Diabetes as an outcome predictor after heart transplantation

We aimed to compare post-transplantation morbidity and survival among heart transplant recipients with and without diabetes mellitus. A retrospective review of 141 adult patients submitted to heart transplantation from November 2003 to June 2009 (with a minimum follow-up of one year) was undertaken. The patients were divided into two groups: those with (29%) and those without (71%) pre-transplantation diabetes. Those with diabetes were older (57.6±6.1 vs. 52.3±11.1 years; P=0.020) and had lower creatinine clearance (53.6±15.1 vs. 63.7±22.1; P=0.029). Nine patients died in hospital (6.4%; P=non-significant). No significant differences in lipid profiles (diabetes vs. no diabetes) existed before transplantation or at one year afterwards. Patients with diabetes showed a significant deterioration in their one-year lipid profile (158±43 vs.192±38 mg/dL; P=0.001), although one-year fasting diabetic was lower than before (178±80 vs. 138±45 mg/dL; P=0.016). During the first year, 17 (17%) patients previously free of diabetes developed new-onset diabetes. No significant differences were seen in rejection at one year (14% vs. 20%), infection (31% vs. 33%), new-onset renal dysfunction (8% vs. 14%) or mortality (17% vs. 7%). One-year survival was not significantly different (83% vs. 94%), but there was a significant decrease in the survival of individuals with diabetes at three years (73% vs. 91%; P=0.020). No significant difference was found in one-year survival or in terms of higher morbidity in the heart transplant patients with diabetes, but a longer follow-up showed a significant decrease in survival. Nonetheless, the patients with diabetes benefited significantly from transplantation and should not be excluded from it

Treino da resistência psicológica na recruta militar em Portugal: o papel da coesão militar, da autoestima e da ansiedade na resiliência

The present study aims to explore the impact of military training on the psychological resilience of army recruits; the moderator role of other variables relevant for the military training (namely, group cohesion, self-esteem, and anxiety proneness) is also considered. A convenience sample of 104 military recruits was evaluated before and after the first six weeks of the Enlisted Basic General Military training. Although results showed a non significant global effect of the recruit training on resilience, individual changes in resilience levels between the beginning and the final of the training period seem to be moderately associated with participants' self-esteem and group cohesion perception. The results are discussed regarding to their implications in military training context.Este trabalho investiga o impacto do processo de treino militar de resistência psicológica na resiliência dos recrutas, considerando o papel moderador da coesão de grupo militar, da autoestima e da predisposição para a ansiedade. Uma amostra de conveniência de 104 militares foi avaliada antes e depois do Curso de Formação Geral Comum dos Praças do Exército Português, seguindo um desenho metodológico de medidas repetidas. Os resultados revelam que, embora não se possa atribuir ao processo de recruta alterações significativas nos níveis globais de resiliência, as variações individuais observadas na resiliência entre o início e o final da recruta se associam moderadamente à autoestima e à perceção da coesão do grupo. Estes resultados são discutidos quanto às implicações no contexto do treino militar. Palavras-chave: resiliência, coesão de grupo militar, autoestima, ansiedade, treino militar.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia [FCT UID/PSI/00050/2013]; EU FEDER e COMPETE [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007294]

Knowledge about sugar sources and sugar intake guidelines in portuguese consumers

In this work, we examined knowledge about sugars and guidelines for its consumption and explored the relationship between knowledge and measures related to nutritional information processing as well as sugar consumption. Specifically, we asked participants (n = 1010 Portuguese) to categorize a set of ingredients (e.g., glucose, aspartame) regarding their composition (i.e., intrinsic vs. added/free sugars) and origin (e.g., natural vs. artificial) and if they were aware of the WHO guidelines for sugar intake. Overall, despite using information about sugar frequently and considering attending to such information as very important to stay healthy, most participants were unaware of the WHO guidelines and revealed difficulties in the categorization task. Women, participants with a higher level of education, and those with children in the household reported higher use of sugar content information present in nutritional labels, higher perceived knowledge of nutritional guidelines, and higher hit rates in categorizing sugar sources. Almost one-fourth of the population exceeds the daily limit recommended by the WHO. Therefore, characterizing the knowledge of a Portuguese sample regarding sugar sources and sugar intake guidelines is particularly relevant, and our results emphasize the need to implement effective strategies to reduce sugar intake.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Use of explicit replies as coordination mechanisms in online student debate

People in conversation entrain their linguistic behaviours through spontaneous alignment mechanisms [7] - both in face-to-face and computer-mediated communication (CMC) [8]. In CMC, one of the mechanisms through which linguistic entrainment happens is through explicit replies. Indeed, the use of explicit replies influences the structure of conversations, favouring the formation of reply-trees typically delineated by topic shifts [5]. The interpersonal coordination mechanisms realized by how actors address each other have been studied using a probabilistic framework proposed by David Gibson [2,3]. Other recent approaches use computational methods and information theory to quantify changes in text. We explore coordination mechanisms concerned with some of the roles utterances play in dialogues - specifically in explicit replies. We identify these roles by finding community structure in the conversation's vocabulary using a non-parametric, hierarchical topic model. Some conversations may always stay on the ground, remaining at the level of general introductory chatter. Some others may develop a specific sub-topic in significant depth and detail. Even others may jump between general chatter, out-of-topic remarks and people agreeing or disagreeing without further elaboration

HLA-DR expression in cytotoxic and regulatory T cells

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Vector cross product differential and difference equations in R^3 and in R^7

Through a matrix approach of the 2-fold vector cross product in R^3 and in R^7, some vector cross product di erential and di erence equations are studied. Either the classical theory or convenient Drazin inverses, of elements belonging to the class of index 1 matrices, are applied.MTM2017-83506-C2-2-P (Spain)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Project SELfit: training socio-emotional skills in a school environment in Porto

Issue/Problem: Mental disorders are the main cause of years lived with disability (YLD) in 5-14-year-old people around the world, in Western Europe, and particularly in Portugal. Young people who experience anxiety during childhood have a 3,5-fold likelihood of suffering from depression or anxiety during adulthood. COVID-19 has aggravated this situation, namely regarding socio-emotional competencies. Description of the problem: SELfit, a project based on the Socio-emotional learning (SEL) methodology, aims promoting mental health, by training teachers and community nurses to develop socio-emotional skills in students from primary schools. The project includes a theoretical and a practical/training session, and monthly supervision sessions by a team that includes a psychologist, a public health doctor and public health nurses. The period of implementation is between February to July 2022. Results: A total of 8 community nurses and 13 teachers from 3 primary schools in Porto enrolled in this project, which corresponds to a total around 272 students from 5 to 8-year-old. Knowledge of nurses and teachers regarding mental health literacy, and social emotional learning was assessed, before and after the theoretical session. The mean percentage of correct answers before was 49% (54% regarding nurses and 45% teachers) compared to 84% (92% regarding nurses and 78% teachers) after. Concerning socio-emotional skills of the primary school students, possible improvement will be evaluated at the end of the project (July 2022). Lessons: Mental health literacy and social emotional learning knowledge increased 35%, which highlights the importance of these theoretical sessions promoting mental health literacy. By the end of this project, it is expected to exist an improvement on socio-emotional skills of the primary school students. This is a very important project, expected to be implement and replicated in other schools in Porto and in Portugal.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio