Letalidade e características dos óbitos por COVID-19 em Rondônia: estudo observacional

Objective: To describe the characteristics of deaths due to COVID-19 in the state of Rondônia. Methods: Descriptive study, with data from the Computerization Strategy System of the Unified Health System Epidemiological Surveillance (E-SUS-VE, notified between January 1 and August 20, 2020. Statistical tests (Chi-square and Marascuilo procedure) were applied, considering as significant differences when the tests presented p-value < 0.05. Results: 184,146 suspected cases were reported, of which 49,804 were confirmed as COVID-19, and 1,020 died (lethality 2.1%). Statistically significant differences were observed between age groups and lethality (p-value <0.001); higher lethality the older the age (Marascuilo procedure, significant in the comparison between over 60 years with the other age groups); higher death in males (lethality of 2.7%); and higher lethality among black people (3.0%). Conclusion: In Rondônia, there was greater lethality among the elderly, men and brown and black people.Objetivo: Descrever as características dos óbitos por COVID-19 no estado de Rondônia. Métodos: Estudo descritivo, com dados do Sistema Estratégia de Informatização do Sistema Único de Saúde Vigilância Epidemiológica (E-SUS-VE), notificados entre 1º de janeiro e 20 de agosto de 2020. Foram aplicados testes estatísticos (Qui-Quadrado e procedimento de Marascuilo), considerando como diferenças significantes quando os testes apresentaram p-valor <0,05. Resultados: Foram notificados 184.146 casos suspeitos, dos quais 49.804 foram confirmados como COVID-19, e 1.020 evoluíram para óbito (letalidade 2,1%). Observou-se diferenças significantes estatisticamente entre as faixas etárias e letalidade (p-valor <0,001); maior letalidade quanto maior a idade (procedimento de Marascuilo, significativo na comparação entre maiores de 60 anos com as demais faixas etárias); maior óbito no sexo masculino (letalidade de 2,7%); e maior letalidade entre as pessoas de cor preta (3,0%).  Conclusão: Em Rondônia, observou-se maior letalidade entre idosos, homens e pessoas pardas e pretas

Lietuvos finansų institucijų tinklalapių kokybė : lyginimo su ES rezultatai

The objective of this paper is to analyse the navigation quality of the websites of Lithuanian banks. Information completeness for investors ensures the correct functioning of capital markets. In banking environments, this goal is reached by increasing the use of the corporate website. For this reason, to ensure the quality of these online resources is one of the most important challenges for central banks and financial authorities. The content of the corporate websites is being regulated by the Basel II initiatives, but navigation quality is not being observed by regulators. Since this variable has a significant impact on the quality of a website and can generate competitive advantages, it is necessary to analyse the current practices of financial entities. Financial institutions located in Lithuania find themselves in a rather special situation because the entry of this country into the EU means that they have to adapt to a new cultural environment and incorporate its symbols, rules, institutionalized beliefs and normative systems. One of these is the need to adopt transparent reporting practices in consonance with the rest of European countries.Therefore, the navigation quality in Lithuanian banks is analysed in this paper, the entity size is also considered as a possible variable of explanation, and a comparison with the EU result is made in order to detect competitive disadvantages. To reach this goal, each website of the main Lithuanian financial entities is rated on the basis of a series of metrics that measure the quality of navigation, in accordance with the Web Quality Model developed by Calero et al. (2005). Our results show that Lithuanian financial entities are aware of the importance of online resources because the quality of navigation of their websites is high compared with the results reached by the European sample. As a consequence of this fact, it can be concluded that the Lithuanian financial sector is correctly prepared to confront the challenge of adopting the Euro

Combination of late gadolinium enhancement and genotype improves prediction of prognosis in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy

Aims: Genotype and left ventricular scar on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) are increasingly recognized as risk markers for adverse outcomes in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We investigated the combined influence of genotype and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in assessing prognosis in a large cohort of patients with DCM. Methods and results: Outcomes of 600 patients with DCM (53.3 ± 14.1 years, 66% male) who underwent clinical CMR and genetic testing were retrospectively analysed. The primary endpoints were end-stage heart failure (ESHF) and malignant ventricular arrhythmias (MVA). During a median follow-up of 2.7 years (interquartile range 1.3–4.9), 24 (4.00%) and 48 (8.00%) patients had ESHF and MVA, respectively. In total, 242 (40.3%) patients had pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (positive genotype) and 151 (25.2%) had LGE. In survival analysis, positive LGE was associated with MVA and ESHF (both, p < 0.001) while positive genotype was associated with ESHF (p = 0.034) but not with MVA (p = 0.102). Classification of patients according to genotype (G+/G−) and LGE presence (L+/L−) revealed progressively increasing events across L−/G−, L−/G+, L+/G− and L+/G+ groups and resulted in optimized MVA and ESHF prediction (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Hazard ratios for MVA and ESHF in patients with either L+ or G+ compared with those with L−/G− were 4.71 (95% confidence interval: 2.11–10.50, p < 0.001) and 7.92 (95% confidence interval: 1.86–33.78, p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusion: Classification of patients with DCM according to genotype and LGE improves MVA and ESHF prediction. Scar assessment with CMR and genotyping should be considered to select patients for primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placementThis work was supported by grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (PI18/0004, PI19/01283, PI20/0320). (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund ‘A way to make Europe’/‘Investing in your future’). The Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, the Hospital Clinic, the Hospital Vall d’Hebron, the Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón and the Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca are members of the European Reference Network for rare, low-prevalence, and complex diseases of the heart (ERN GUARD-Heart). The CNIC is supported by the ISCIII, MCIN, the Pro-CNIC Foundation, and the Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence program (CEX2020-001041-S). Conflict of interest: none declare

Sustainable soil management in olive orchards: effects on telluric microorganisms

Soil microbial communities play several important ecological and physiological functions (soil organic matter decomposition and control of its cycle; regulation of mineral nutrient availability; atmospheric nitrogen fixation; formation of mycorrhiza; production of biologically active substances able to stimulate plant growth; etc.) ameliorating soil physical and chemical conditions and, consequently, soil habitability for plants. There is a growing interest in maintenance of the agro-system functionality. It seems that soil microbiota, particularly its biodiversity, allows the agro-systems to better overcome natural and anthropic perturbations improving their recovering capacity (resilience concept). Soil quality loss occurs especially in lands subjected to intensive agricultural practices and to an indiscriminate use of external input (fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation water). This is the reason why the optimization and the innovation of the horticultural techniques at low impact should be stimulated. As a matter of fact, sustainable practices can allow to recover normal soil fertility levels in the agro-systems with benefits on both soil fertility and crop yield quality and quantity. Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most important crop in the Mediterranean basin. In such wide area, olive orchard management can be very different depending on pedo-climatic and socio-economic conditions and resource availability. In this chapter, a survey on soil microbiological data of olive orchards subjected to different soil management systems applied for variable time periods under different pedo-climatic conditions are reported. Particular attention is given to the changes in the structure, dynamics and complexity of soil microbial communities to evaluate soil health status. Among the agronomic sustainable practices, the input of soil organic matter as compost is one of the most important factor affecting soil fertility. For this reason, the cases of in-situ compost production in olive groves will be discussed