Analgesic interpatient variability of remifentanil assessed through pupillary dilation reflex

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pupillary pain index correlates with postoperative pain scores in neurosurgical patients

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Avaliação da satisfação e importância atribuída aos serviços prestados na área da saúde mental

Com o objectivo de avaliar o grau de satisfação e importância atribuída aos serviços prestados na consulta na área da saúde mental e identificar as relações entre as variáveis demográficas e o grau de satisfação do utente foi realizado um estudo descritivo transversal, numa amostra de 305 utentes. Com a aplicação do questionário verificamos que a satisfação conjugada com a importância fornece-nos informação valiosa permitindo identificar pontos fortes, oportunidades ou necessidades de melhoria dos serviços. Neste estudo verificamos que os utentes encontram-se satisfeitos com os serviços prestados e consideram-nos importantes. Na análise bivariada, encontramos relação entre a satisfação e escolaridade.In order to evaluate the degree of satisfaction and importance attached to services provided in the consultation on mental health and identify relationships between demographic variables and the degree of user satisfaction was conducted a cross-sectional survey in a sample of 305 users. With the application of the questionnaire we found that satisfaction coupled with the importance provides us with valuable information allowing identifying strengths, opportunities or needs for improved services. In this study we found that users are satisfied with the services provided and consider them important. In bivariate analysis, we found the relationship between satisfaction and education level

Comparação entre os valores de Procalcitonina e Proteína C reactiva em adultos com doença hemato-oncológica

Os pacientes com doença hemato-oncológica submetidos a quimioterapia possuem maior propensão para infecções bacterianas. O seu diagnóstico pode ser efectuado recorrendo-se aos marcadores biológicos: procalcitonina (PCT) e proteína C reactiva (PCR). Neste estudo, observaram-se diferenças estatisticamente significativas na concentração de PCT nos diferentes grupos de infecção, o que não se verificou na concentração de PCR. Observou-se ainda uma fraca correlação entre estes marcadores nos grupos de infecção. Apenas os valores de PCT estão directamente relacionados com a gravidade da infecção, evidenciando-o como um bom marcador de diagnóstico, mais eficaz do que a PCR.Patients with hemato-oncological disease undergoing chemotherapy have a higher susceptibility for bacterial infections. The infection’s diagnosis can be performed by resorting to the use of biological markers: procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP). In this study, we observed statistically significant differences in the concentration of PCT between the different groups of infection, which were not observed in CRP concentration. There was also a weak correlation between these markers of infection in these groups. Only PCT values are directly related with the severity of infection, making it a good marker for its diagnosis, more effective than the CRP

Descoloration of industrial dyes and simulated textile effluents dyes by turnip peroxidase

The removal of important textile dyes by turnip peroxidase (TNP) was evaluated. The textile effluents besides the residual dyes contain also chemical auxiliaries such as salts, dispersing and wetting agents. The effect of these was evaluated in the removal of the dyes reactive blue 21 and reactive blue 19 by TNP in synthetic effluents. A decrease of the efficency decolorization was observed. The action of the enzyme on colour removal of dye mixture was equivalent to the dyes alone. The chemical demand of oxygen in the effluent after enzymatic treatment had a significant increase in relation to the untreated effluent

Characterization of the acoustic community of vocal fishes in the Azores

Sounds produced by teleost fishes are an important component of marine soundscapes, making passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) an effective way to map the presence of vocal fishes with a minimal impact on ecosystems. Based on a literature review, we list the known soniferous fish species occurring in Azorean waters and compile their sounds. We also describe new fish sounds recorded in Azores seamounts. From the literature, we identified 20 vocal fish species present in Azores. We analysed long-term acoustic recordings carried out since 2008 in Condor and Princesa Alice seamounts and describe 20 new putative fish sound sequences. Although we propose candidates as the source of some vocalizations, this study puts into evidence the myriad of fish sounds lacking species identification. In addition to identifying new sound sequences, we provide the first marine fish sound library for Azores. Our acoustic library will allow to monitor soniferous fish species for conservation and management purposes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Obtention of plant peroxidase and its potential for the decolorization of the reactive dye Remazol Turquoise G 133%

Peroxidases can be used in the decolorization process. There is a growing interest for new sources of this enzyme and for obtaining economically viable processes. In this work, a low-cost vegetable peroxidase extraction process is proposed; the resulting enzyme is characterized to determine its optimum pH, temperature, and stability conditions, and it is then applied in the decolorization of reactive dye Remazol Turquoise G 133%. The turnip peroxidase (TP) was utilized as an enzymatic source. This enzyme exhibited maximum activity at pH 7.0, and it was active in the temperature range of 30 to 50 °C, which favors its use in industrial processes. Acetone was the most efficient solvent to induce precipitation. The removal of Remazol Turquoise G 133% was 56.0% complete after 50 min, while 41.0% of the same dye was removed with the commercial horseradish peroxidase enzyme in 50 min. TP presents potential as a viable alternative in the decolorization of textile wastewaters

Climatic extremes in Portugal in the 1780s based on documentary and instrumental records

The final stage of the Little Ice Age in Europe was characterized by strong climatic variability. New documentary sources containing information referring to weather and climate are used in this study to reconstruct and to describe climate conditions in Portugal during the 18th century, mainly in the 1780s. Indexation of documentary data concerning hydric and thermal conditions was based on C. Pfister’s methodology and early instrumental data (1780s and 1790s) were used to verify the reconstruction. Precipitation and temperature were highly variable throughout the 18th century: an alternation of extremely hot to extremely cold months was found. Very cold years occurred mostly in the first 2 decades of the 18th century, but several other cold winters were also detected. Precipitation information is far more frequent than for temperature, and allowed yearly and seasonal indexations. The highest variability was detected in the 1730s and the 1780s. The early 1780s were very dry: during the winter and spring of 1781 and the spring of 1782 several drought episodes occurred, as confirmed by ‘pro-pluvia’ rogations. In contrast, heavy precipitation prevailed from 1784 onwards. The year 1786 was the rainiest in Portugal, triggering floods in northwestern and central Portugal. The year of 1788 was extremely wet and rainfall caused floods along the largest rivers: Douro, Mondego and Tagus. A storm that struck north - western Iberia between 23 and 24 February 1788 is analyzed in detailKLIMHIST: Reconstruction and model simulations of past climate in Portugal using documentary and early instrumental sources (17th-19th century) (PTDC/AAC-CLI/119078/2010

Male painted gobies (Pomatoschistus pictus) vocalise to defend territories

Many fish species emit sounds in agonistic contexts. During direct confrontations sounds are typically produced during the display phase in conjunction with visual exhibitions. Here we studied sound production during territorial defence in captive painted gobies, Pomatoschistus pictus, and related acoustic parameters with male traits and the date of recording (Julian day, i.e., with the approach of the peak of the breeding season). Territorial males emitted drumming sounds during displays that involved darkening the chin and fins, spreading fins and quivering the body. Drums were trains of low frequency pulses (≈23 pulses) repeated every 27 ms and usually lasting under a second. Drums were produced in short sequences of sounds (bursts). All acoustic parameters differed significantly among males. Drum and burst duration, and drum number of pulses increased significantly with male size. Calling duration (including drum, burst duration and drum number of pulses) also increased significantly with Julian date and presented a high intra-male variability, suggesting that these parameters may also depend on the individual’s motivation. We provide the first report for agonistic sound production in sand gobies and give evidence that sound parameters contain information that can be used during mutual assessment in contests over territories

Acoustic signalling during courtship in the painted goby, Pomatoschistus pictus

Gobies emit sounds during different stages of reproduction, including courtship, pre-spawning events (in the nest) and spawning. The breeding sounds of the painted goby Pomatoschistus pictus and associated courtship behaviour were recorded in captivity and described for the first time. Males emitted thump-like sounds mainly when displaying alone in the nest and produced drumming sounds outside the nest. Thumps have never been reported for other species of the genus Pomatoschistus. Thumps were short (~80 ms) very-low frequency (below 100 Hz) non-pulsed sounds, whereas drums were longer (hundreds of ms) and consisted of low frequency (~300 Hz) pulse trains. Thump characteristics varied significantly among males but also showed high within-male variability. The frequency of thump emissions and courtship behaviour (total number of courtship displays, lead and nest display) were positively correlated with male size but not with male somatic condition. Thump bursts emitted during nest displays were significantly longer than when emitted with other behaviours. These results suggest that larger males courted females more intensively, both with visual and acoustic displays, than smaller ones