Chemical trends in the Galactic halo from APOGEE data

Indexación: Web of Science; Scopus.The galaxy formation process in the A cold dark matter scenario can be constrained from the analysis of stars in the Milky Way's halo system. We examine the variation of chemical abundances in distant halo stars observed by the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment ( APOGEE), as a function of distance from the Galactic Centre ( r) and iron abundance ([M/H]), in the range 5 less than or similar to r less than or similar to 30 kpc and - 2.5 15 kpc and [M/H] > - 1.1 (larger in the case of O, Mg, and S) with respect to the nearest halo stars. This result confirms previous claims for low-alpha stars found at larger distances. Chemical differences in elements with other nucleosynthetic origins (Ni, K, Na, and Al) are also detected. C and N do not provide reliable information about the interstellar medium from which stars formed because our sample comprises red giant branch and asymptotic giant branch stars and can experience mixing of material to their surfaces.https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/mnras/stw286

Intrahepatic Colangiocarcinoma

Introdução: o colangiocarcinoma intra-hepático (CCIhp) é um tumor maligno raro, normalmente diagnosticado num estadio avançado. São objectivos deste estudo avaliar os resultados da terapêutica do CCIhp e os factores prognósticos com significado estatístico na sobrevida de doentes com esta entidade nosológica tratados no nosso Serviço. Material e métodos: Vinte e um doentes submetidos a tratamento por CCIhp nos últimos anos, dos quais onze foram operados com intuitos curativos: quatro hepatectomias esquerdas, duas hepatectomias esquerdas alargadas aos segmentos V e VIII, duas hepatectomias direitas, duas bissegmentectomias e uma trissegmentectomia. Resultados: a mortalidade per-operatória foi de 0% e a pós-operatória (três meses) de 6%. As sobrevidas cumulativas aos 5 anos foram de 14% no total da população, 26% nos doentes submetidos a cirurgia com intuitos curativos e 26% para a sobrevida cumulativa livre de doença. Observou-se recidiva tumoral hepática em cinco doentes, a qual ocorreu aos 1,09 ± 0,82 anos (limites: 0,24-2,08). Os factores que influenciaram a sobrevida da globalidade dos doentes foram o tratamento cirúrgico com intuitos curativos (p=0,028), a presença de invasão vascular (p=0,002) e o valor da fosfatase alcalina no momento do diagnóstico (p=0,044). Entre os doentes operados com intuitos curativos, a presença de invasão vascular influenciou a sobrevida global (p=0,025) e a sobrevida livre de doença (p=0,002). Conclusões: A ressecção cirúrgica com intuitos curativos aumentou, de forma estatisticamente significativa, a sobrevida dos doentes com CCIhp. No entanto, sendo o diagnóstico geralmente tardio, apenas uma pequena percentagem destes doentes pode beneficiar deste tratamento.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Trade-offs during the COVID-19 pandemic: A discrete choice experiment about policy preferences in Portugal

The need to control the sanitary situation during the COVID-19 pandemic has led governments to implement several restrictions with substantial social and economic impacts. We explored people’s trade-offs in terms of their income, life restrictions, education, and poverty in the society, compared to their willingness to avoid deaths. We applied a web-based discrete choice experiment to elicit preferences of the Portuguese citizens for these attributes and computed the marginal rate of substitution in terms of avoided deaths. We recorded 2,191 responses that faced the possibility of having 250 COVID-19 related deaths per day as the worst possible outcome from the choice levels presented. Estimates suggested that individuals would be willing to sacrifice 30% instead of 10% of their income to avoid approximately 47 deaths per day during the first six months of 2021. For the same period, they would also accept 30% of the students’ population to become educationally impaired, instead of 10%, to avoid approximately 25 deaths; a strict lockdown, instead of mild life restrictions, to avoid approximately 24 deaths; and 45% of the population to be in risk of poverty, instead of 25%, to avoid approximately 101 deaths. Our paper shows that avoiding deaths was strongly preferred to the remaining societal impacts; and that being a female, as well as working on site, led individuals to be more averse to such health hazards. Furthermore, we show how a DCE can be used to assess the societal support to decision-making during times of crisis

