Cardiomiopatia de Takotsubo: uma complicação rara, mas grave, de crises epilépticas

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TKC) is a reversible, yet potentially fatal, syndrome triggered by stressful conditions, including seizures, with increasing recognition in clinical practice. We report a TKC in a patient with unexplained sinus tachycardia and troponin elevation after generalized seizures

Orbital forcing of stratal patterns in an inner platform carbonate sucession: an example from an Upper Hauterivian series of the Lusitanian Basin, Portugal

With an example taken from a late-Hauterivian series of the Lusitanian Basin (Portugal), we will demonstrate the sedimentary record of orbital pattern variations and, consequently, climate variations in an inner platform environment with patterns and isolation changes, allows us to establish 4 major orders of periodicity related to orbital components:- The large cycles ob bed thickness variation, constituted by 31-32 beds, recording the 400 ky eccentricity cycle component;- The medium cycles, represented by byndles of 8-9 beds, related to the 100 ky eccentricity cycle component; - The small cycles, of 3-5 beds, recording the 41 ky obliquity components;- The very small cycles, of 2 beds, related to the 22 ky and 26 ky precession components. The mean duration of each bed is around 11.8 ky, a number very close to that of the precession hemi-cycle. Climatic control on qualitative production is confirmed by the close relation between the bed thickness variations, the insolation variability and the variation of micritized elements concentrations

Heat-pipe assisted thermoelectric generators for exhaust gas applications

Millions of hybrid cars are already running on our roads with the purpose of reducing fossil fuel dependence. One of their main advantages is the recovery of wasted energy, namely by brake recovery. However, there are other sources of wasted energy in a car powered by an internal combustion engine, such as the heat lost through the cooling system, lubrication system (oil coolers) and in the exhaust system. These energies can be recuperated by the use of thermoelectric generators (TEG) based on the Seebeck effect, which transform heat directly into electricity To recover the energy from the hot (up to more than 700 ºC) exhaust gases it is possible to use controlled heat transfer, but this would limit the heat transfer potential at partial loads, as commercialy available TEG are limited by their maximum allowable temperature (~250ºC). Therefore Heat Pipes were used as an alternative heat transfer mean, so it would be possible to retain the heat transfer potential, while controlling the maximum temperature at a reasonable level. This is the method to recover the exhaust heat presented in this work. Numerical simulations were performed to assess the potential for this design, involving internal combustion engine simulation, thermoelectric generators simulation and heat transfer modelling. Additionally, the use of variable conductance heat pipes (VCHP) is discussed, as a means of achieving TEG module maximum temperature limitation.MIT Portugal, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Golpe de Calor - dois casos clínicos

O golpe de calor é uma emergência médica caracterizada por uma temperatura central ≥ 40ºC, associada a resposta inflamatória sistémica que conduz a disfunção multiorgânica onde predomina a encefalopatia. A incidência é desconhecida, uma vez que é sub-diagnosticada. Os autores apresentam dois casos internados no Serviço de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos no período de um ano

Variabilidade e reprodutibilidade da análise das medições ecocardiográficas na estenose valvular aórtica

Background: Doppler echocardiography is the most frequent method for detecting and evaluating the severity of valvular aortic stenosis. The aim of this study was to assess the variability and reproducibility of echocardiographic parameters including aortic valve area (AVA), peak aortic jet velocity (Vmax), velocity ratio (VLVOT/Vmax), peak gradient (Gmax) and mean gradient (Gmean) in aortic stenosis (AS) patients. Methods: Doppler echocardiograms were obtained from 150 randomly selected patients (56.7% male; mean age 73±9 years) with asymptomatic moderate aortic valve stenosis. The echocardiographic measurements were performed by two independent level III (expert) blinded observers. To assess intra-observer variability, we evaluated parameters of AS progression at two different times (mean of two weeks after the first examination). Results: For intra-observer variability (observer 1), the variation and reproducibility coefficients were, respectively, 1.88% and 0.16 m/s for Vmax, 2.08% and 0.14 for VLVOT/Vmax, 2.05% and 0.18 cm2 for AVA, 3.89% and 5.18 mmHg for Gmax and 7.87% and 6.30 mmHg for Gmean. For inter-observer variability, the variation and reproducibility coefficients were, respectively, 2.00% and 0.14 m/s for Vmax, 2.91% and 0.14 for VLVOT/Vmax, 7.67% and 0.16 cm2 for AVA, 8.53% and 7.06 mmHg for Gmean and 3.90% and 5.58 mmHg for Gmax. Both intra- and inter-observer studies showed excellent intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for all echocardiographic parameters (ICC ranged from 0.943 to 0.990 for intra-observer variability and from 0.955 to 0.992 for interobserver variability). Conclusion: Doppler echocardiographic measurements of AVA, Vmax, Gmax and Gmean are highly reproducible when performed by expert observers. Of all echocardiographic parameters, Vmax and VLVOT/Vmax showed the best variability and reproducibility, and thus constitute reliable tools for clinical and research purposes in aortic stenosis diagnosis and follow-up.Introdução: A ecocardiografia Doppler é o método mais frequente de detecção e avaliação da gravidade da estenose valvular aórtica. O objectivo deste estudo foi avaliar a variabilidade e reprodutibilidade dos parâmetros ecocardiográficos como a área valvular aórtica (AVA), velocidade pico (Vmax), relação de velovidades (VLVOT/Vmax), gradiente pico (Gmax) e gradiente médio (Gmédio) nos doentes com estenose aórtica. Métodos: Um ecocardiograma Doppler foi realizado em 60 doentes consecutivos seleccionados aleatoriamente (da população do estudo RAAVE) com estenose aórtica moderada a grave assintomática (56.7% sexo masculino; idade média 73 ± 9 anos). As medidas ecocardiográficas foram efectuadas por dois ecocardiografistas de nível III numa estratégia de dupla ocultação. Para o estudo da variabilidade intra-observador, avaliamos os prâmetros de progressão da estenose aórtica em dois momentos diferentes (média de duas semanas após o 1.º exame). Resultados: No que respeita à variabilidade intra-observador (observador 1), os coeficientes de variação e reprodutibilidade foram, respectivamente, 1.88% e 0.16 m.s-1 para a Vmax, 2.08% e 0.14 cm2 para a VLVOT/Vmax, 2.05% e 0.18 ms-1 para a AVA, 3.89% e 5.18 mmHg para Gmax and 7.87% e 6.30 mmHg para o Gmédio. No que respeita à variabilidade inter- -observador, os coeficientes de variação e reprodutibilidade foram, respectivamente, 2.00% e 0.14 m.s-1 para a Vmax, 2.91% e 0.14 m.s-1 para a relação VLVOT/Vmax, 7.67% e 0.16 cm2 para a AVA, 8.53% e 7.06 mmHg para o Gmédio e 3.90% e 5.58 mmHg para o Gmax. Os estudos intra-observador e inter-observador mostraram ter excelentes coeficientes de correlação intra-classe (CCI), para todos os parâmetros ecocardiográficos (CCI varia de 0.943 até 0.990 para a variabilidade intra- -observador e de 0.955 até 0.992 para a variabilidade inter-observador). Conclusões: As medições ecocardiográficas da AVA, Vmax, Gmax and Gmédio são altamente reprodutíveis quando realizadas por ecocardiografistas experientes. De todos os parâmetros ecocardiográficos a Vmax e a relação VLVOT/Vmax apresentam os melhores valores de variabilidade e reprodutibilidade e assim constituem provavelmente a melhor ferramenta no diagnóstico e seguimento criterioso dos doentes com estenose valvular aórtica.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A multi-perspective integrated framework of critical success factors for supporting on-line shopping

E-commerce promotes economic growth by enabling online shops to compete within a global market scenario. There are critical success factors that permit to distinguish a good business on the Internet and this knowledge may allow reaching an important competitive advantage for business sustainability. As many disciplines are involved, when determining critical success factors, e-commerce requires an effective coordination and integration in a collaborative way. In e-commerce, as well as in any other ecosystem, the breaking down of some integrating elements may provoke a collapse on the whole system. The various stakeholders involved in a given business should, therefore, be involved and work together to achieve a high quality product that fully satisfies the end customer's needs and wishes. To meet the above requirement, this paper proposes a multi-perspective critical success factors (MPCSF) model for online shopping.This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145FEDER-007043 and FCT – The Foundation for Science and Technology within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Teores de princípios pungentes de algumas pimentas do gênero capsicum cultivadas no Brasil.

bitstream/item/65463/1/CTAA-DOCUMENTOS-19-TEORES-DE-PRINCIPIOS-PUNGENTES-DE-ALGUMAS-PIMENTAS-DO-GENEROS-CAPSICUM-CULTIVA.pd

Effects of physical exercise in biochemical parameters and dorsolateral prostate lesions: data from a rat model of prostate cancer

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is among the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Physical exercise is widely recognized due to its beneficial effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of physical exercise on biochemical pa- rameters and in dorsolateral prostate lesions in a rat model of PCa. Materials and Methods: Ninety-five male Wistar Unilever rats were randomly divided into eight groups sacrificed at 35 (groups I) or 61 weeks of age (groups II): control sedentary groups (Cont+Sed I (n = 10); Cont+Sed II (n = 10)); induced sedentary group (PCa+Sed I (n = 10); PCa+Sed II (n = 15)); control exercised groups (Cont+EX I (n = 10); Cont+EX II (n = 10)) and induced exercised groups (PCa+EX I (n = 10); PCa+EX II (n = 20)). All procedures were approved (DGAV, no. 021326). Animals from exercised groups started the exer- cise program in a treadmill at 8 weeks of age, for 28 weeks or 53 weeks. The animals were trained 5 days/week, 60 min per day. Prostate lesions were induced at 12 weeks of age, with sequential administration of flutamide, testosterone propion- ate and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, and subcutaneous implants of crystalline testosterone. Animals were sacrificed at 35 or 61 weeks of age. Peripheral blood of all animals was col- lected by intracardiac puncture. A complete necropsy was performed. The dorsolateral prostate tissues sections were processed for histological analysis. Data were analysed using SPSS 25. p 0.05). Dorsolateral prostate lesions were classified as dysplasia, prostatic intraep- ithelial neoplasia (PIN) and microinvasive carcinoma. The number of prostate lesions was higher in animals from groups II than in those from groups I, mainly in PCa+Sed II animals when compared with PCa+Sed I (p 0.05). Conclusions: Overall, the animals sacrificed at 61 weeks of age developed more dorsolateral prostate lesions than ani- mals sacrificed at 35 weeks of age, which may be related to a longer testosterone exposure