Prescribing patterns of medication for respiratory diseases - cluster analysis of the Portuguese electronic prescription database

We aimed to describe, for the first time, the prescribing patterns among patients on persistent respiratory treatment, from the Portuguese electronic prescription and dispensing database. This was a one-year retrospective population-based analysis of prescriptions (n = 39810) for medication for respiratory disease and exacerbations. Cluster analysis was applied based on medication and prescribers' specialty. Prescribing patterns were grouped and labelled as: possible medication for asthma and allergic rhinitis (General Practitioners-GPs and allergists to younger patients); COPD (GPs and pulmonologists to older patients); asthma or Asthma-COPD Overlap (GPs and pulmonologists); exacerbation, infection and relievers. This analysis was an important first step to understand the Portuguese reality on the treatment of respiratory diseases.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Data-driven prescription patterns in patients under maintenance treatment for respiratory diseases from the Portuguese prescription database

We aimed to identify prescription patterns in respiratory patients using an unsupervised (data-driven) method, in a random sample of patients aged >14 years (n=8799), retrieved from the Portuguese Electronic Medical Prescription database. Respiratory patients were defined if >2 packs of maintenance treatment for respiratory diseases were prescribed in 2016. We analysed all the prescriptions (n=39810) for respiratory diseases and exacerbations by medication type. Two-step clustering was based on the presence of ICS, LABA, LTRA, LAMA, LABA, SABA, SAMA and on the speciality of prescriber.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluating the Concentration of a Candida albicans Suspension

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop a reproducible method of establishing the concentration of yeast cells per milliliter of solution

A new machine for acquire pavement texture

This paper presents a prototype machine for the acquisition and characterization of the macrotexture and megatexture of road surfaces. The development stages of the prototype machine involved: 3D data acquisition system configuration and calibration - based on laser triangulation technique, 3D surface reconstruction of the road surface and texture characterization using appropriated indicators, such as the Mean Profile Depth (MPD) and the Texture Profile Level (L), by applying different and complementary mathematical techniques. The prototype machine created is able to work in laboratory and in field, allowing an acquisition accuracy of 0.5 mm. The contribution of this research is in developing a prototype machine capable of acquiring an extensive area road surface with high precision 3D data.(undefined

3D surface profile equipment for the characterization of the pavement texture - TexScan

Loads from vehicles alter the functional and structural characteristics of road pavements that directly affect the loss of resistance of the pavement and the users’ comfort and safety. Those alterations require constant observation and analysis of an extensive area of road surface with high precision. For such it was developed a new scanning prototype machine capable of acquiring the 3D road surface data and characterize the road texture through two algorithms that allows calculate the Estimated Texture Depth (ETD) and Texture Profile Level (L) indicators. The experimental results obtained from nine road samples validate the developed algorithms for the texture analysis and showed good agreement between the scanning prototype equipment and the traditional Sand Patch Method.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) through the PhD Grant referenced SFRH/BD/18155/200

Prediction of Gas Chromatographic Retention Indices of Coumarins

Quantitative structure-retention relationships (QSRR) were used in this study to relate the chromatographic retention of different substituted coumarins to molecular structure. Different structural parameters were selected, such as topological, geometric, electronic, quantum-chemical and physico-chemical descriptors, in order to find an equation that fitted the chromatographic retention of these compounds. The method proposed by Dimov that classifies the descriptors in different groups in agreement with their values of correlation coefficients was analysed. Significant correlation equations were obtained with the following molecular descriptors: the total surface area (A T), the electrotopological state index (S(-o-)) of the oxygen in position 1 of coumarin, and the highest occupied molecular orbital energy (E HOMO), showing that the experimental retention, using stationary phases with low polarity, was related with the shape and electronic factors of the solutes. The models found have a good predictive ability as established by cross-validation r²cv values and thus, can be used to aid in the elucidation of the structure or the chromatographic retention of similar coumarins. O estudo de correlação entre estrutura-retenção (QSRR) foi usado para relacionar a retenção cromatográfica de diferentes cumarinas substituídas as suas características estruturais. Diferentes parâmetros estruturais foram selecionados tais como: descritores topológicos, geométricos, eletrônicos, químico-quânticos e físico-químicos para encontrar uma equação que melhor explique o comportamento cromatográfico destes compostos. O método proposto por Dimov que classifica os descritores em diferentes grupos de acordo com seus valores de coeficientes de correlação foi utilizado neste estudo. As melhores equações de correlação linear múltipla foram obtidas com os seguintes descritores: área total (A T), índice do estado eletrotopológico (S-O-) e orbital molecular ocupado de maior energia (E HOMO), mostrando que a retenção experimental, usando fase estacionária de baixa polaridade está relacionada principalmente com fatores relacionados a forma e também eletrônicos. Os modelos selecionados apresentaram uma boa predictabilidade, a qual foi estabelecida através dos valores do coeficiente de correlação de validação cruzada (r²cv). As equações encontradas podem ser utilizadas para auxiliar na elucidação da estrutura ou retenção cromatográfica de cumarinas similares às estudadas

In Vitro Effect of Local Anesthetics on Candida albicans Germ Tube Formation

Objective: This study was planned to clarify the in vitro effect of lidocaine and bupivacaine on germ tube formation by Candida albicans isolates from cases of clinical vaginal candidiasis

Life paths of patients with transthyretin-related familial amyloid polyneuropathy Val30Met: a descriptive study

Transthyretin-related familial amyloid polyneuropathy Val30Met is a fatal progressive disease. It is a rare hereditary amyloidosis, manifesting as a sensorimotor neuropathy and autonomic dysfunction. It begins during adulthood and is a disabling disease, posing a great psychological burden to patients and their families. Our aim was to describe and characterize life events related to the disease and discuss its psychosocial implications. Social and demographic data and a questionnaire on history of family and personal disease, and biographic events, were applied to 209 subjects attending an outpatient specialized clinic. Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed. They were 84 men and 127 women belonging to three groups: pre-symptomatic carriers, patients, and subjects with no established diagnosis. Most subjects were married/lived with a partner and had children (mean of 4). Most (96.3%) had contact with the disease before having a diagnosis; the affected or at-risk parent was the mother in 53.8% and the father in 43.3%; 71.8% of these had deceased. At their parent’s death, many subjects were aged under 10 (9.9%), 10–14 (15.5%), or 15–24 years (31.7%). Most were under age 14 (44.9%) at their parent’s disease onset; 37.2% referred this brought life changes with psychological and familial impact; most had been parent’s caregivers; 7.5% had not been raised by the parents. Some (8.4%) declined to know their genetic tests results for over 1 year. Parent’s disease and death are very common early in these patient’s lives. During childhood or youth, many subjects became caregivers, implying changes in family roles. This disease and its life implications pose a significant psychosocial burden since childhood. TTR-FAP patients and their relatives are highly vulnerable to emotional stress and psychopathology during their lifetime. Psychological and psychiatric support, implying a multidisciplinary group, must thus be available for all of them