Influência dos procedimentos de soldagem sobre a resistência à cavitação de depósitos obtidos com a utilização de arames tubulares de aços inoxidáveis ligados ao cobalto /

Dissertação (Mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in the elderly: rationale and specific age-related considerations

Despite the increasingly high rate of implantation of cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) in elderly patients, data supporting their clinical and cost-effectiveness in this age stratum are ambiguous and contradictory. We comprehensively reviewed the state-of-the-art data regarding the applicability, safety, clinical- and cost-effectiveness of the ICD in elderly patients, and analysed which patients in this age stratum are more likely to get a survival benefit from this therapy. Although peri-procedural risk may be slightly higher in the elderly, this procedure is still relatively safe in this age group. In terms of correcting potentially life-threatening arrhythmias, the effectiveness of ICD therapy is comparable in older and younger individuals. However, the assumption of persistent ICD benefit in the elderly population is questionable, as any advantage of the device on arrhythmic death may be largely attenuated by a higher total non-arrhythmic mortality. While septuagenarians and octogenarians have higher annual all-cause mortality rates, ICD therapy may remain effective in highly selected patients at high risk of arrhythmic death and with minimum comorbidities despite advanced age. ICD intervention among the elderly, as a group, may not be cost-effective, but the procedure may reach cost-effectiveness in those expected to live >5-7 years after implantation. Biological age rather than chronological age per se should be the decisive factor in making a decision on ICD selection for survival benefit

The Impressão Régia do Rio de Janeiro and the making of the New Portuguese Empire in America

O presente artigo busca analisar o papel político exercido pela Impressão Régia do Rio de Janeiro no contexto da instalação da Corte portuguesa na América. Herdeira das tipografias criadas no Reino no final do século XVIII, no âmbito do projeto reformista ilustrado português, a Impressão Régia do Rio de Janeiro preservava a função pragmática de impressão e divulgação dos saberes úteis ao desenvolvimento do Império, que caracterizava tipografias como a do Arco do Cego, criada em 1799. Baseada em um modelo ilustrado de conhecer para intervir na realidade, fazia da difusão das Luzes no Império português uma função não apenas cultural, mas também política. Frente às tensões políticas que a nova situação criada pela mudança da sede do Império gerava, a Impressão Régia desempenhou o importante papel de legitimação e sustentação do projeto político de criação de um novo Império português na América, longamente acalentado por letrados e estadistas ilustrados portugueses. Busca-se, dessa forma, chamar a atenção para a relação intrínseca entre saber e poder no reformismo ilustrado português. This paper analyzes the political role played by the Impressão Régia do Rio de Janeiro in the context of the installation of the Portuguese court in America. Heir of typographies created in the kingdom in the late eighteenth century, under the Portuguese enlightened reformist project, the Impressão Régia do Rio de Janeiro preserves the pragmatic function of print and dissemination of useful knowledges for the development of the Empire, which characterized typographies such as Arco do Cego, created in 1799. Based on an enlightened model of knowing to intervening in reality, made the dissemination of the Lights in the Portuguese empire not only a cultural but also a political function. In the face of the political tensions that were caused by the new situation created by the Empire seat moving, the Impressão Régia do Rio de Janeiro has played an important role in legitimizing and sustaining of the political project of a new Portuguese Empire creation in America, a long cherished by enlightened Portuguese scholars and statemen. Seeking, thereby, highlight the intrinsic relationship between culture and power in the Portuguese enlightened reformism

Major gaps in the information provided to patients before implantation of cardioverter defibrillators: a prospective patient European evaluation

AIMS: Information provided to patients prior to implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) insertion and their participation in the decision-making process are crucial for understanding ICD function and accepting this lifelong therapy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent to which different aspects related to ICD and quality of life were transmitted to patients prior to ICD implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Prospective, multicenter European study with an online questionnaire initiated by the European Heart Rhythm Association. The questionnaire was filled-in directly and personally by the ICD patients who were invited to participate. A total of 1809 patients (majority in their 40s-70s, with 624 women, 34.5%) from 10 European countries participated in the study. The median time from first ICD implantation was 5 years (interquartile range 2-10). Overall, 1155 patients (71.5%) felt optimally informed at the time of device implantation, however many respondents received no information about ICD-related complications (n = 801, 49.6%), driving restrictions (n = 718, 44.5%), and possibility of end-of-life ICD deactivation (n = 408, 25.4%). Of note, women were less frequently involved in the decision-making process than men (47.3% vs. 55.9%, P = 0.003) and reported to be less often optimally informed before ICD implantation than men (61.2% vs. 76.8%, P < 0.001). More women mentioned the desire to have learned more about ICD therapy and the benefit/risk balance (45.4% vs. 33.7% of men; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This patient-based evaluation provides alarming findings on the lack of information provided to patients prior ICD implantation, particularly for women

