Application of a new method in the study of pelvic floor muscle passive properties in continent women

The aim of this study was to present a new methodology for evaluating the pelvic floor muscle (PFM) passive properties. The properties were assessed in 13 continent women using an intra-vaginal dynamometric speculum and EMG (to ensure the subjects were relaxed) in four different conditions: (1) forces recorded at minimal aperture (initial passive resistance); (2) passive resistance at maximal aperture; (3) forces and passive elastic stiffness (PES) evaluated during five lengthening and shortening cycles; and (4) percentage loss of resistance after 1 min of sustained stretch. The PFMs and surrounding tissues were stretched, at constant speed, by increasing the vaginal antero-posterior diameter; different apertures were considered. Hysteresis was also calculated. The procedure was deemed acceptable by all participants. The median passive forces recorded ranged from 0.54 N (interquartile range 1.52) for minimal aperture to 8.45 N (interquartile range 7.10) for maximal aperture while the corresponding median PES values were 0.17 N/mm (interquartile range 0.28) and 0.67 N/mm (interquartile range 0.60). Median hysteresis was 17.24 N∗mm (interquartile range 35.60) and the median percentage of force losses was 11.17% (interquartile range 13.33). This original approach to evaluating the PFM passive properties is very promising for providing better insight into the patho-physiology of stress urinary incontinence and pinpointing conservative treatment mechanisms.

Clinical Outcomes in 3343 Children and Adults with Rheumatic Heart Disease from 14 Low and Middle Income Countries: 2-Year Follow-up of the Global Rheumatic Heart Disease Registry (the REMEDY study)

BACKGROUND: -There are few contemporary data on the mortality and morbidity associated with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) or information on their predictors. We report the two year follow-up of individuals with RHD from 14 low and middle income countries in Africa and Asia.

METHODS: -Between January 2010 and November 2012, we enrolled 3343 patients from 25 centers in 14 countries and followed them for two years to assess mortality, congestive heart failure (CHF), stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), recurrent acute rheumatic fever (ARF), and infective endocarditis (IE).

RESULTS: -Vital status at 24 months was known for 2960 (88.5%) patients. Two thirds were female. Although patients were young (median age 28 years, interquartile range 18 to 40), the two year case fatality rate was high (500 deaths, 16.9%). Mortality rate was 116.3/1000 patient-years in the first year and 65.4/1000 patient-years in the second year. Median age at death was 28.7 years. Independent predictors of death were severe valve disease (hazard ratio (HR) 2.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.80-3.11), CHF (HR 2.16, 95% CI 1.70-2.72), New York Heart Association functional class III/IV (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.32-2.10), atrial fibrillation (AF) (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.10-1.78) and older age (HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.02 per year increase) at enrolment. Post-primary education (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.54-0.85) and female sex (HR 0.65, 95%CI 0.52-0.80) were associated with lower risk of death. 204 (6.9%) had new CHF (incidence, 38.42/1000 patient-years), 46 (1.6%) had a stroke or TIA (8.45/1000 patient-years), 19 (0.6%) had ARF (3.49/1000 patient-years), and 20 (0.7%) had IE (3.65/1000 patient-years). Previous stroke and older age were independent predictors of stroke/TIA or systemic embolism. Patients from low and lower-middle income countries had significantly higher age- and sex-adjusted mortality compared to patients from upper-middle income countries. Valve surgery was significantly more common in upper-middle income than in lower-middle- or low-income countries.

CONCLUSIONS: -Patients with clinical RHD have high mortality and morbidity despite being young; those from low and lower-middle income countries had a poorer prognosis associated with advanced disease and low education. Programs focused on early detection and treatment of clinical RHD are required to improve outcomes.

Gender and age differences in the sleep habits : a cross-sectional study in adolescents

Objectives: Analyze gender and age differences in sleep habits in a sample of adolescents. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: Public schools of Viseu, Portugal. Participants: Sample consisted of 7534 students, aged 11-20 years (mean age: 14.96 ± 1.81 years; 53.6% girls). Measurements: Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire, answered in class and consists of questions to assess insomnia (DSM-IV criteria), sleep patterns, socio-demographic and daily habit variables. Results: Mean sleep duration in this sample was 8.02 ± 1.13 h. Age interfered with sleep duration that decreased with the increasing of age, from 8.45 ± 1.14 h among 11/12 years old to 7.37 ± 1.04 h for ages ≥ 17 years old. Insomnia and symptoms of insomnia were associated with gender and with increasing of age. Nearly 80% of students reported daytime tiredness, 66.7% sleepiness during the day; 56.1% during classes and 47.6% reported waking up with headaches, all variables more prevalent among girls and older adolescents. Conclusions: The sleep problems and variables related to sleep have become more frequent among girls and with increasing age. We recommend that the promotion of sleep hygiene and prevention of the consequences should be encouraged in adolescents and their families, especially among the female gender and older adolescents.

