Lower lobe pneumonia presenting as singultus (hiccups)

Background: Persistent hiccups can be a debilitating symptom and many such patients present to the emergency department seeking relief. A variety of serious conditions have been associated with persistent hiccups. Cases of pneumonia as a cause of hiccups have been rarely described. Case presentation: A 79-year-old male patient presented to the hospital due to persistent hiccups for 4 days. Despite lack of new respiratory symptoms or fever, a chest x-ray demonstrated a left lower lobe consolidation, which was also confirmed with a chest CT. The patient was treated with levofloxacin and at 1-month follow-up hiccups had completely resolved, while a repeat chest CT demonstrated resolution of the consolidation. Conclusions: The presentation of pneumonia in elderly patients may be atypical and may lack the symptoms and signs observed in younger patients. Hiccups may be the main presenting symptom of pneumonia

Disclosure determinants according to IFRS through financial statements in the science of accounting

The aim of this thesis is to identify the level of mandatory disclosures by listed Greek companies as well as the determinants operational factors explaining the decision of a company to disclose information in its annual financial statements in accordance with IAS / IFRS. The companies’ characteristics that have chosen to interpret the decision to disclose is the size, age, profitability, liquidity, leverage, industry and the auditing firm.To fulfill these objectives, the major theories in disclosure practices were examined which explain the decision of a company to provide information to interested parties through financial statements. Then, it was studied the Greek accounting environment and history of IAS/IFRS to the mandatory adoption by listed Greek companies. Additionally investigated the earlier findings of research studies generated by researchers of modern accounting practices over the disclosures. For carrying out the investigation, a specific number of information items from the financial statements were collected and hypothesis testing conducted to enhance understanding of the relationship between the disclosure level and operational firms’ characteristics. To determine the relationship between the level of disclosure and the various companies’ characteristics used both bivariate and the multivariate analysis.Through the findings of this thesis, the identification of the determinants of compliance level achieved regarding mandatory disclosure practices and a model is structured that will help investors to make the right business decisions.Η εκπόνηση της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής αποσκοπεί στον εντοπισμό του επιπέδου των υποχρεωτικών γνωστοποιήσεων των εισηγμένων ελληνικών εταιρειών καθώς επίσης και στους προσδιοριστικούς εταιρικούς παράγοντες που ερμηνεύουν την απόφαση μιας επιχείρησης να γνωστοποιεί πληροφορίες στις ετήσιες οικονομικές καταστάσεις της με βάση τα ΔΛΠ/ΔΠΧΠ. Τα χαρακτηριστικά της επιχείρησης που επιλέχθηκαν για να ερμηνεύσουν την απόφαση της να γνωστοποιεί είναι το μέγεθος, η ηλικία, η κερδοφορία, η ρευστότητα, η μόχλευση, ο κλάδος και η ελεγκτική εταιρεία.Για να εκπληρωθούν οι παραπάνω στόχοι μελετήθηκαν σημαντικές θεωρίες οι οποίες συνδέονται με τα επίπεδα των παρεχόμενων γνωστοποιήσεων από την πλευρά της επιχείρησης προς τα ενδιαφερόμενα μέρη μέσω των οικονομικών της καταστάσεων. Κατόπιν, μελετήθηκε το ελληνικό λογιστικό περιβάλλον και η ιστορική εξέλιξη των ΔΛΠ μέχρι την υποχρεωτική υιοθέτησή τους από τις εισηγμένες ελληνικές επιχειρήσεις. Επιπρόσθετα αξιοποιήθηκαν ευρήματα προγενέστερων ερευνητικών μελετών που προήλθαν από ερευνητές της σύγχρονης λογιστικής πάνω στις πρακτικές των γνωστοποιήσεων. Για τη διεξαγωγή της έρευνας συλλέχτηκε μεγάλος αριθμός γνωστοποιούμενων πληροφοριών οι οποίες αντλήθηκαν από τις οικονομικές καταστάσεις και διενεργήθηκαν έλεγχοι υποθέσεων για την ενίσχυση της κατανόησης της σχέσης του επιπέδου των γνωστοποιήσεων και των διαφόρων επιχειρησιακών χαρακτηριστικών της επιχείρησης. Για την διαπίστωση της σχέσης μεταξύ του επιπέδου γνωστοποιήσεων και των διαφόρων χαρακτηριστικών της επιχείρησης χρησιμοποιήθηκε τόσο η διμεταβλητή όσο και η πολυμεταβλητή ανάλυση.Με τα συμπεράσματα της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής αναγνωρίζονται τα επίπεδα της συμμόρφωσης όσον αφορά τις πρακτικές των υποχρεωτικών γνωστοποιήσεων και η δημιουργία ενός μοντέλου το οποίο θα βοηθήσει στη λήψη σωστών επιχειρηματικών αποφάσεων από την πλευρά των επενδυτών

