Estado Confusional Agudo após Corticoterapia Inalada

Background: The connection between corticotherapy and neuropsychiatric symptoms is widely known, being one of the first questions we need to assess when presenting with first episode psychiatric symptoms or confusional state. Aims: To date, data on cases related to inhaled corticotherapy and neuropsychiatric effects is scarce. In this paper we describe a rare case in a young woman. Methods: The clinical case presented led us to try to understand the data published on the subject in order to discuss it in greater length. Results and Conclusions: We present and discuss a 27-year-old patient’s case, with no previous psychiatric disease, who was admitted to our Psychiatric ward after the onset of severe acute behavioural disturbance characterized by aggressiveness, visual and auditory hallucinatory activity, misidentification and altered conscience status. It was later found that seven days earlier she had been prescribed inhaled corticotherapy for a minor respiratory infection. A few days after corticotherapy withdrawal, the clinical symptoms improved significantly.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estimation of Risk-Neutral Density Surfaces

Option price data is often used to infer risk-neutral densities for future prices of an underlying asset. Given the prices of a set of options on the same underlying asset with different strikes and maturities, we propose a nonparametric approach for estimating risk-neutral densities associated with several maturities. Our method uses bicubic splines in order to achieve the desired smoothness for the estimation and an optimization model to choose the spline functions that best fit the price data. Semidefinite programming is employed to guarantee the nonnegativity of the densities. We illustrate the process using synthetic option price data generated using log-normal and absolute diffusion processes as well as actual price data for options on the S&P500 index. We also used the risk-neutral densities that we computed to price exotic options and observed that this approach generates prices that closely approximate the market prices of these options.

Some boundary effects in quantum field theory

We have constructed a quantum field theory in a finite box, with periodic boundary conditions, using the hypothesis that particles living in a finite box are created and/or annihilated by the creation and/or annihilation operators, respectively, of a quantum harmonic oscillator on a circle. An expression for the effective coupling constant is obtained showing explicitly its dependence on the dimension of the box.Comment: 12 pages, Late

Band inversion driven by electronic correlations at the (111) LaAlO3_3/SrTiO3_3 interface

Quantum confinement at complex oxide interfaces establishes an intricate hierarchy of the strongly correlated $d$-orbitals which is widely recognized as a source of emergent physics. The most prominent example is the (001) LaAlO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$(LAO/STO) interface, which features a dome-shaped phase diagram of superconducting critical temperature and spin-orbit coupling (SOC) as a function of electrostatic doping, arising from a selective occupancy of $t_{2g}$ orbitals of different character. Here we study (111)-oriented LAO/STO interfaces - where the three $t_{2g}$ orbitals contribute equally to the sub-band states caused by confinement - and investigate the impact of this unique feature on electronic transport. We show that transport occurs through two sets of electron-like sub-bands, and the carrier density of one of the sets shows a non-monotonic dependence on the sample conductance. Using tight-binding modeling, we demonstrate that this behavior stems from a band inversion driven by on-site Coulomb interactions. The balanced contribution of all $t_{2g}$ orbitals to electronic transport is shown to result in strong SOC with reduced electrostatic modulation.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, (+ supplemental material

Poderemos encontrar factores preditivos de vómitos no pós-operatório de cirurgia em regime de ambulatório?

Abstract A retrospective analyses of patients submitted to surgery on a day basis was made through our database. The goal of the study was to identify risk factors of postoperative vomiting associated to day surgery. 2115 patients operated between January 2003 and November 2004 on our day surgery unit were included. 70 patients (3,3%) suffered at least on episode of postoperative vomiting. Several factors were analysed: age, sex, surgical speciality, ASA physical status, anaesthetic technique and the duration of anesthesia. Chi-Square Test was used for testing each factor individually. Differences were considered significant when p <0,05. Logistic regression was then used to identify the multivariate association strength of these factors. The female sex (Odds ratio =4,94) and the duration of anesthesia when longer than 180 minutes (Odds ratio =8,13), had been associated to a higher incidence of postoperative vomiting, while loco-regional technique (Odds ratio = 0,15) and sedation with local anaesthesia (Odds ratio =0,09) had been associated with a lower incidence. Authors evidence the importance of the identification of postoperative vomiting risk factors that will allow us to establish better guidelines on postoperative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis in these patients and to improve the quality of our clinical care and the satisfaction of our patients. Através da análise do registo informatizado de dados dos doentes operados em regime de ambulatório, os autores procuraram identificar factores de risco que se encontrassem associados a uma maior incidência de vómitos no pós-operatório (VPO). Incluíram-se 2115 doentes submetidos a cirurgia entre Janeiro de 2003 e Novembro de 2004, tendo 70 doentes sofrido pelo menos um episódio de VPO (3,3%). Foram consideradas variáveis a analisar, a idade, o sexo, a especialidade cirúrgica, o estado físico (ASA), a técnica anestésica e a duração da anestesia. Procedeu-se à análise estatística de cada factor individualmente através da aplicação do χ2, seguindo-se a utilização de uma regressão logística para identificar a força de associação multivariável desses factores. O sexo feminino (Odds ratio =4,94) e a duração da anestesia quando superior a 180 minutos (OR =8,13), associaram-se a uma maior incidência de VPO enquanto a técnica loco-regional (OR =0,15) e a sedação com anestesia local (OR =0,09) se associaram a uma menor incidência daqueles. Os autores evidenciam a importância deste tipo de trabalhos na identificação de factores de risco que possam levar à criação de escalas de risco que orientem com maior racionalidade económica, a intervenção terapêutica profiláctica das náuseas e vómitos no pós-operatório

Process control in next-generation sewing machines : a project overview

The sewing machine created in the XIX century has roughly remained unchanged in its basic technologies. Although a great range of mechanical and electronic technologies has boosted its development enormously, the process of sewing itself, however, although perfected in many aspects, has remained uncontrolled.Many of the phenomena occurring at high-speed sewing (up to 10000 stitches per minute) are still not properly understood. This project is creating a deeper insight into the sewing process, identifying and describing the variables that can be monitored and/or controlled in a way that ensures a better control of this production process. Some monitoring and control algorithms are already under test. Concurrently the project develops software support tools to allow the up-front engineering of the process, resulting in control parameters to be downloaded to the machine controllers. The software would also serve as a support tool for the textile manufacturer, to tune and improve materials’ properties and define the relationship between materials and optimum sewing conditions.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) – Project funding POSI/SRI/38944/2001

Construction of coherent states for physical algebraic systems

We construct a general state which is an eigenvector of the annihilation operator of the Generalized Heisenberg Algebra. We show for several systems, which are characterized by different energy spectra, that this general state satisfies the minimal set of conditions required to obtain Klauder's minimal coherent states.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figure