Risk factors for laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection in neonates undergoing surgical procedures

AbstractBackgroundHealthcare Associated Infections constitute an important problem in Neonatal Units and invasive devices are frequently involved. However, studies on risk factors of newborns who undergo surgical procedures are scarce.ObjectiveTo identify risk factors for laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection in neonates undergoing surgical procedures.MethodsThis case–control study was conducted from January 2008 to May 2011, in a referral center. Cases were of 21 newborns who underwent surgery and presented the first episode of laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection. Control was 42 newborns who underwent surgical procedures without notification of laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection in the study period. Information was obtained from the database of the Hospital Infection Control Committee Notification of infections and related clinical data of patients that routinely collected by trained professionals and follow the recommendations of Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária and analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences.ResultsDuring the study period, 1141 patients were admitted to Neonatal Unit and 582 Healthcare Associated Infections were reported (incidence-density of 25.75 Healthcare Associated Infections/patient-days). In the comparative analysis, a higher proportion of laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection was observed in preterm infants undergoing surgery (p=0.03) and use of non-invasive ventilation was a protective factor (p=0.048). Statistically significant difference was also observed for mechanical ventilation duration (p=0.004), duration of non-invasive ventilation (p=0.04), and parenteral nutrition duration (p=0.003). In multivariate analysis duration of parenteral nutrition remained significantly associated with laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection (p=0.041).ConclusionsShortening time on parenteral nutrition whenever possible and preference for non-invasive ventilation in neonates undergoing surgery should be considered in the assistance of these patients, with the goal of reducing Healthcare Associated Infections, especially laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection

International Coercion, Emulation and Policy Diffusion: Market-Oriented Infrastructure Reforms, 1977-1999

Why do some countries adopt market-oriented reforms such as deregulation, privatization and liberalization of competition in their infrastructure industries while others do not? Why did the pace of adoption accelerate in the 1990s? Building on neo-institutional theory in sociology, we argue that the domestic adoption of market-oriented reforms is strongly influenced by international pressures of coercion and emulation. We find robust support for these arguments with an event-history analysis of the determinants of reform in the telecommunications and electricity sectors of as many as 205 countries and territories between 1977 and 1999. Our results also suggest that the coercive effect of multilateral lending from the IMF, the World Bank or Regional Development Banks is increasing over time, a finding that is consistent with anecdotal evidence that multilateral organizations have broadened the scope of the “conditionality” terms specifying market-oriented reforms imposed on borrowing countries. We discuss the possibility that, by pressuring countries into policy reform, cross-national coercion and emulation may not produce ideal outcomes.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/40099/3/wp713.pd

Dressing-related pain in patients with chronic wounds: an international patient perspective

This cross-sectional international survey assessed patients’ perceptions of their wound pain. A total of 2018 patients (57% female) from 15 different countries with a mean age of 68.6 years (SD = 15.4) participated. The wounds were categorised into ten different types with a mean wound duration of 19.6 months (SD = 51.8). For 2018 patients, 3361 dressings/compression systems were being used, with antimicrobials being reported most frequently (n = 605). Frequency of wound-related pain was reported as 32.2%, ‘never’ or ‘rarely’, 31.1%, ‘quite often’ and 36.6%, ‘most’ or ‘all of the time’, with venous and arterial ulcers associated with more frequent pain (P = 0.002). All patients reported that ‘the wound itself’ was the most painful location (n = 1840). When asked if they experienced dressing-related pain, 286 (14.7%) replied ‘most of the time’ and 334 (17.2%) reported pain ‘all of the time’; venous, mixed and arterial ulcers were associated with more frequent pain at dressing change (P , 0<001). Eight hundred and twelve (40.2%) patients reported that it took ,1 hour for the pain to subside after a dressing change, for 449 (22.2%) it took 1–2 hours, for 192 (9.5%) it took 3–5 hours and for 154 (7.6%) patients it took more than 5 hours. Pain intensity was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS) (0–100) giving a mean score of 44.5 (SD = 30.5, n = 1981). Of the 1141 who reported that they generally took pain relief,21% indicated that they did not feel it was effective. Patients were asked to rate six symptoms associated with living with a chronic wound; ‘pain’ was given the highest mean score of 3.1 (n = 1898). In terms of different types of daily activities, ‘overdoing things’ was associated with the highest mean score (mean = 2.6, n = 1916). During the stages of the dressing change procedure; ‘touching/handling the wound’ was given the highest mean score of 2.9, followed by cleansing and dressing removal (n = 1944). One thousand four hundred and eighty-five (80.15%) patients responded that they liked to be actively involved in their dressing changes, 1141 (58.15%) responded that they were concerned about the long-term side-effects of medication, 790 (40.3%) of patient indicated that the pain at dressing change was the worst part of living with a wound. This study adds substantially to our knowledge of how patients experience wound pain and gives us the opportunity to explore cultural differences in more detail

