A Experiência de Um Ano na Monitorização de Estenose Intracraniana nas Crianças com Anemia de Células Falciformes (Depranocitose) por Ecodoppler Transcraniano

O Laboratório de Neurossonologia do Hospital de S. José do CHLC, EPE propôs-se avaliar os registos velocimétricos obtidos na realização de Ecodoppler Transcraniano aos doentes em idade pediátrica portadores de Drepanocitose, durante o ano de 2010, verificando-se uma baixa incidência de estenose intracraniana

Disfagia e Disartria. Forma Invulgar de Apresentação da Miastenia Gravis

Myasthenia Gravis is an autoimmune disorder that generally presents with ocular symptoms, specially diplopia and ptosis. Dysphagia may be a manifestation of the generalised type of the disease, but rarely is its presenting feature. The authors describe a case of Myasthenia Gravis in an old patient complaining of dysphagia and dysarthria. Because Myasthenia Gravis is a potentially serious but treatable disease, we emphasize the need to consider it in the differential diagnosis of dysphagia, namely in the elderly. In fact, the disorder is probably underdiagnosed in this population group, because clinicians tend to accept other more frequent diagnosis to explain these symptoms

Surveying Rubisco diversity and temperature response to improve crop photosynthetic efficiency.

The threat to global food security of stagnating yields and population growth makes increasing crop productivity a critical goal over the coming decades. One key target for improving crop productivity and yields is increasing the efficiency of photosynthesis. Central to photosynthesis is ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, Rubisco, which is a critical but often rate-limiting component. Here we present full Rubisco catalytic properties measured at three temperatures for 75 plants species representing both crops and undomesticated plants from diverse climates. Some newly characterised Rubiscos were naturally 'better' compared to crop enzymes and have the potential to improve crop photosynthetic efficiency. The temperature response of the various catalytic parameters was largely consistent across the diverse range of species, though absolute values showed significant variation in Rubisco catalysis, even between closely related species. An analysis of residue differences amongst the species characterised identified a number of candidate amino acid substitutions that will aid in advancing engineering of improved Rubisco in crop systems. This study provides new insights on the range of Rubisco catalysis and temperature response present in nature, and provides new information to include in models from leaf to canopy and ecosystem scale

Prognóstico após Paragem Cardio-Respiratória em Doentes Submetidos a Hipotermia Terapêutica: Factores Clínicos, Electrofisiológicos e Imagiológicos

INTRODUCTION: Predicting outcome in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest is based on data validated by guidelines that were established before the era of therapeutic hypothermia. We sought to evaluate the predictive value of clinical, electrophysiological and imaging data on patients submitted to therapeutic hypothermia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients receiving therapeutic hypothermia during years 2010 and 2011 was made. Neurological examination, somatosensory evoked potentials, auditory evoked potentials, electroencephalography and brain magnetic resonance imaging were obtained during the first 72 hours. Glasgow Outcome Scale at 6 months, dichotomized into bad outcome (grades 1 and 2) and good outcome (grades 3, 4 and 5), was defined as the primary outcome. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients were studied. Absent pupillary light reflex, absent corneal and oculocephalic reflexes, absent N20 responses on evoked potentials and myoclonic status epilepticus showed no false-positives in predicting bad outcome. A malignant electroencephalographic pattern was also associated with a bad outcome (p = 0.05), with no false-positives. Two patients with a good outcome showed motor responses no better than extension (false-positive rate of 25%, p = 0.008) within 72 hours, both of them requiring prolonged sedation. Imaging findings of brain ischemia did not correlate with outcome. DISCUSSION: Absent pupillary, corneal and oculocephalic reflexes, absent N20 responses and a malignant electroencephalographic pattern all remain accurate predictors of poor outcome in cardiac arrest patients submitted to therapeutic hypothermia. CONCLUSION: Prolonged sedation beyond the hypothermia period may confound prediction strength of motor responses

