Shares in the EMCA : the time is ripe for true no par value shares in the EU, and the 2nd directive is not an obstacle

The most interesting proposal in the draft European Model Companies Act ( EMCA) concerning shares and the focus of this Article is the recommendation to introduce true no par value shares, as they have been in use in the US for many years and were introduced in Australia, New Zealand but also Finland more recently. Contrary to what has often been assumed, the 2nd EU Company Law Directive does not preclude no par value shares. There is nothing in the wording of the Directive to suggest otherwise, and the reference in the Directive to shares without a nominal value is a reference to Belgian law, which has allowed true no par value shares in all but name since at least 1913. EU member states could therefore introduce such shares even for public companies. True no par value shares offer a far more flexible framework in case of capital increases or mergers, but since under a no par value system there is no link between par value and shareholder rights, additional disclosure about these rights might be warranted under a no par value system. Traditional par value shares offer no protection to creditors, shareholders or other stakeholders, so that their abolition should not be mourned. The threat of new share issues at an unacceptably high discount is more efficiently countered by disclosure and shareholder decision rights

Clinical characteristics and mortality of patients in the intensive care unit with and without new-onset arrhythmias

Objective. The aims of this study were to analyze the risk factors for and types of new-onset arrhythmias in ICU (Intensive care unit), and to evaluate their impact on patient outcomes. Methods. We studied 1051 patients who were admitted to the two general ICUs between December 2013 and February 2016. These patients were divided into two groups: patients with new-onset arrhythmias and patients without new-onset arrhythmias. We compared the risk factors, types and prognoses of new-onset arrhythmias between these two groups. Results. New-onset arrhythmias were observed in 20.84% (n=219) of 1051 patients. The main risk factors leading to arrhythmias included age, emergency operation, past cardiovascular disease, patients with multiple systemic diseases, acute respiratory distress syndrome, severe sepsis/septic shock, acute renal dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, electrolyte disturbance, patients on ventilators, patients on vasopressors and higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (APACHE II score) on ICU admission. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that age, emergency operation, severe sepsis/septic shock, cardiovascular disease, electrolyte disturbance, patients on ventilators and those with higher APACHE II scores on ICU admission, were all significantly associated with new-onset arrhythmias. Arial fibrillation was the most frequent arrhythmia. ICU mortality in patients with newonset arrhythmias was 22.37% (49 out of 219) compared with 3.61% (30 out of 832) in patients without new-onset arrhythmias (p<0.001). Among surviving patients, ICU stay for those with new-onset arrhythmias was longer than those without new-onset arrhythmias (median stay of 10 days versus 5 days, p<0.001). Conclusion. We found a high prevalence of new-onset arrhythmias in ICU patients. Arrhythmia, especially atrial fibrillation, was a common complication in ICU patients and was associated with increasing length of ICU stay and higher mortality

Method for measurement of the density of thin films of small organic molecules

An accurate and sensitive method is reported to measure the thin-film density of vacuum-deposited, small-molecular organic semiconductor materials. A spectrophotometer and surface profiler had been used to determine the mass and thickness of organic thin film, respectively. The calculated density of tris-͑8-hydroxyquinolato͒ aluminum ͑Alq 3 ͒ thin film was 1.31± 0.01 g / cm 3 . Vacuum pressures and thin-film growth rates are found to have less impact on the thin-film density of organic material. However, the thin-film density of organic material strongly depends on its chemical structure and molecular weight. Specifically, the chemical structure determines the density of organic material that affects the molecular volume and intermolecular stacking

Up-regulation of hypoxia inducible factor-1α by cobalt chloride correlates with proliferation and apoptosis in PC-2 cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The exact mechanism of the effects of hypoxia on the proliferation and apoptosis in carcinoma cells is still conflicting. This study investigated the variation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α) expression and the apoptosis effect of hypoxia stimulated by cobalt chloride (CoCl₂) in pancreatic cancer PC-2 cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>PC-2 cells were cultured with different concentration (50-200 μmol/L) of CoCl₂after 24-120 hours to simulate hypoxia in vitro. The proliferation of PC-2 cells was examined by MTT assay. The cellular morphology of PC-2 cells were observed by light inverted microscope and transmission electron microscope(EM). The expression of HIF-1α on mRNA and protein level was measured by semi-quantitive RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Apoptosis of PC-2 cells were demonstrated by flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>MTT assay showed that the proliferation of PC-2 cells were stimulated in the first 72 h, while after treated over 72 h, a dose- dependent inhibition of cell growth could be observed. By using transmission electron microscope, swollen chondrosomes, accumulated chromatin under the nuclear membrane and apoptosis bodies were observed. Flow cytometer(FCM) analysis showed the apoptosis rate was correlated with the dosage of CoCl₂. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis indicated that hypoxia could up-regulate the expression of HIF-1α on both mRNA and protein levels.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Hypoxic microenvironment stimulated by CoCl₂could effectively induce apoptosis and influence cell proliferation in PC-2 cells, the mechanism could be related to up-expression of HIF-1α.</p

Contribuir para o desenvolvimento das estratégias de coping das pessoas com doença mental grave através da implementação de um programa de promoção de estilos de vida saudáveis

Mestrado em Enfermagem, Especialização Saúde Mental e Psiquiátrica, 2011, Escola Superior de Enfermagem de LisboaO desenvolvimento de competências resulta de um aumento de conhecimentos científicos, técnicos e éticos e da sua aplicação à prática profissional, através de um processo de experimentação, treino e reflexão, conjugando características pessoais e profissionais na acção. Este processo organizou-se em torno de dois contextos, ambulatório e internamento do DPSM, do H. S. Francisco Xavier. O primeiro decorreu nas Equipas Comunitárias de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental de Cascais e da Parede e no Fórum Sócio-ocupacional de Cascais; o segundo na Unidade de Internamento de Psiquiatria de doentes agudos do sexo masculino. O principal alvo dos cuidados foi as PDMG, às quais foi identificada uma necessidade de cuidados de enfermagem visando a promoção da saúde física e mental. A evidência comprova que as PDMG, designadamente os portadores de esquizofrenia, apresentam uma taxa de mortalidade precoce, cerca 10 a 15 anos menos do que a população em geral, assim como uma elevada prevalência de co-morbilidades físicas fortemente condicionada pelos estilos de vida não saudáveis e estratégias de coping ineficazes. Como resposta a esta necessidade de cuidados de enfermagem foi construído e implementado o programa “ SER + saudável”, desenvolvido com três grupos distintos de clientes e tendo por base, três objectivos principais: Promover estilos de vida saudáveis nas PDMG; Incentivar o desenvolvimento de estratégias de coping eficazes nas PDMG; e Promover o desenvolvimento de competências básicas de comunicação nas PDMG. Na implementação do programa segundo os contextos, constatou-se que os clientes atribuíram um enfoque diferente aos conteúdos abordados. Assim, o grupo comunitário valorizou aspectos relacionados com a saúde física e vida em sociedade, enquanto o grupo do internamento se centrou na gestão dos sintomas e na prevenção da recaída. O Programa “ SER + saudável” foi avaliado na sua globalidade pelos clientes, como tendo um impacto positivo no seu bem-estar, pelos benefícios na interacção social e pelo aumento dos conhecimentos adquiridos. Estes resultados parecem indicar que o programa contribuiu para o desenvolvimento das estratégias de Coping das PDMG

KIC 10417986: Spectroscopic confirmation of the nature of the binary system with a {\delta} Scuti component

KIC 10417986 is a short orbital period (0.0737 d) ellipsoidal variable star with a {\delta} Scuti and {\gamma} Doradus hybrid pulsations component discovered by Kepler. The ground-based spectroscopic observations were carried out in the winters of 2020 and 2021 to investigate the binary nature of this star. We derive the orbital parameters using the rvfit code with a result of K1 = 29.7 $\pm$ 1.5 km/s, {\gamma} = -18.7 $\pm$ 1.7 km/s, and confirm an orbital period of 0.84495 d instead of the result given by Kepler. The atmospheric parameters of the primary are determined by the synthetic spectra fitting technique with the estimated values of Teff = 7411 $\pm$ 187 K, log g = 4.2 $\pm$ 0.3 dex, [M/H] = 0.08 $\pm$ 0.09 dex and vsini = 52 $\pm$ 11 km/s. KIC 10417986 is a circular orbit binary system. From the single-lined nature and mass function of the star, the derived orbital inclination is 26 $\pm$ 6{\deg}, and the mass of the secondary is from 0.43 to 0.7 M_sun, which should be a late-K to early-M type star. Fourteen frequencies are extracted from Kepler light curves, of which six independent frequencies in the high-frequency region are identified as the p-mode pulsations of {\delta} Scuti star, and one independent frequency in the low-frequency region (f2 = 1.3033 c/d) is probably the rotational frequency due to the starspots rather than the ellipsoidal effect or g-mode of {\gamma} Doradus.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figure