CEO succession and the CEO’s commitment to the status quo

Chief executive officer (CEO) commitment to the status quo (CSQ) is expected to play an important role in any firm’s strategic adaptation. CSQ is used often as an explanation for strategic change occurring after CEO succession: new CEOs are expected to reveal a lower CSQ than established CEOs. Although widely accepted in the literature, this relationship remains imputed but unobserved. We address this research gap and analyze whether new CEOs reveal lower CSQ than established CEOs. By analyzing the letters to the shareholders of German HDAX firms, we find empirical support for our hypothesis of a lower CSQ of newly appointed CEOs compared to established CEOs. However, our detailed analyses provide a differentiated picture. We find support for a lower CSQ of successors after a forced CEO turnover compared to successors after a voluntary turnover, which indicates an influence of the mandate for change on the CEO’s CSQ. However, against the widespread assumption, we do not find support for a lower CSQ of outside successors compared to inside successors, which calls for deeper analyses of the insiderness of new CEOs. Further, our supplementary analyses propose a revised tenure effect: the widely assumed relationship of an increase in CSQ when CEO tenure increases might be driven mainly by the event of CEO succession and may not universally and continuously increase over time, pointing to a “window of opportunity” to initiate strategic change shortly after the succession event. By analyzing the relationship between CEO succession and CEO CSQ, our results contribute to the CSQ literature and provide fruitful impulses for the CEO succession literature

Videoconferência Introdução aos Estudos da Linguagem: 18/08/2011

Videoconferência da disciplina Introdução aos Estudos da Linguagem, realizada no dia 18 de agosto de 2011

Inertia, Environments, and Strategic Choice: A Quasi-Experimental Design for Comparative-Longitudinal Research

This paper develops a research design for examining the relative influence of managers and environments on organizational activity over time. We outline three basic models of organization evolution: (1) an inertial model, which emphasizes constraints on evolution imposed by early patterns of exchange; (2) an external control model, which posits change in organizational activities that is guided by changes in environmental conditions over time; and (3) a strategic management model, which emphasizes the role of senior executives in choosing patterns and domains of competitive activity. Using the general logic of experimental design, we outline methods for comparing longitudinal patterns in change and persistence that will distinguish between these alternative perspectives. Specifically, we describe procedures for operationalizing two basic parameters of research design: (1) the organization population cohort, which imposes systematic restrictions on sampling; and (2) a generalized version of the product class life cycle, which helps isolate changes in environmental conditions for comparing organizational activity patterns over time. Data from an ongoing study of firms in the minicomputer product class are presented to illustrate these concepts.organizational design, environment, comparative research

Effect of amelogenin extracellular matrix protein and compression on hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers

OBJECTIVE:To compare hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers treated with compression therapy alone versus compression therapy with amelogenin protein. Parameters used were: percentage reduction in wound size, number of improved ulcers, pain related to the disease and at dressing changes, amount and nature of exudate, and the safety and tolerability of the two treatments. METHOD:This was an open randomised comparative parallel group multicentre investigation with a three-week run-in period. Inclusion criteria included adult, mobile patients with hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers that had been treated with compression therapy for at least one month prior to screening. The ulcers had to be at least six months old, with a surface area at inclusion of 10-30cm2, and not demonstrating excessive exudate or signs of infection. At the end of the run-in period, additional criteria for eligibility, such as change in wound area of +/- > or = 50% and a wound area between 8cm2 and 36cm2 were applied. Patients were randomised to treatment with amelogenin plus high compression bandaging or high compression bandaging alone. All participants received high compression bandaging therapy one month prior to and during the three-week run-in period, as well as throughout the 12 weeks of active treatment. RESULTS:Eighty-three patients were randomised and received treatment: 42 with high compression plus amelogenin (amelogenin group) and 41 to high compression therapy alone (control group). The amelogenin group had a greater percentage reduction in ulcer size (mean - 33.1%) compared with the control group (mean - 11.07%) from baseline to the last visit (p = 0.06). The number of improved ulcers was significantly greater (p = 0.01) in the amelogenin group than in the control group. Compensating for baseline characteristics by multiple regression resulted in a statistically significant (p = 0.03) larger reduction in change in ulcer size in the amelogenin group. Statistically significant differences in favour of the amelogenin group were also found for reduction in ulcer-related pain (p = 0.01), reduction in pain at dressing changes (p = 0.02) and the proportion of patients with 'none' or 'low' levels of exudate (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION:The combination of amelogenin with high compression promotes the healing process in hard-to-heal ulcers. Application of amelogenin as an adjunct to compression results in a significant reduction in ulcer size, improvement in the state of ulcers, reduced pain and a larger proportion of ulcers with low levels of exudate. The results of this study are statistically and clinically significant