in volume load, time under tension, and metabolic demands?Publication . Fitas, Afonso; Miras-Moreno, Sérgio; Oliveira, João Henriques; Cidrais, Margarida; Pezarat-Correia, Pedro; Schoenfeld, Brad J.; Mendonça, Gonçalo V.Background: Velocity-based training (VBT) is a resistance training approach that uses lifting velocity to determine training load and track strength progress. This study determined the impact of a VBT versus a tempo-based training (TBT) approach on volume load and time under tension during a single set of submaximal bench press performed to failure. Hypothesis: VBT would result in larger volume load and similar time under tension as TBT. Study Design: Randomized-crossover design. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: A total of 14 healthy men (24.1 ± 5.8 years) performed free-weight bench-press exercise at low intensities (12%, 16%, 20%, and 24% of 1-repetition maximum [1RM]) with oxygen uptake (V.O2) measurements. V.O2 was then extrapolated to a set performed at 70% 1RM to failure and the accumulated O2 deficit was calculated together with the relative energy contribution of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Mechanical data were collected with a linear encoder. Results: Despite the lack of differences between conditions for total time under tension (P > 0.05), VBT achieved a higher volume load at set failure (P < 0.05). Moreover, the VBT condition resulted in a larger total V.O2 from set initiation to termination (P < 0.01). Conversely, the accumulated O2 deficit did not differ between conditions (P > 0.05). Compared with TBT, VBT elicited a higher relative contribution of aerobic energy (VBT, ~41%; TBT, 33%) and a lower relative contribution of anaerobic energy (VBT, ~59; TBT, 67%) during exercise (P < 0.01). Conclusion: VBT is an effective strategy to enhance volume load during bench-press performed to failure at 70% 1RM. This effect occurs without compromising time under tension. These findings are associated with a higher contribution of aerobic energy supply to exercise. Clinical Relevance: VBT may be beneficial for athletes aiming to maximize volume load in response to resistance exercise.
- Bar adsorptive microextraction for trace determination of natural and semi-synthetic cannabinoids in salivaPublication . Pereira, Maria Beatriz; Sá, Joana M. N.; Justino, Gonçalo C.; Quintas, Alexandre; Neng, Nuno R.Cannabis is the most widely consumed illicit substance worldwide, and the rise of synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids poses growing public health concerns due to their high potency and unpredictable effects. This study presents a new analytical methodology for the simultaneous determination of natural and semi-synthetic cannabinoids (cannabidiol (CDB), Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC), and hexahydrocannabinol (HHC)) in saliva using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in combination with bar adsorptive microextraction (BAμE) as a green sample preparation. The optimized method showed satisfactory recoveries (57.3–80.6%), low detection and quantification limits (1.25 and 4.13 ng/mL, respectively), excellent linearity (r2 ≥ 0.9963), and robust precision and accuracy. Application to authentic saliva samples demonstrated cannabinoid levels consistent with literature values. Overall, the proposed methodology offers a cost-effective, miniaturized, and environmentally sustainable platform for routine oral fluid cannabinoid analysis, highlighting its potential for forensic, clinical, and toxicological applications.