Avaliação de genótipos de feijão-caupi no Estado da Bahia no biênio 2010/11-2011/12.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar genótipos de feijão-caupi de portes ereto, semiereto e semiprostrado no Estado da Bahia. Foram avaliados 40 genótipos, sendo 20 de portes ereto e semiereto e 20 de porte semiprostrado, em cinco ambientes do estado da Bahia, no biênio 2010/11 e 2011/12. Todos os ensaios foram conduzidos em delineamento de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. As médias dos genótipos foram comparadas, dentro de grupo de porte, pelo teste de Scott-Knott (P<0,05). A cultivar BRS Guariba e a linhagem MNC03-737F-5-1 apresentaram médias de rendimento de grãos semelhantes á testemunha e outros oito genótipos. Os genótipos MNC02-675F-5, MNC03-761F-1, MNC03-736F-2, BRS Xiquexique e Pingo de Ouro 1-2 foram superiores à testemunha em rendimento de grãos.CONAC 2012. Disponível em: http://www.conac2012.org/resumos/pdf/124q.pdf. Acesso em: 19 jul. 2013

The Critical Behaviour of the Spin-3/2 Blume-Capel Model in Two Dimensions

The phase diagram of the spin-3/2 Blume-Capel model in two dimensions is explored by conventional finite-size scaling, conformal invariance and Monte Carlo simulations. The model in its $\tau$-continuum Hamiltonian version is also considered and compared with others spin-3/2 quantum chains. Our results indicate that differently from the standard spin-1 Blume-Capel model there is no multicritical point along the order-disorder transition line. This is in qualitative agreement with mean field prediction but in disagreement with previous approximate renormalization group calculations. We also presented new results for the spin-1 Blume-Capel model.Comment: latex 18 pages, 4 figure

A desigualdade pode afetar a eficiência do sistema financeiro? um modelo de equilíbrio em dois períodos com fricções na intermediação financeira

This study presents an equilibrium model that shows a channel through which wealth inequality may affect the financial system development. In the presence frictions, namely, a limit to the proportion of debt in projects financed by banks and a minimum size of projects available in the economy, we show that inequality may negatively affect the volume of resources intermediated by the financial system and, hence, its efficiency, given the assumed gains of scale. Simulations under several parameterizations reveal a non-linear, non-monotonic relation between inequality and financial system efficiency, as measured by the spread between borrowing and lending.Este trabalho apresenta um modelo de equilíbrio que mostra um canal através do qual a desigualdade na distribuição de riqueza pode afetar o desenvolvimento do sistema financeiro. Na presença de fricções, nominalmente: um limite à proporção de dívida nos p6911751sem informaçãosem informaçãoAghion, P., Bolton, P., A theory of trickle-down growth and development (1997) The Review of Economic Studies, 67 (219), pp. 151-172Aghion, P., Howitt, P.W., (1998) Endogenous growth theory, , Cambridge, MA: MIT PressBeck, T., Demirguc-Kunt, A., Levine, R., SMEs, growth, and poverty: Cross-country evidence (2005) Journal of Economic Growth, 10 (3), pp. 199-229Diamond, D.W., Financial intermediation and delegated monitoring (1984) Review of Economic Studies, pp. 393-414Diamond, D.W., Dybvig, P.H., Bank runs, deposit insurance, and liquidity (1983) Journal of Political Economy, 91 (3), pp. 401-419. , JunLi, H., Squire, L., Zou, H.-F., Explaining international and intertemporal variations in income inequality (1998) The Economic Journal, 108 (446), pp. 26-43(2009) Human Development Report 2009, , http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/269/hdr_2009_en_complete.pdf, New York: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Disponível em(2013) Inequality matters: Report of the world social situation 2013, , http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/documents/reports/InequalityMatters.pdf, New York: United Nations / Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Disponível emThis study presents an equilibrium model that shows a channel through which wealth inequality may affect the financial system development. In the presence frictions, namely, a limit to the proportion of debt in projects financed by banks and a minimum si