Parapharyngeal space tumours: one case report

RESUMO Os tumores do espaço parafaríngeo são raros e correspondem a menos de 1% de todas as neoplasias da cabeça e pescoço. Os tumores, benignos ou malignos, podem ter origem em qualquer uma das estruturas contidas no espaço parafaríngeo e geralmente apresentam-se como uma tumefação indolor no pescoço ou orofaringe, geralmente o diagnóstico definitivo é anatomo-patológico; contudo é importante reconhecer a possibilidade de ocorrência de lesões vasculares que obrigam à realização de estudos imagiologicos desta região antes de se proceder a biópsia ou excisão da lesão. Os autores relatam um caso de uma doente com uma volumosa tumefacção parafaringea esquerda com 3 meses de evolução, indolor e causadora de disfagia. O estudo imagiológico demonstrou um aneurisma da artéria carótida interna que foi tratado através de procedimentos endovasculares com oclusão do aneurisma.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chronic rhinosinusitis: role of biofilms

A rinossinusite crónica é uma doença muito prevalente e possui um impacto sócio-económico importante. É definida por um conjunto de sintomas, com duração superior a doze semanas, sendo os sinais da inflamação evidenciados pela rinoscopia anterior e endoscopia nasal. Também pode ser documentada imagiologicamente pela tomografia computadorizada. A patogénese desta doença permanece desconhecida. Entre os vários fatores causais que são apontados, destaca-se o papel dos biofilmes que têm despertado cada vez mais a atenção dos autores, nos últimos anos. As infeções associadas aos biofilmes têm-se revelado refractárias ao tratamento prolongado com antibióticos. Os biofilmes têm sido implicados em várias infecções da cabeça e pescoço nomeadamente na doença dentária e periodontal, otite média colesteatomatosa, otorreia associada a tubos de timpanostomia e amigdalite crónica. Recentemente, vários autores têm comprovado a sua implicação na rinossinusite crónica. Além disso, têm sido detetadas alterações estruturais na mucosa nasossinusal, por microscopia eletrónica, em doentes com rinossinusite crónica portadores de biofilmes. Têm-se sido detetados vários níveis de gravidade desde uma desorganização ciliar até a uma ausência completa de cílios e de células goblet . Neste trabalho, os autores pretendem efetuar uma revisão da literatura, publicada na língua portuguesa e inglesa, com atualização dos conhecimentos acerca da rinossinusite crónica e o papel dos biofilmes nesta patologiainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Complications of endoscopic nasosinusal surgery – Review of 667 patients from the Centro Hospitalar do Porto

Objectivos: Determinar a taxa de complicações da cirurgia endoscópica nasossinusal (CENS) num centro hospitalar com 20 anos de experiência nesta área. Desenho do estudo: Estudo retrospectivo de 667 pacientes submetidos a CENS. Material e Métodos: Foram analisados os dados relativos aos pacientes submetidos a CENS desde Janeiro de 2006 a Dezembro de 2009, e avaliadas as complicações da técnica cirúrgica no per e pós--operatório, com um período mínimo de follow-up de 3 meses. Resultados: Num total de 677 cirurgias, verificou-se uma taxa de 7,39% de complicações (5,91% minor e 1,48% major). As complicações da CENS variaram de acordo com a extensão do procedimento cirúrgico, sendo mais frequentes nos casos de cirurgia de revisão, estando também relacionadas com a presença e grau de polipose nasossinusal. Conclusões: Duas décadas após a afirmação da CENS, esta ainda está associada a complicações. É fundamental um conhecimento anatómico profundo e um planeamento cirúrgico detalhado, baseado na análise imagiológica rigorosa, para que estas sejam reduzidas ao mínimo.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Application of the Matlab® Linprog function to plan the short term operation of hydro stations considered as price makers

The restructuring of power systems induced newchallenges to generation companies in terms of adequatelyplanning the operation of power stations in order to maximizetheir profits. In this scope, hydro resources are becomingextremely valuable given the revenues that their operation cangenerate. In this paper we describe the application of theMatlab® Linprog optimization function to solve the Short TermHydro Scheduling Problem, HSP, admitting that some stationsare installed in the same cascade and that some of them havepumping capabilities. The optimization module to solve the HSPproblem is then integrated in an iterative process to take intoaccount the impact that the operation decisions regarding thehydro stations under analysis have on the market prices. Theupdated market prices are then used to run again the HSPproblem thus enabling considering the hydro stations as pricemakers. The developed approach is illustrated using a systembased on the Portuguese Douro River cascade that includes 9hydro stations (4 of them are pumping stations) and a totalinstalled capacity of 1485 MW

Rhythm but not melody processing helps reading via phonological awareness and phonological memory

Despite abundant evidence that music skills relate to enhanced reading performance, the mechanisms subtending this relation are still under discussion. The Temporal Sampling Framework (TSF) provides a well-defined explanation for the music-reading link: musical rhythm perception would relate to reading because it helps to encode speech units, which, in turn, is fundamental to reading. However, in spite of this clear mediation-based prediction (effect of music skills mediated by the encoding of speech units), the tests made to it so far remain inconclusive, either due to the use of hybrid measures (rhythm perception and production, musical and non-musical rhythm) or to underspecified mediation results (unclear presence of partial mediation). In the present study, we addressed these potential weaknesses of previous studies and investigated whether phonological memory and phonological awareness (proxies of speech encoding abilities) mediate the effects of rhythm perception abilities on reading in late first-graders. To test for the specificity of musical rhythm in this relation, we examined the same hypothesis for melody perception. Results showed full mediation for effects of musical rhythm perception, while melody perception did not even relate to reading. Our findings support the predictions embedded in the TSF and highlight the potential of rhythm-based interventions in early stimulation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas in von hippel–lindau disease: Not a needle in a haystack

Objective: Pheochromocytomas are a hallmark feature of von Hippel–Lindau disease (vHL). To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review with meta-analysis evaluating the frequency of pheochromocytomas and/or paragangliomas (PPGLs) in patients with vHL, as well as among patients with different vHL subtypes. Design: Systematic review with meta-analysis. Methods: We searched on MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. We included primary studies assessing participants with vHL and reporting on the frequency of PPGL. We performed random-effects meta-analysis to quantitatively assess the frequency of PPGL, followed by meta-regression and subgroup analysis. Risk of bias analysis was performed to assess primary studies’ methodological quality. Results: We included 80 primary studies. In 4263 patients with vHL, the pooled frequency of PPGL was 19.4% (95% CI = 15.9–23.6%, I2 = 86.1%). The frequency increased to 60.0% in patients with vHL type 2 (95% CI = 53.4–66.3%, I2 = 54.6%) and was determined to be of 58.2% in patients with vHL type 2A (95% CI = 49.7–66.3%, I2 = 36.2%), compared to 49.8% in vHL type 2B (95% CI = 39.9–59.7%, I2 = 42.7%), and 84.1% in vHL type 2C (95% CI = 75.1–93.1%, I2 = 0%). In meta-regression analysis, more recent studies were associated with a higher frequency of PPGL. All studies had at least one internal validity item classified as 'high risk of bias,' with 13% studies having low risk of bias in all external validity items. Conclusions: PPGLs are a common manifestation of vHL. Despite methodological limitations and differences across primary studies, our results point to the importance of PPGL screening in patients with vHL

Do intelligent leaders make a difference? The effect of a leader’s emotional intelligence on followers creativity

This research investigates the connection between emotional intelligence (EI) and creativity. This was studied by exploring: (i) an association between leaders’ EI and their followers’ creative output; (ii) an association between six sub-dimensions of EI and creativity; and (iii) a mediating role of climate in the link between EI and creativity. Two questionnaires (one for leaders and one for employees) were used to collect data in a hospital. Sixty-six usable leader-employee dyads were collected. The findings confirmed a positive relationship between leaders’ EI and employees’ creativity. At an EI’s sub-dimensions level, the current research showed an association between creativity, on one hand, and self-encouragement and understanding of own emotions, on the other. Finally, no mediating effect of climate was observed. The absence of a mediating effect is interesting, since it suggests a direct link between leaders’ EI and employees’ creativity, regardless of the climate. This is important, since it calls attention to the paramount role of leaders in shaping individual and organizational behaviours as far as creativity is concerned. The paper also discusses implications for management and practice.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Impact of microbial inoculants on maize growth

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare

Dog training methods range broadly from those using mostly positive punishment and negative reinforcement (aversive-based) to those using primarily positive reinforcement (rewardbased). Although aversive-based training has been strongly criticized for negatively affecting dog welfare, there is no comprehensive research focusing on companion dogs and mainstream techniques, and most studies rely on owner-reported assessment of training methods and dog behavior. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of aversive- and reward-based training methods on companion dog welfare within and outside the training context. Ninety-two companion dogs were recruited from three reward-based schools (Group Reward, n = 42), and from four aversive-based schools, two using low proportions of aversive-based methods (Group Mixed, n = 22) and two using high proportions of aversive-based methods (Group Aversive, n = 28). For evaluating welfare during training, dogs were video recorded for three sessions and six saliva samples were collected, three at home (baseline levels) and three after training (post-training levels). Video recordings were used to examine the frequency of stress-related behaviors (e.g., lip lick, yawn) and the overall behavioral state of the dog (e.g., tense, relaxed), and saliva samples were analyzed for cortisol concentration. For evaluating welfare outside the training context, dogs participated in a cognitive bias task. Results showed that dogs from Group Aversive displayed more stress-related behaviors, were more frequently in tense and low behavioral states and panted more during training, and exhibited higher post-training increases in cortisol levels than dogs from Group Reward. Additionally, dogs from Group Aversive were more 'pessimistic' in the cognitive bias task than dogs from Group Reward. Dogs from Group Mixed displayed more stress-related behaviors, were more frequently in tense states and panted more during training than dogs from Group Reward. Finally, although Groups Mixed and Aversive did not differ in their performance in the cognitive bias task nor in cortisol levels, the former displayed more stress-related behaviors and was more frequently in tense and low behavioral states. These findings indicate that aversive-based training methods, especially if used in high proportions, compromise the welfare of companion dogs both within and outside the training context.The current research study was supported by FCT - Fundação Portuguesa para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Fellowship SFRH/BPD/ 111509/2015) and UFAW - Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (Grant 14-16/17), with grants awarded to ACVC. SP was supported by PIPOL - Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript. FCT - Fundação Portuguesa para a Ciência e Tecnologia: https://www.fct.pt/index. phtml.pt UFAW - Universities Federation for Animal Welfare: https://www.ufaw.org.uk/