GESTAÇÃO DE RISCO: PERCEPÇÃO E SENTIMENTOS DAS GESTANTES COM AMNIORREXE PREMATURA

Premature amniorrhexis, risky pregnancy, became a global concern because of the harm to the mother and fetus. Aim to identify the knowledge of women of premature amniorrhexis and get to know their perceptions and their feelings about this pathology. Descriptive study with a qualitative approach, developed in a public maternity ward. 11 women participated while hospitalized with a diagnosis of premature amniorrhexis, in the months of September and October 2007. The collection of semi-structured data was used, from which emerged the categories: Women's knowledge in relation to premature amniorrhexis, requiring information, and their feelings experienced, and reaction before their water broke. The results showed that women know little of the disease, or fear for the life of their children, and do not know what to do before that. Additionally health care professionals should regard women as human beings that need support and understanding.Amniorrexe prematuro, embarazo de riesgo, se convirtió en preocupación mundial debido a los agravios en la gestante y en el feto. Objetivamos identificar el conocimiento de las gestantes sobre amniorrexe prematura y conocer sus percepciones y sus sentimientos ante esta patología. Estudio descriptivo con un enfoque cualitativo, desarrollado en una maternidad pública. Participaron 11 gestantes hospitalizadas con diagnóstico de amniorrexe prematura, en los meses de septiembre y octubre de 2007. Se utilizó en la recogida de datos entrevista semi-estructurada a partir de la cual surgieron las categorías: conocimiento de las gestantes en relación con amniorrexe prematura, que requieren la información, los sentimientos experimentados, la reacción ante la ruptura de la bolsa de aguas. Los resultados mostraron que las mujeres saben poco de la enfermedad, el temor por la vida de sus hijos y no saben qué hacer ante esta situación. De ahí la necesidad de los profesionales de la salud de mirar a las gestantes como seres que necesitan de apoyo y comprensión.Amniorrexe prematura, gestação de risco, tornou-se preocupação mundial devido os agravos na gestante e no feto. Objetivamos identificar o conhecimento de gestantes sobre amniorrexe prematura e conhecer suas percepções e seus sentimentos diante desta patologia. Estudo descritivo com abordagem qualitativa, desenvolvido em uma maternidade pública. Participaram 11 gestantes internadas com o diagnóstico de amniorrexe prematura, nos meses de setembro e outubro de 2007. Utilizou-se na coleta de dados entrevista semi-estruturada de onde emergiram as categorias: conhecimento das gestantes em relação à amniorrexe prematura, necessitando de informações, sentimentos vivenciados, reação diante do rompimento da bolsa das águas. Os resultados revelaram que as gestantes pouco conhecem da patologia, temem pela vida dos filhos e não sabem o que fazer diante dessa situação. Consideramos então a necessidade dos profissionais de saúde olhar para as gestantes como seres que necessitam de apoio e compreensão

Neural development features: Spatio-temporal development of the Caenorhabditis elegans neuronal network

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, with information on neural connectivity, three-dimensional position and cell linage provides a unique system for understanding the development of neural networks. Although C. elegans has been widely studied in the past, we present the first statistical study from a developmental perspective, with findings that raise interesting suggestions on the establishment of long-distance connections and network hubs. Here, we analyze the neuro-development for temporal and spatial features, using birth times of neurons and their three-dimensional positions. Comparisons of growth in C. elegans with random spatial network growth highlight two findings relevant to neural network development. First, most neurons which are linked by long-distance connections are born around the same time and early on, suggesting the possibility of early contact or interaction between connected neurons during development. Second, early-born neurons are more highly connected (tendency to form hubs) than later born neurons. This indicates that the longer time frame available to them might underlie high connectivity. Both outcomes are not observed for random connection formation. The study finds that around one-third of electrically coupled long-range connections are late forming, raising the question of what mechanisms are involved in ensuring their accuracy, particularly in light of the extremely invariant connectivity observed in C. elegans. In conclusion, the sequence of neural network development highlights the possibility of early contact or interaction in securing long-distance and high-degree connectivity

Protein profiling in hepatocellular carcinoma by label-free quantitative proteomics in two west african populations.

Background Hepatocellular Carcinoma is the third most common cause of cancer related death worldwide, often diagnosed by measuring serum AFP; a poor performance stand-alone biomarker. With the aim of improving on this, our study focuses on plasma proteins identified by Mass Spectrometry in order to investigate and validate differences seen in the respective proteomes of controls and subjects with LC and HCC. Methods Mass Spectrometry analysis using liquid chromatography electro spray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight was conducted on 339 subjects using a pooled expression profiling approach. ELISA assays were performed on four significantly differentially expressed proteins to validate their expression profiles in subjects from the Gambia and a pilot group from Nigeria. Results from this were collated for statistical multiplexing using logistic regression analysis. Results Twenty-six proteins were identified as differentially expressed between the three subject groups. Direct measurements of four; hemopexin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, apolipoprotein A1 and complement component 3 confirmed their change in abundance in LC and HCC versus control patients. These trends were independently replicated in the pilot validation subjects from Nigeria. The statistical multiplexing of these proteins demonstrated performance comparable to or greater than ALT in identifying liver cirrhosis or carcinogenesis. This exercise also proposed preliminary cut offs with achievable sensitivity, specificity and AUC statistics greater than reported AFP averages. Conclusions The validated changes of expression in these proteins have the potential for development into high-performance tests usable in the diagnosis and or monitoring of HCC and LC patients. The identification of sustained expression trends strengthens the suggestion of these four proteins as worthy candidates for further investigation in the context of liver disease. The statistical combinations also provide a novel inroad of analyses able to propose definitive cut-offs and combinations for evaluation of performance