Atypical Presentation of IgA Nephropathy Mimicking Acute Pyelonephritis

Background. IgA glomerulonephritis may present with hematuria, flank pain, and fever. This clinical presentation may be easily confused with acute pyelonephritis. Case Report. We present the case of a 25-year-old female with a typical clinical presentation for acute pyelonephritis (high fever, left flank pain, left costovertebral angle tenderness, hematuria, elevated inflammatory markers, and a hypoenhancing region in the left kidney on contrast-enhanced computed tomography). However, urine and blood cultures were both negative, the serum creatinine was elevated, and the urinalysis revealed significant proteinuria and dysmorphic red blood cells. A kidney biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. She was treated with a combination of lisinopril and methylprednisolone, with good response. Conclusion. Gross hematuria, especially in the absence of pyuria or bacteriuria, should raise the suspicion for underlying IgA nephropathy, even if the rest of the clinical presentation is typical for a urinary tract infection. The presence of significant proteinuria, red blood cell casts, and dysmorphic red blood cells are useful clues suggesting glomerular disease

Bringing Research into the Classroom – The Citizen Science approach in schools.

The way science is approached in the classroom can be instrumental in dispelling negative stereotypes about science and scientific research in future generations. The present report looks at the Citizen Science approach as an opportunity to connect schools with the world of research to foster a better command of scientific processes in the young, raise their awareness of current issues faced in certain sectors and geographical regions, and help them make sense of the surrounding world. The purpose of this report is to provide a baseline for understanding the key conditions of successfully implementing citizen science activities in schools. This report is based on three main sources of information: (1) review of recent literature on Citizen Science and its applications in schools; (2) a collection of citizen science case studies selected by educational organisations in four countries (Belgium, Greece, Poland and Spain) and from the Scientix repository of resources; and (3) the discussions between project managers, project representatives and science educators participating in the 14th Science Projects Networking Event (SPNE14), organisedbyScientixwiththecollaborationoffour other organisations and projects – GFOSS, Jet Propulsion Theatre, EDU-ARCTIC and ERIS. The report includes three main sections. The first explores the current literature on citizen science, guided by three main questions: (1) how do we define citizen science, (2) what are the main actors involved in citizen science projects and how do they contribute, and (3) what are the particularities of citizen science activities run in the context of formal education. The second section illustrates 20 citizen science projects, indicating the target audiences and main areas of research covered, as well as a description of the activities, outlining which part of the scientific method is carried out by volunteers, and, when such information is available, descriptions of the roles and interactions between the researchers and citizen scientists. Finally, the third section presents a discussion on the case studies included in the report, with a focus on the main challenges and opportunities of bringing citizen science in schools. The main challenge of running citizen science activities in school which transpired from the literature review and the review of the case studies is the issue of balancing research and educational outcomes. For educational outcomes to be achieved, citizen science projects in schools need to go beyond engaging pupils only in data collection and simple analysis, and look to involving them in meaningful research practices, which will give them the opportunity to develop scientific inquiry skills. On the same line, if genuine science outcomes are to be met, the ‘novice’ scientists (teachers and their students) need to interact with the researchers in order to be exposed to the requirements of the scientific method, and be supported in implementing it. Research suggests that carefully designed projects, created in dialogue between schools (teachers) and researchers which take into consideration the needs and constraints of both groups can successfully achieve both goals.status: Published onlin