On derivatives and norms of generalized matrix functions and respective symmetric powers

In recent papers, the authors obtained formulas for directional derivatives of all orders, of the immanant and of the m-th xi-symmetric tensor power of an operator and a matrix, when xi is a character of the full symmetric group. The operator norm of these derivatives was also calculated. In this paper, similar results are established for generalized matrix functions and for every symmetric tensor power

Plastic and heritable variation in shell thickness of the intertidal gastropod Nucella lapillus associated with risks of crab predation and wave action, and sexual maturation

The intertidal snail Nucella lapillus generally has thicker shells at sites sheltered from wave action, where crabs are abundant and pose a high risk of predation, than at exposed sites where crabs are rare. We studied two populations showing the opposite trend. We reciprocally transplanted snails between field sites and measured shell length, width and lip thickness of those recaptured 12 months later. Snails transplanted to the sheltered site grew larger than sheltered-site residents, which in turn grew larger than transplants to the exposed site. Relative shell-lip thickness was greater in residents at the exposed site than at the sheltered site. Transplants from shelter to exposure developed relatively thicker shells than their controls and relatively thinner shells from exposure to shelter. Progeny of the two populations were reared for 12 months in a common garden experiment presenting effluent from crabs feeding on broken conspecifics as the treatment and fresh sea-water as the control. The crab-effluent treatment decreased foraging activity, concomitantly reducing cumulative somatic growth and reproductive output. Juveniles receiving crab-effluent grew slower in shell length while developing relatively thicker shell lips than controls, the level of response being similar between lineages. F(2) progeny of the exposed-site lineage showed similar trends to the F(1)s; sheltered-site F(2)s were too few for statistical analysis. At sexual maturity, shell-lip thickness was greater in snails receiving crab-effluent than in controls, indicating plasticity, but was also greater in the exposed-site than in the sheltered-site lineage, indicating heritable variation, probably in degree of sexual thickening of the shell lip. Results corroborate hypotheses that 'defensive' shell thickening is a passive consequence of starvation and that heritable and plastic control of defensive shell morphology act synergistically. Shell thickening of juveniles was similar between lineages, contrary to hypotheses predicting differential strengths of plasticity in populations from low- or high-risk habitats.publishe

Implanting IT applications in government institutions: a process model emerging from a case study in a medium-sized municipality

Organizations of any kind, including companies and government institutions, understand the need to incorporate information technologies (IT) to improve internal and external communication, faster access to information, modernize decision making and provide better service to their customers. Integrating IT into operations and management requires changes at various levels of the organization (services, processes, forms of work, technology and organizational structure) and brings up several challenges. Considering the level of maturity of existing IT solutions, the acquisition and implantation of ready-to-use software applications is, nowadays, a standard way of gaining access to IT solutions. However, there is a lack of models to guide this process. The objective of this article is to propose such a model. The proposed model is grounded on the findings of a case study carried out in medium size municipality that recently went through the implantation process of an ERP IT application. The study allowed to identify critical features in different facets of the implantation process. The study mainly involved interviews with key participants in the process. The model proposed in this article emerged during this study and accounts for the issues and concerns identified.The authors acknowledge the support received for the production of this work, namely:(i) Project "SmartEGOV: Harnessing EGOV for Smart Governance (Foundations, methods, Tools) / NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000037", supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (EFDR);(ii) FCT - Fundacao para a Ciancia e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2019 - Portugal;(iii) Universidad Tecnica del Norte - Ecuador;(iv) Secretaria Nacional de Educacion Superior, Ciencia, Tecnologia e Innovacion (SENESCYT) - Ecuador;(v) Gobierno Autonomo Descentralizado S.M. de Ibarra - Ecuador

