Early Clinical Manifestations Associated with Death from Visceral Leishmaniasis

The visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a disease potentially fatal if not diagnosed and treated opportunely. This article presents the results of the study on the manifestations identified at the time of the clinical suspicion of the VL cases. This study was conducted in Belo Horizonte, the capital of the State of Minas Gerais, located in southeastern Brazil. This study is both timely and substantive because the Belo Horizonte is an area of transmission of VL, with one of the highest VL-death proportions of Brazil. The patients with higher risk of death had at least one of the following characteristics: ≥60 years, weakness, HIV co-infection, bleeding, jaundice and other associated infections. During the period 2002–2009, 8% to 22% of the patients with VL progressed to death in Belo Horizonte, whilst the proportion in the country was much lower and varied between 5% and 9%. This study has identified vulnerable patients who are at higher risk of death from VL and who would benefit from early predictive evaluation of the prognostic. Hence, the knowledge regarding the factors associated with death may contribute for clinical management and for reduction of deaths from VL

A Computer-Assisted Analysis of Small Group Process: An Investigation of Two Machiavellian Groups

Explored whether the WORDS computer program could assist in pinpointing Machiavellian behaviors in a group discussion situation. 60 Ss were administered the Mach IV and Mach V instruments. Ss who scored below the 25th percentile were labeled low Machs. Midddle Machs were those who scored within 1 standard deviation of the median, and high Machs were those who scored above the 75th percentile. After a group discussion task, transcripts were punched into a computer, which reduced the data base to the 215 most frequently occurring words. Results indicate that the high Mach was one of the most frequent participators and provided much specific task information. Results do not indicate how the frequency of words related to influence on decision-making in the groups, unless it is by saturating the group with task-relevant information during critical phases of discussion