Uso de risedronato na consolidação e formação do calo na fratura de Colles em mulheres na pós‐menopausa – Estudo Solid

ResumoObjetivoEste estudo multicêntrico, randomizado, aberto, grupo paralelo avaliou a eficácia de Actonel® 35 mg mais cálcio/vitamina D versus cálcio/vitamina D isoladamente na preservação da densidade mineral óssea (DMO) em mulheres pós‐menopausadas com fratura de Colles.MétodosPacientes com fratura de Colles em sete dias foram aleatoriamente designadas para receber Actonel® 35 mg semanalmente mais cálcio/vitamina D (Grupo AO [GAO]) ou cálcio/vitamina D (grupo O [GO]) isoladamente. As pacientes foram avaliadas após 90 e 180 dias de tratamento.ResultadosCompletaram as avaliações 59 pacientes no GAO e 56 no OG. No fim do estudo, a DMO do rádio no local da fratura mostrou variação negativa no GO (32,8%) que foi discretamente menor no GAO (20,8%), assim como uma perda menor na DMO no GAO comparado com o OG. Houve diferença na proporção de paciente com perda da DMO no fim do estudo nos dois grupos de tratamento em favor do GAO, apesar de não estatisticamente significante. Não houve diferença significativa na identificação radiológica da formação do calo entre os grupos de tratamento. Na maioria das pacientes a identificação radiológica do calo ocorreu depois de 90 dias.ConclusãoMulheres pós‐menopausadas com fratura de Colles que receberam risedronato sódico, além do cálcio/vitamina D, comparado com cálcio/vitamina D não mostraram diferença significativa na perda da DMO na fratura do antebraço, com tendência de efeito protetor do risedronato na perda da DMO devido à imobilização. O tempo até a consolidação da fratura não foi afetado.AbstractObjectiveThis open, randomized and blinded parallel‐group multicenter study evaluated the efficacy of Actonel® (35mg) plus calcium/vitamin D versus calcium/vitamin D alone for preserving bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women with Colles fractures.MethodsPatients with a Colles fracture for seven days were randomized to receive either Actonel® (35mg) once a week plus calcium/vitamin D (ACD group) or calcium/vitamin D alone (CD group). The patients were evaluated after 90 and 180 days of treatment.ResultsCompleted all the evaluations 59 ACD patients and 56 CD patients. At the end of the study, the BMD of the radius at the fracture location showed a negative change in the CD group (32.8%). The loss of BMD in the ACD group (20.8%) was slightly less than in the CD group. There was a difference in the proportions of patients with BMD losses at the end of the study period in the two treatment groups, in favor of the ACD group, although this was not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in radiological identification of callus formation between the treatment groups. In the majority of the patients, the callus could be radiologically identified after 90 days.ConclusionPostmenopausal women with Colles fractures who received risedronate sodium plus calcium/vitamin D did not show any significant difference in BMD loss in forearm fractures, in comparison with those who received calcium/vitamin D alone. Risedronate presented a tendency towards a protective effect regarding BMD loss due to immobilization. The time taken for fracture consolidation to be achieved was unaffected

Regional disparity on patient characteristics and perceptions after implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation: results from an EHRA patient survey

AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify potential regional disparities in characteristics of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) recipients, patient perceptions and perspectives after implantation and level of information provided to patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: The prospective, multicentre, and multinational European Heart Rhythm Association patient Survey 'Living with an ICD' included patients already implanted with an ICD (median ICD dwell time - 5 years, interquartile range 2-10). An online questionnaire was filled-in by patients invited from 10 European countries. A total of 1809 patients (the majority in their 40s to 70s, 65.5% men) were enrolled, with 877 (48.5%) from Western Europe (group 1), followed by 563 from Central/Eastern Europe (group 2, 31.1%), and 369 from Southern Europe (group 3, 20.4%). A total of 52.9% of Central/Eastern Europe patients reported increased satisfaction after ICD placement compared with 46.6% from Western and 33.1% from Southern Europe (1 vs. 2 P = 0.047, 1 vs. 3 P < 0.001, 2 vs. 3 P < 0.001). About 79.2% of Central/Eastern and 76.0% of Southern Europe patients felt optimally informed at the time of device implantation compared with just 64.6% from Western Europe (1 vs. 2 P < 0.001, 1 vs. 3 P < 0.001, 2 vs. 3 P = ns). CONCLUSIONS: While physicians in Southern Europe should address the patients' concerns about the impact of the ICD on quality of life, physicians from Western Europe should focus on improving the quality of information provided to their prospective ICD patients. Novel strategies to address regional differences in patients' quality of life and provision of information are warranted

Human toxocariasis: contribution by Brazilian researchers

In the present paper the main aspects of the natural history of human infection by Toxocara larvae that occasionally result in the occurrence of visceral and/or ocular larva migrans syndrome were reviewed. The contribution by Brazilian researchers was emphasized, especially the staff of the Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo (IMT)