Leader succession: the impact of leaders’ background characteristics on organizations’ performance

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsThe present study aims to reconcile contradictory results of previous studies regarding the impact of the new leader’s origin and levels of general and functional experience on the firm’s performance after the leader succession event. We analyze 52 succession events drawn from longitudinal public records of professional Portuguese football clubs from seasons 2004-2005 to 2008-2009. Results suggest that outsider leaders have a positive effect on post succession performance in the short term, and that leader’s general experience has neither short-term nor long-term positive effect and finally leaders’ functional experience has positive effect in the long term but not in the short term

Reducció de l’adhesió i formació de biofilm bacterià sobre titani mitjançant immobilització d’un pèptid antibacterià

L’ús d’implants de titani per a traumatologia i odontologia és una pràctica molt estesa actualment. El seu èxit, però, es veu afectat pels casos de infeccions que pateixen. En el cas concret dels implants dentals, el 14% dels implants pateixen infeccions bacterianes i entre el 5 i el 8% presenten infecció bacteriana que desenvolupa una peri-implantitis i una conseqüent pèrdua de l’implant. Per aquest motiu, en els darrers anys s’ha estudiat el desenvolupament de superfícies antibacterianes. L'objectiu d'aquest estudi va ser desenvolupar un tractament de la superfície de titani per formar un recobriment antibacterià sobre titani basat en un pèptid antibacterià derivat de lactoferrina i comparar l'eficàcia dels mètodes emprats per immobilitzar el pèptid a la superfície del titani, i avaluar el seu efecte en l'activitat antibacteriana in vitro. S’han estudiat les característiques fisicoquímiques de la superfície que en resulta, la seva biocompatibilitat i capacitat per evitar l’adhesió de proteïnes i bacteris

Antibacterial coatings on titanium surfaces: A comparison study between in vitro single-species and multispecies biofilm

Dental plaque is a biofilm that Causes dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis. Most of the studies in antibacterial coatings have been conducted by in vitro Single-species biofilm formation, but oral biofilm involves more than 700 different bacterial Species that are able to interact. Therefore, new studies are focused on in vitro multispecies biofilm models that mimic in vivo biofilms. The aim Of the present work was to study different antibacterial coatings onto titanium surfaces and evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial properties of the surfaces on two different bacterial species and an oral biofilm. The lactate dehydrogenase assay determined that treated samples did not affect fibroblast viability. In addition, the viability of microorganisms on modified samples was evaluated by a LIVE/DEAD BacLight bacterial viability kit. Although a decrease in viable bacteria onto, treated samples was obtained, the results Showed differences in effectiveness when single-biofilm and oral plaque were tested. It confirms, as we expected, the distinct sensitivities that bacterial strains have. Thus, this multispecies biofilins model holds a great potential to assess antibacterial properties Onto samples for dental purposes.Postprint (author’s final draft

Evaluation of bone loss in antibacterial coated dental implants: An experimental study in dogs

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo effect of antibacterial modified dental implants in the first stages of peri-implantitis. Thirty dental implants were inserted in the mandibular premolar sites of 5 beagle dogs. Sites were randomly assigned to Ti (untreated implants, 10 units), Ti_Ag (silver electrodeposition treatment, 10 units), and Ti_TSP (silanization treatment, 10 units). Coated implants were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, interferometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Two months after implant insertion, experimental peri-implantitis was initiated by ligature placement. Ligatures were removed 2 months later, and plaque formation was allowed for 2 additional months. Clinical and radiographic analyses were p¬erformed during the study. Implant-tissue samples were prepared for micro computed tomography, backscattered scanning electron microscopy, histomorphometric and histological analyses and ion release measurements. X-ray, SEM and histology images showed that vertical bone resorption in treated implants was lower than in the control group (P < 0.05). This effect is likely due to the capacity of the treatments to reduce bacteria colonization on the implant surface. Histological analysis suggested an increase of peri-implant bone formation on silanized implants. However, the short post-ligature period was not enough to detect differences in clinical parameters among implant groups. Within the limits of this study, antibacterial surface treatments have a positive effect against bone resorption induced by peri-implantitis.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Reducció de l’adhesió i formació de biofilm bacterià sobre titani mitjançant immobilització d’un pèptid antibacterià

L’ús d’implants de titani per a traumatologia i odontologia és una pràctica molt estesa actualment. El seu èxit, però, es veu afectat pels casos de infeccions que pateixen. En el cas concret dels implants dentals, el 14% dels implants pateixen infeccions bacterianes i entre el 5 i el 8% presenten infecció bacteriana que desenvolupa una peri-implantitis i una conseqüent pèrdua de l’implant. Per aquest motiu, en els darrers anys s’ha estudiat el desenvolupament de superfícies antibacterianes. L'objectiu d'aquest estudi va ser desenvolupar un tractament de la superfície de titani per formar un recobriment antibacterià sobre titani basat en un pèptid antibacterià derivat de lactoferrina i comparar l'eficàcia dels mètodes emprats per immobilitzar el pèptid a la superfície del titani, i avaluar el seu efecte en l'activitat antibacteriana in vitro. S’han estudiat les característiques fisicoquímiques de la superfície que en resulta, la seva biocompatibilitat i capacitat per evitar l’adhesió de proteïnes i bacteris

Access to maternity information and support The experiences and needs of women before and after giving birth

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:m01/12643 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo