The Importance of the Nasolabial Flap

O retalho nasogeniana é uma excelente técnica reconstrutiva para reparar os defeitos do terço médio do face, sobretudo os defeitos do nariz. Os autores descrevem neste artigo cinco casos clínicos de doentes que apresentavam tumores da pálpebra inferior,asa do nariz, junção nasolabial, lábio inferior e cavidade bucal, operados no Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil de Lisboa. Nenhum dos doentes foi submetido a um segundo tempo operatório paro correcção de defeitos secundários quer na região dadora quer na região receptora. Os bons resultados alcançados enfatizam a importância deste retalho, quando tecnicamente bem executado

Non-orthogonal multiple access schemes with partial relay selection

In this paper, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) in amplify-and-forward relay systems with partial relay selection (PRS) is investigated. More specifically, new exact closed-form expressions for the outage probabilities at two users are derived, based on which an asymptotic analysis at high signal- to-noise ratio (SNR) is carried out. Additionally, in order to investigate the performance gap between the NOMA and orthogonal multiple access (OMA) schemes, a closed-form approximate expression at high SNR for the sum rate is derived. Furthermore, relying on our results, the impact of the PRS on the sum rate and outage probability of the proposed NOMA scheme is examined. In particular, the derived asymptotic expressions show that the proposed scheme can improve over the traditional OMA not only the sum rate but also the user fairness. Finally, simulation results are presented to corroborate the analytical results

The Effects of Body-Worn Cameras on Police Activity and Police-Citizen Encounters: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Many have suggested that placing body-worn cameras (BWCs) on police officers improves the civility of police-citizen encounters and enhances citizen perceptions of police transparency and legitimacy. In response, many police departments have adopted this technology to address public concerns over the quality of policing in their communities. The existing program evaluation evidence on the intended and unintended consequences of outfitting police officers with BWCs is still developing, however. This study reports the findings of a randomized controlled trial involving more than 400 police officers in Las Vegas, Nevada. We find that officers equipped with body-worn cameras generated fewer complaints and use of force reports relative to officers without cameras. BWC officers also made more arrests and issued more citations than their non-BWC counterparts. The findings of this randomized controlled trial raise the possibility that planning for the placement of BWCs on officers should consider the competing effects of improvement in civilian perceptions of police generated by reductions in complaints and use of force incidents and of public concerns about increased enforcement activity

Systematic Review on the Associations between Objectively Measured Breaks in Sitting Time and Cardiovascular Health in Youth

The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the literature on the associations between breaks in sitting time and cardiovascular health, in children and adolescents. The search was conducted using five databases (MEDLINE, SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE, PSYCINFO and CINAHL) through to 01 October 2019. Due to heterogeneity of the data, meta-analyses were not possible. We screened 2577 studies, and 15 studies were included, representing 9116 participants, from six different countries. Five observational studies and four experimental studies showed associations between breaks in sitting time and cardiovascular health, i.e. an increased number of breaks in sitting time was negatively associated with a cardiovascular health outcome. No associations between number of breaks in sitting time and cardiovascular health outcomes were found in the six remaining studies. Studies examining associations between breaks in sitting time and cardiovascular health in children have shown some favorable associations. More epidemiological evidence is required, to inform lifestyle interventions and public health policies, which could translate into long-term implications on population health

Fecal occult blood and fecal calprotectin as point-of-care markers of intestinal morbidity in Ugandan children with Schistosoma mansoni infection.

BACKGROUND: Calprotectin is a calcium-binding cytoplasmic protein found in neutrophils and increasingly used as a marker of bowel inflammation. Fecal occult blood (FOB) is also a dependable indicator of bowel morbidity. The objective of our study was to determine the applicability of these tests as surrogate markers of Schistosoma mansoni intestinal morbidity before and after treatment with praziquantel (PZQ). METHODS: 216 children (ages 3-9 years old) from Buliisa District in Lake Albert, Uganda were examined and treated with PZQ at baseline in October 2012 with 211 of them re-examined 24 days later for S. mansoni and other soil transmitted helminths (STH). POC calprotectin and FOB assays were performed at both time points on a subset of children. Associations between the test results and infection were analysed by logistic regression. RESULTS: Fecal calprotectin concentrations of 150-300 µg/g were associated with S. mansoni egg patent infection both at baseline and follow up (OR: 12.5 P = 0.05; OR: 6.8 P = 0.02). FOB had a very strong association with baseline anemia (OR: 9.2 P = 0.03) and medium and high egg intensity schistosomiasis at follow up (OR: 6.6 P = 0.03; OR: 51.3 P = 0.003). Both tests were strongly associated with heavy intensity S. mansoni infections. There was a significant decrease in FOB and calprotectin test positivity after PZQ treatment in those children who had egg patent schistosomiasis at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Both FOB and calprotectin rapid assays were found to correlate positively and strongly with egg patent S. mansoni infection with a positive ameloriation response after PZQ treatment indicative of short term reversion of morbidity. Both tests were appropriate for use in the field with excellent operational performance and reliability. Due to its lower-cost which makes its scale-up of use affordable, FOB could be immediately adopted as a monitoring tool for PC campaigns for efficacy evaluation before and after treatment

Contractile effects of Ghrelin and expression of its receptor GHS-R1a in normal and hypertrophic myocardium

INTRODUCTION:Ghrelin, isolated in 1999, is an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a). Recent studies suggest that it may influence the function of normal and failing hearts. Nonetheless, it has been difficult to differentiate its effects on the intrinsic properties of the myocardium from the secondary effects resulting from growth hormone release and vasomotor action. This study investigated the contractile effects of ghrelin and expression of its receptor GHS-R1a in normal and hypertrophic myocardium.METHODS:Adult Wistar rats randomly received monocrotaline (MCT; n=9; 60 mg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle (n=7; 1 ml/kg). Three weeks later, after right ventricular (RV) hemodynamic evaluation, the effects of 10(-6) M of a pentapeptide active fragment of ghrelin (fG) were tested on contractile parameters of RV papillary muscles (Normal, n=7; MCT, n=9). GHS-R1a mRNA expression was estimated in RV transmural free-wall samples (Normal, n=7; MCT, n=9), using real-time RT-PCR.RESULTS:In the Normal group, fG reduced active tension (AT), maximum velocity of tension rise (dT/dt(max)) and maximum velocity of tension decline (dT/dt(min)), by 27.9 +/- 4.0%, 28.5 +/- 6.7% and 21.4 +/- 4.2% respectively. In the MCT group, fG reduced AT, dT/dt(max) and dT/dt(min) by 24.1 +/- 6.3%, 24.3 +/- 6.5% and 24.5 +/- 6.1% respectively. GHS-R1a mRNA expression was similar in the two groups (Normal: 2.3*10(5) +/- 5.4*10(4); MCT: 3.0*10(5) +/- 1.1*10(5): p > 0.05).CONCLUSION:This study shows that ghrelin has negative inotropic and lusitropic effects. These effects and expression of its receptor are preserved in RV hypertrophy, suggesting that ghrelin may be a new target in progression to heart failure