Low molecular weight compounds from mushrooms as potential Bcl-2 inhibitors: docking and virtual screening studies

Mushrooms have the ability to promote apoptosis in tumor cell lines, but the mechanism of action is not quite well understood. Inhibition of the interaction between Bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic proteins could be an important step that leads to apoptosis. Therefore, the discovery of compounds with the ability to inhibit Bcl-2 is an ongoing research topic in drug discovery. In this study, we started by analyzing Bcl-2 experimental structures that are currently available in Protein Data Bank database. After analysis of the more relevant Bcl-2 structures, 4 were finally selected. An analysis of the best docking methodology was then performed using a cross-docking and re-docking approach while testing 2 docking softwares: AutoDock 4 and AutoDock Vina. Autodock4 provided the best docking results and was selected to perform a virtual screening study applied to a dataset of 40 Low Molecular Weight (LMW) compounds present in mushrooms, using the selected Bcl-2 structures as target. Results suggest that steroid are the more promising family, among the analyzed compounds, and may have the ability to interact with Bcl-2 and this way promoting tumor apoptosis. The steroids that presented lowest estimated binding energy (ΔG) were: Ganodermanondiol, Cerevisterol, Ganoderic Acid X and Lucidenic Lactone; with estimated ΔG values between -8,45 and -8,23 Kcal/mol. A detailed analysis of the docked conformation of these 4 top ranked LMW compounds was also performed and illustrates a plausible interaction between the 4 top raked steroids and Bcl-2, thus substantiating the accuracy of the predicted docked poses. Therefore, tumoral apoptosis promoted by mushroom might be related to Bcl-2 inhibition mediated by steroid family of compounds.

Multibiomarker assessment of cadmium-based quantum dots effects in the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Tese de Doutoramento, Ciências do Mar, da Terra e do Ambiente, Ramo: Ciências e Tecnologias do Ambiente, Especialização em Ecotoxicologia, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2016

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Entrepreneurial Motivations Questionnaire: AFC and CFA in academy.

Background Entrepreneurship has been considered essential to create value, being a powerful driver of economic and social development. Academy must invest in the development of entrepreneurial skills in students ("Entrepreneurial Academy"). Objective: To analyse the psychometric proprieties of the EMQ-Entrepreneurial Motivations Questionnaire. Methods Sample: 6,532 students from 17 polytechnic Institutes of Portugal. Measure: EMQ, composed by measures of Entrepreneurial motives for the business, Entrepreneurial influences, and Support Services. Results Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) for Entrepreneurial-Motives-for-thebusiness (KMO = .921, X2 = 54387.94, p < .001) extracted 4 factors, explaining 53.81 % of variance (EV): F1-Family security (19.92 % EV; M= 4.07, SD = 0.67), F2-Prestige (14.60 % EV; M= 3.25, SD = 0.75), F3- Independence (13.13 % EV; M= 3.33, SD = 0.75), and F4-Realization of an opportunity (11.15 % EV; M= 4.08, SD = 0.56). This factorial structure was supported by Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), with an acceptable fit: RMSEA = .084. EFA of Entrepreneurial-Influences (KMO = .916, X2 = 60584.93, p < .001), extracted 4 factors, EV 60.08 %: F1-Resources availability (21.25 % EV; M= 3.86, SD = 0.68), F2-Stable customers and incentives (19.70 % EV; M= 3.82, SD = 0.65), F3-Social and economic instability (11.11 % EV; M= 2.96, SD = 1.06), and F4-Opportunities in the sector and residence area (8.03 % EV; M= 3.29, SD = 0.95). This factorial structure was supported by CFA, with an acceptable fit: RMSEA = .073. EFA of Support-Services (KMO = .995, X2 = 57311.43, p < .001) extracted 2 factors, EV 58.43 %: F1-Financial support (32.59 % EV; M= 3.93, SD = 0.69) and F2-Prestige (25.84 % EV; M= 3.95, SD = 0.65). This factorial structure was supported by CFA, with an acceptable fit: RMSEA = .090. The health group showed scores mostly above global average in factors. Conclusions EMQ showed adequate psychometric properties. The instrument is useful for measuring entrepreneurships motivations in health.

Evolução da paisagem de montado na área abrangida pelo EFMA: caso de estudo no concelho de Beja

A construção da Barragem de Alqueva foi durante anos considerada como fundamental no desenvolvimento da sustentabilidade e modernização da agricultura no Alentejo. Por outro lado a sua representação paisagística sempre se agregou a imagens de uma agricultura de sequeiro e extensiva mas hoje estamos perante uma agricultura regada e intensiva, tendo as alterações na agricultura levantado questões relativas à transformação da paisagem desta região. Na atual campanha de rega do Alqueva está previsto no sistema global de rega do projeto um total de 120 mil hectares de regadio, no entanto já existem estudos que possibilitam o aumento desta área, cerca de 45 mil hectares além do projeto inicial (EDIA, acesso em 23-2-2016) Desta forma pretende-se analisar a transformação da ocupação do solo, numa área abrangida pelo EFMA, o concelho de Beja, de modo a perceber como essa transformação ao longo do tempo tem incidido sobre a paisagem e afetado o Montado; EVOLUÇÃO DA PAISAGEM DE MONTADO NA ÁREA ABRANGIDA PELO EFMA C a s o d e E s t u d o n o C o n c e l h o d e B e j a A B S T R A C T: The construction of the Alqueva Dam was fundamental to the sustainable development and modernization of agriculture in the Alentejo. On the other hand its landscape representation has always added an image of an extensive and cutting agriculture but today we are facing a irrigated and intensive agriculture, having as changes in agriculture raised questions related to the transformation of the landscape of the region. In the current irrigation campaign of Alqueva is planned for a total of 120 thousand hectares of irrigation, there are no studies that allow the increase of the area, about 45 thousand hectares beyond the initial project (EDIA, access On 23-2-2016) In this way we intend to analyze a transformation of the land occupation, in an area covered by the EFMA, the Beja municipality, in order to understand how this transformation over time has affected a landscape and affected the Montado.

An internally-matched GaN HEMTs device with 45.2 W at 8 GHz for X-band application

Optimized AlGaN/AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) with high mobility GaN channel layer structures were grown on 2-in. diameter semi-insulating 6H-SiC substrates by MOCVD. The 2-in. diameter GaN HEMT wafer exhibited a low average sheet resistance of 261.9 Omega/square, with the resistance un-uniformity as low as 2.23%. Atomic force microscopy measurements revealed a smooth AlGaN surface whose root-mean-square roughness is 0.281 nm for a scan area of 5 x 5 mu m. For the single-cell HEMTs device of 2.5-mm gate width fabricated using the materials, a maximum drain current density of 1.31 A/mm, an extrinsic transconductance of 450 mS/mm, a current gain cutoff frequency of 24 GHz and a maximum frequency of oscillation 54 GHz were achieved. The four-cell internally-matched GaN HEMTs device with 10-mm total gate width demonstrated a very high output power of 45.2 W at 8 GHz under the condition of continuous-wave (CW), with a power added efficiency of 32.0% and power gain of 6.2 dB. To our best knowledge, the achieved output power of internally-matched devices are the state-of-the-art result ever reported for X-band GaN-based HEMTs. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An experimental investigation into the influence of user state and environment on fading characteristics in wireless body area networks at 2.45 GHz

Using seven strategically placed, time-synchronized bodyworn receivers covering the head, upper front and back torso, and the limbs, we have investigated the effect of user state: stationary or mobile and local environment: anechoic chamber, open office area and hallway upon first and second order statistics for on-body fading channels. Three candidate models were considered: Nakagami, Rice and lognormal. Using maximum likelihood estimation and the Akaike information criterion it was established that the Nakagami-m distribution best described small-scale fading for the majority of on-body channels over all the measurement scenarios. When the user was stationary, Nakagami-m parameters were found to be much greater than 1, irrespective of local surroundings. For mobile channels, Nakagami-m parameters significantly decreased, with channels in the open office area and hallway experiencing the worst fading conditions.

Characterisation of two distinctly different processes associated with the electrocrystallization of microcrystals of phase I CuTCNQ (TCNQ= 7, 7, 8, 8-tetracyanoquinodimethane)

Semi-conducting phase I CuTCNQ (TCNQ = 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane), which is of considerable interest as a switching device for memory storage materials, can be electrocrystallized from CH3CN via two distinctly different pathways when TCNQ is reduced to TCNQ˙− in the presence of [Cu(MeCN)4]+. The first pathway, identified in earlier studies, occurs at potentials where TCNQ is reduced to TCNQ˙− and involves a nucleation–growth mechanism at preferred sites on the electrode to produce arrays of well separated large branched needle-shaped phase I CuTCNQ crystals. The second pathway, now identified at more negative potentials, generates much smaller needle-shaped phase I CuTCNQ crystals. These electrocrystallize on parts of the surface not occupied in the initial process and give rise to film-like characteristics. This process is attributed to the reduction of Cu+[(TCNQ˙−)(TCNQ)] or a stabilised film of TCNQ via a solid–solid conversion process, which also involves ingress of Cu+via a nucleation–growth mechanism. The CuTCNQ surface area coverage is extensive since it occurs at all areas of the electrode and not just at defect sites that dominate the crystal formation sites for the first pathway. Infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction, surface plasmon resonance, quartz crystal microbalance, scanning electron microscopy and optical image data all confirm that two distinctly different pathways are available to produce the kinetically-favoured and more highly conducting phase I CuTCNQ solid, rather than the phase II material.

Controlling phase separation in La5/8-yPryCa3/8MnO3 (y=0.45) epitaxial thin films by strain disorder

Present study reveals that the length-scale of phase separation in La5/8-yPryCa3/8MnO3 thin films can be controlled by strain disorder invoked during the growth and relaxation process of film. Strain disorder provides an additional degree of freedom to tune colossal magnetoresistance. Magneto-transport measurements following cooling and heating in unequal fields protocol demonstrate that coherent strain stabilizes antiferromagnetic insulating phase, while strain disorder favors ferromagnetic metallic phase. Compared to bulk, antiferromagnetic-insulating phase freezes at lower temperatures in strain disordered films. Raman spectroscopy confirms the coexistence of charge-ordered-insulating and ferromagnetic-metallic phases which are structurally dissimilar and possess P2(1)/m and R-3C like symmetries, respectively. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

Evolución de la eficiencia reproductiva en la finca piloto San José del municipio de Santo Tomás, Chontales. Area modelo del proyecto de mejoramiento de la productividad ganadera para los productores de pequeña y mediana escala

El presente estudio se realizo con el objetivo de determinar la evolución de la eficiencia reproductiva en la finca piloto San José del municipio de Santo tomas, del departamento de Chontales. Evolución de la Eficiencia Reproductiva en la Finca Piloto San José, en el Municipio de Santo Tomas Chontales. Area modelo del proyecto de Mejoramiento de la Productividad Ganadera para los Productores de Pequeña y Mediana Escala. La finca se sitúa entre las coordenadas 13º28’51’’ latitud norte y 70º77’02’’ longitud este, con altura de 420 msnm, con una precipitación promedio anual de 1600 a 2000 mm, con temperatura media anual de 25º a 27ºC. El presente estudio se evaluaron los diferentes índices reproductivos de la finca piloto San José, haciendo uso de los registros que se levantaron durante la etapa de ejecución del proyecto, realizando monitoreos periódicos como: pesajes de ganado y diagnósticos reproductivos, también se realizaba pesaje de leche y prueba de mastitis, estas actividades se realizan una vez al mes, pero con diferencias de 15 días por actividades. La producción total de leche obtenida en la finca fue de 49.500kg de leche durante un año, cuando el IPP fue de 12 meses. Cuando el IPP llego a los 24 meses la producción de leche fue de 27,000Kg. Se obtuvo que entre menor fueron los IPP y los ingresos de las finca fueron mayores. Cuando se alargaron los dias de ordeño también se alargaron los dias de secado. En el año 2005 el promedio del IPC era de 8.5 meses y en el año 2008 se redujo a 4.7 meses. En el año 2005 el IPP era de 18 meses y para el año 2008 se redujo a 14 meses. Para el invierno del 2005 se tenía promedios de 9 partos en invierno con relación al de verano que fue de 3 partos, luego en el verano del 2008 los partos se redujeron a 4 partos, pero en invierno aumentaron a 15 partos por época. El IPC para el 2005 correspondía a un 22 %, para el año 2008 se logro reducir a un 7.5 %. El IPP en el año 2005 fue del 45.7 % y para el 2008 se redujo a un22.4 %, prácticamente se redujo a un 50 %. En la finca piloto en el 2005 se contaba con 12 animales en ordeño y al año 2008 se incremento su número de animales productivos a 19 animales. La producción promedio por vaca siempre se mantuvo estable entre los 4 y 5 litros de leche por vaca, aumentado solamente la producción total de leche por día.