O IMPACTO DA INTERNACIONALIZAÇÃO SOBRE SISTEMAS DE CONTROLE GERENCIAL: ESTUDO DE CASO DE DUAS EMPRESAS DO SETOR DE ALIMENTAÇÃO.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar o impacto da internacionalização sobre os sistemas de controle gerencial (SCG) de duas empresas do setor de alimentação. Foi realizada uma análise comparativa da relação entre os SCG utilizados pelas empresas, com o referencial teórico pesquisado, buscando evidenciar as modificações causadas em função do processo de internacionalização das empresas. Na revisão de literatura procurou-se discutir as principais características do SCG, as perspectivas contemporâneas relacionadas ao ambiente e os principais artefatos utilizados. Também foram abordadas as teorias que analisam o processo de internacionalização das empresas em consonância com os sistemas de controle gerencial nos ambientes internacionalizados. A metodologia foi a de pesquisa qualitativa de natureza exploratória, por meio do método de estudo de caso comparado, retratando o ciclo de vida das organizações. O método de coleta utilizado foi o de entrevista com executivos das empresas pesquisadas, além de consulta a dados secundários. Os resultados obtidos apontam um distanciamento entre a teoria e a prática no que tange às características dos SCG projetados pelas empresas, enquanto a internacionalização parece não ter produzido impacto significativo sobre os sistemas de controle gerencial

Positive Surgical Margins Predict Progression-free Survival After Nephron-sparing Surgery for Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results From a Single Center Cohort of 459 Cases With a Minimum Follow-up of 5 Years

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role of f18 fdg pet ct in restaging patients affected by renal carcinoma

ACKGROUND: Renalcancers account for around 3% of all cancers and the most common type of (90%) is renal cell carcinoma Five-year survival rate in renal cancer patients is 68.4%. AIM: The aim of our study was to establish the role of F18-FDG-PET/CT in restaging patients with renal carcinoma who underwent partial or radical nephrectomy. Secondary aim of the study was to identify histological characteristics of the primary tumour that may be responsible for the metabolic behaviour of neoplastic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS:We retrospectively evaluated 68 patients with renal carcinoma in whom F18-FDG-PET/CT was performed. RESULTS: Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of F18-FDG PET/CT were 82%, 100%, 100%, 66.7% and 86.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study suggest that F18-FDG PET/CT is characterised by high specificity and positive predictive value and can be useful in restaging patients affected by renal carcinoma. However, due to low negative predictive value, this method cannot be recommended for definitely ruling out suspected disease relapse

Effectiveness of Maternal mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy Against COVID-19–Associated Hospitalizations in Infants Aged <6 Months During SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Predominance — 20 States, March 9, 2022–May 31, 2023

Infants aged <6 months are not eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccination during pregnancy has been associated with protection against infant COVID-19–related hospitalization. The Overcoming COVID-19 Network conducted a case-control study during March 9, 2022–May 31, 2023, to evaluate the effectiveness of maternal receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine dose (vaccine effectiveness [VE]) during pregnancy against COVID-19–related hospitalization in infants aged <6 months and a subset of infants aged <3 months. VE was calculated as (1 – adjusted odds ratio) x 100% among all infants aged <6 months and <3 months. Case-patients (infants hospitalized for COVID-19 outside of birth hospitalization and who had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result) and control patients (infants hospitalized for COVID-19–like illness with a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result) were compared. Odds ratios were determined using multivariable logistic regression, comparing the odds of receipt of a maternal COVID-19 vaccine dose (completion of a 2-dose vaccination series or a third or higher dose) during pregnancy with maternal nonvaccination between case- and control patients. VE of maternal vaccination during pregnancy against COVID-19–related hospitalization was 35% (95% CI = 15%–51%) among infants aged <6 months and 54% (95% CI = 32%–68%) among infants aged <3 months. Intensive care unit admissions occurred in 23% of all case-patients, and invasive mechanical ventilation was more common among infants of unvaccinated (9%) compared with vaccinated mothers (1%) (p = 0.02). Maternal vaccination during pregnancy provides some protection against COVID-19–related hospitalizations among infants, particularly those aged <3 months. Expectant mothers should remain current with COVID-19 vaccination to protect themselves and their infants from hospitalization and severe outcomes associated with COVID-19

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Visible Markers: Body, Class, and Gendered Identities at Swarthmore College

What is the relationship between individuals' public and private identities, and how does appearance mediate between the two identities? Students at Swarthmore College, an institution known for its freethinking atmosphere and eccentric student body, use visual signifiers daily to see how appearances affect how people interact with each other. Some students even feel the pressure to dress and look a certain way in order to be seen as pretty, mainstream, and stylish. Appearance is consciously used daily to portray numerous aspects a person wishes to display to the public. Appearances are also often important on an unconscious level, as observers evaluate and draw conclusions about personality, belonging, and identity through cues found in appearances. Methodology includes the examination of theoretical work that has been done regarding appearance and its link to identity, as well as a discussion of the historical importance of appearance and how interpretations of public appearance and behavior have changed over time. The author further explores the importance of appearance in the public and the private domain, as well as morning rituals in private that prepare a person for the public, and the link between the private identity and the identities that are shown to the public. An investigation on the gaze and how it affects public appearance is also conducted