From College-to-Work: Latent Class Models Analysis of Mutual Adjustment in Internships after the Diploma

This article aims to identify which factors enable the mutual adjustment of top managers of small enterprises (SEs), frequently their owners, and interns (young college graduates) in their first work experiences. Using latent segment models and data obtained from an archive database of an internship program with complete information on both interns and SEs top managers (n = 102), the categories of mutual adjustment between interns and SEs top managers were obtained: (1) mutual adjustment corresponding to very satisfied SE top managers and interns, hired at the end of the internship (75%); and (2) mutual maladjustment characterized by the dissatisfied SE top managers and interns, resulting in no job creation (25%). Finally, we conducted a binary logistic regression (mutual adjustment as the dependent variable), using forward LR, and we identified organizational socialization practices and learning system as factors that contribute to explain mutual adjustmentinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Avaliação do uso do óxido nítrico no tratamento da hipertensão pulmonar persistente do recém-nascido: uma metanálise

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the use of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) in the management of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. METHODS: Computerized bibliographic search on MEDLINE, CURRENT CONTENTS and LILACS covering the period from January 1990 to March 1998; review of references of all papers found on the subject. Only randomized clinical trials evaluating nitric oxide and conventional treatment were included. OUTCOMES STUDIED: death, requirement for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), systemic oxygenation, complications at the central nervous system and development of chronic pulmonary disease. The methodologic quality of the studies was evaluated by a quality score system, on a scale of 13 points. RESULTS: For infants without congenital diaphragmatic hernia, inhaled NO did not change mortality (typical odds ratio: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.6 to 1.8); the need for ECMO was reduced (relative risk: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.90), and the oxygenation was improved (PaO2 by a mean of 53.3 mm Hg; 95% CI: 44.8 to 61.4; oxygenation index by a mean of -12.2; 95% CI: -14.1 to -9.9). For infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, mortality, requirement for ECMO, and oxygenation were not changed. For all infants, central nervous system complications and incidence of chronic pulmonary disease did not change. CONCLUSIONS: Inhaled NO improves oxygenation and reduces requirement for ECMO only in newborns with persistent pulmonary hypertension who do not have diaphragmatic hernia. The risk of complications of the central nervous system and chronic pulmonary disease were not affected by inhaled NO.OBJETIVOS: Avaliar o papel do óxido nítrico inalatório no tratamento da hipertensão pulmonar persistente do recém-nascido. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Busca bibliográfica informatizada para janeiro de 1990 a março de 1998 (MEDLINE, CURRENT CONTENTS e LILACS) complementada manualmente. Apenas ensaios clínicos controlados e randomizados foram selecionados. INTERVENÇÃO: tratamento com óxido nítrico inalatório comparado com tratamento convencional. DESFECHOS: morte, necessidade de ECMO, oxigenação sistêmica, complicações em sistema nervoso central e doença pulmonar crônica. Qualidade metodológica: critério de escores, sendo treze a pontuação máxima. RESULTADOS: Nos não portadores de hérnia diafragmática o óxido nítrico inalatório não reduziu a mortalidade, OR: 1,04 (IC 95%: 0,59 a 1,82), mas diminuiu a necessidade de indicação de ECMO, RR: 0,73 (IC 95%: 0,6 a 0,9) e melhorou a oxigenação sistêmica, diferença média ponderada (DMP) para PaO2 em 30 e 60min: 53,18 (IC 95%: 44,8 a 61,4) e DMP para IO em 30 e 60min: -12,17 (IC 95%: -14,4 a -9,9). Nos portadores de hérnia diafragmática, não houve melhora da oxigenação arterial, nem redução da mortalidade ou da necessidade de ECMO, RR: 1,17 (IC 95%: 0,97 a 1,41). A incidência de complicações neurológicas e de doença pulmonar foram semelhantes para os dois grupos

Circumferential vascular strain rate to estimate vascular load in aortic stenosis: a speckle tracking echocardiography study

Evaluation of vascular mechanics through two-dimensional speckle-tracking (2D-ST) echocardiography is a feasible and accurate approach for assessing vascular stiffening. Degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) is currently considered a systemic vascular disease where rigidity of arterial walls increases. To assess the circumferential ascending aorta strain rate (CAASR) in thoracic aortas of patients with AS, applying 2D-ST technology. 45 patients with indexed aortic valve areas (iAVA) ≤0.85 cm(2)/m(2) were studied. Global CAASR served to assess vascular deformation. Clinical, echocardiographic, and non-invasive hemodynamic data were collected. A follow up (955 days) was also performed. Average age of the cohort was 76. ± 10.3 years, with gender balance. Mean iAVA was 0.43 ± 0.15 cm(2)/m(2). Waveforms adequate for determining CAASR were found in 246 (91 %) of the 270 aortic segments evaluated, for a mean global CAASR of 0.74 ± 0.26 s(-1). Both intra- and inter-observer variability of global CAASR were deemed appropriate. CAASR correlated significantly with age (r = -0.49, p < 0.01), the stiffness index (r = -0.59, p < 0.01), systemic arterial compliance and total vascular resistance. There was a significant positive correlation between CAASR, body surface area (BSA), iAVA, and a negative relationship with valvulo-arterial impedance and E/e' ratio (r = -0.37, p = 0.01). The stiffness index was (β = -0.41, p < 0.01) independently associated with CAASR, in a model adjusted for age, BSA, iAVA and E/e'. Patients with a baseline CAASR ≤0.66 s(-1) had a worse long-term outcome (survival 52.4 vs. 83.3 %, Log Rank p = 0.04). CAASR is a promising echocardiographic tool for studying the vascular loading component of patients with AS.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Identification of fractional-order transfer functions using a step excitation

This brief proposes a new method for the identification of fractional order transfer functions based on the time response resulting from a single step excitation. The proposed method is applied to the identification of a three-dimensional RC network, which can be tailored in terms of topology and composition to emulate real time systems governed by fractional order dynamics. The results are in excellent agreement with the actual network response, yet the identification procedure only requires a small number of coefficients to be determined, demonstrating that the fractional order modelling approach leads to very parsimonious model formulations

O Índice de Resistência Microcirculação Para o Estudo Invasivo da Microcirculação Coronária. Descrição e Validação de um Modelo Animal

INTRODUCTION: The index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) enables/provides quantitative, invasive, and real-time assessment of coronary microcirculation status. AIMS: The primary aim of this study was to validate the assessment of IMR in a large animal model, and the secondary aim was to compare two doses of intracoronary papaverine, 5 and 10 mg, for induction of maximal hyperemia and its evolution over time. METHODS: Measurements of IMR were performed in eight pigs. Mean distal pressure (Pd) and mean transit time (Tmn) were measured at rest and at maximal hyperemia induced with intracoronary papaverine, 5 and 10 mg, and after 2, 5, 8 and 10 minutes. Disruption of the microcirculation was achieved by selective injection of 40-μm microspheres via a microcatheter in the left anterior descending artery. RESULTS: In each animal 14 IMR measurements were made. There were no differences between the two doses of papaverine regarding Pd response and IMR values - 11 ± 4.5 U with 5 mg and 10.6 ± 3 U with 10 mg (p=0.612). The evolution of IMR over time was also similar with the two doses, with significant differences from resting values disappearing after five minutes of intracoronary papaverine administration. IMR increased with disrupted microcirculation in all animals (41 ± 16 U, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: IMR provides invasive and real-time assessment of coronary microcirculation. Disruption of the microvascular bed is associated with a significant increase in IMR. A 5-mg dose of intracoronary papaverine is as effective as a 10-mg dose in inducing maximal hyperemia. After five minutes of papaverine administration there is no significant difference from resting hemodynamic status

Hiperplasia Angiofolicular (doença de castleman): a propósito de um caso

Os autores relatam um caso de tumoração retro-peritoneal assintomática, tratado por ressecção cirúrgica e radioterapia, cujo exame anátomo-patológico definiu o diagnóstico de Doença de Castleman ou Hiperplasia Angiofolicular de Gânglio Linfático. Através da revisão bibliográfica e da própria evolução clínica do caso, tecem considerações sobre o comportamento biológico do tumor e dos possíveis mecanismos etiológicos

EACVI survey on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Publisher Copyright: Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2021. For permissions, please email: [email protected]: The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a global survey to evaluate current practice for the assessment and management of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 213 centres from 38 different countries (87% European) responded to the survey. One hundred twenty-one (57%) centres followed HCM patients in a general cardiology outpatient clinic and 85 (40%) centres in a specialized HCM/cardiomyopathy clinic. While echocardiography was the primary imaging modality, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has become an important complementary tool. Cardiac anatomy, left ventricular (LV) systolic, and diastolic function were assessed according to current European guidelines and recommendations. To evaluate LV obstruction, 49% of the centres performed bedside provocation manoeuvres in every patient and 55% of the centres used exercise stress echocardiography. The majority of centres used the 5-year risk assessment of sudden cardiac death (SCD) calculated with the HCM Risk-SCD score. However, 34% of the centres also used extensive non-infarct late gadolinium enhancement on CMR and 27% the presence of LV apical aneurysm to help select patients for primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy. Ninety-nine percent of the responding centres performed regular imaging follow-up of HCM patients. CONCLUSION: Most centres followed European guidelines and recommendations for the diagnosis and management of patients with HCM. The importance of bedside provocation manoeuvres and exercise stress echocardiography to diagnose LV outflow obstruction requires emphasis. Additional risk markers for SCD are used in many centres and might indicate the need for an update of current European recommendations.publishersversionpublishe

Stabilizability and Disturbance Rejection with State-Derivative Feedback

In some practical problems, for instance in the control of mechanical systems using accelerometers as sensors, it is easier to obtain the state-derivative signals than the state signals. This paper shows that (i) linear time-invariant plants given by the state-space model matrices {A,B,C,D} with output equal to the state-derivative vector are not observable and can not be stabilizable by using an output feedback if det⁡(A)=0 and (ii) the rejection of a constant disturbance added to the input of the aforementioned plants, considering det⁡(A)≠0, and a static output feedback controller is not possible. The proposed results can be useful in the analysis and design of control systems with state-derivative feedback