Invasive pneumococcal disease in HIV seropositive children and adolescents

OBJETIVO: Doença Invasiva Pneumocócica (DPI) afeta crianças principalmente menores de 5 anos, idosos e grupos de risco, especialmente pessoas infectadas pelo vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana (HIV). O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar as doenças pneumocócicas invasivas (DPI) em crianças e adolescentes infectados pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV), de acordo com morbiletalidade, sorotipos, sensibilidade à penicilina e ceftriaxona e distribuição de Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp) sensíveis e resistentes presentes na vacina antipneumocócica conjugada 7-valente, já licenciada. MÉTODOS: Foram identificados 19 casos de DPI entre pacientes HIV soropositivos com idade entre 1 mês e 20 anos hospitalizados de 1993 a 2000. Os dados foram registrados em fichas padronizadas, contendo informações sobre idade, diagnóstico clínico e evolução, sorotipos e perfil de sensibilidade para penicilina e ceftriaxona das cepas de Sp isoladas em cultura. Sp com concentração inibitória mínima < 0,1 mcg/mL foi considerado sensível à penicilina (SpSPn), e as demais cepas como não sensíveis (SpNSPn). RESULTADOS: Dos 19 casos de DPI em HIV soropositivos, 16 (84%) tinham pneumonia e três (16%), meningite; 13 (68%) ocorreram em crianças menores de 2 anos e 16 (84%) em menores de 5 anos. A letalidade foi de 10%. Dos 13 casos em menores de 2 anos, sete (54%) foram SpNSPn e 10 (77%) foram causados por sorotipos contemplados na vacina antipneumocócica conjugada 7-valente. Foram isolados 10 sorotipos, sendo mais freqüentes o 14, 6B e 23F, todos sensíveis à ceftriaxona. Dos três casos de meningite, dois foram causados por SpNSPn. CONCLUSÃO: A maioria das DPI ocorreu em menores de 2 anos de idade; 77% das cepas e 86% dos sorotipos de SpNSPn estão contemplados pela vacina antipneumocócica conjugada 7-valente.OBJECTIVE: Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) primarily affects children less than 5 years old, the elderly and certain at-risk groups; especially people infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The objective of this study was to analyze invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD) in children and adolescents infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), with relation to morbidity, the case fatality ratio, pneumococcus serotypes, susceptibility to penicillin and ceftriaxone and to the proportion of susceptible and resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp) included in the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine that has already been licensed. METHODS: A total of 19 cases of IPD were identified among HIV seropositive patients aged from 1 month to 20 years and hospitalized between 1993 and 2000. Data were recorded on standardized charts containing information on age, clinical diagnosis and progression, serotypes and the susceptibility to penicillin and ceftriaxone of the Sp strains identified in cultures. When the minimum inhibitory concentration was < 0.1 mcg/mL, Sp were defined as susceptible to penicillin (SpSPn), and all other strains were defined as not susceptible (SpNSPn). RESULTS: Of the 19 HIV seropositive cases with IPD, 16 (84%) had pneumonia and three (16%), had meningitis; 13 (68%) cases were children less than 2 years old and 16 (84%) were less than 5 years old. The case fatality ratio was 10%. Seven (54%) of the 13 cases less than 2 years old were SpNSPn and 10 (77%) were caused by serotypes covered by the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. From the 10 isolated serotypes the most frequent were 14, 6B and 23F, all them susceptible to ceftriaxone. From the three patients with meningitis, two were caused by SpNSPn. CONCLUSION: In this study most of the IPD occurred in children less than 2 years old; 77% of the strains and 86% of the serotypes of SpNSPn were covered by the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

Famílias com filhos com deficiência mental

A deficiência mental numa família constitui-se como um acontecimento que afecta o quotidiano da mesma, tendo impacto na sua organização, estrutura e dinâmica. O presente estudo descreve as características e formas de organização familiar no âmbito da deficiência mental de 15 famílias, onde se verifica a existência do sub-sistema parental e em que pelo menos um dos filhos frequenta o Centro de Actividades Ocupacionais da Unidade Funcional de Arganil da Associação Portuguesa de Pais e Amigos do Cidadão Deficiente Mental de Coimbra. Para a avaliação das variáveis em estudo, utilizou-se um inquérito por questionário com perguntas fechadas e semi-abertas, que permitiu conhecer as características das famílias, a forma como se organizam no seu quotidiano e na relação com a sua vida profissional e familiar. Utilizou-se também o Instrumento de Análise da Rede Social Pessoal (Guadalupe & Alarcão, in Guadalupe, 2009) que identifica o suporte social das famílias, e a Escala dos Processos Chave na Resiliência Familiar (Souza, 2003, versão portuguesa de Lourenço & Guadalupe, 2007, in Lourenço, 2009) que permitiu caracterizar o nível de resiliência percebida pelas famílias. Os resultados indicam que grande parte da amostra evidencia que um filho com deficiência mental condiciona o percurso das famílias, nomeadamente das mães, que assumem um papel central nos cuidados ao filho com deficiência e no próprio quotidiano doméstico. Verificam-se condicionantes laborais, financeiras e até mesmo nos tempos de lazer. As famílias encontram suporte social sobretudo na família extensa, verificando-se a existência de redes sociais coesas e pequenas. Os apoios sociais para estas famílias são diminutos, identificando-se como principal preocupação a indefinição do futuro dos seus filhos, independentemente dos padrões de resiliência apresentados pela família. A complexidade que a deficiência mental traduz, impõe uma intervenção social directa e alargada com a família e seu contexto, nomeadamente na promoção de competências e na consolidação de direitos para indivíduos com deficiência. A partilha de experiências entre famílias e técnicos, através de diferentes meios, poderia enriquecer os percursos desenvolvidos, assim como delinear caminhos para produzir conhecimento no âmbito da intervenção social com pessoas com deficiência mental, consolidando novas formas de agir