Anthropometric indicators of nutritional status and growth in very low birth-weight premature infants hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit

Background: Anthropometric indicators are difficult to interpret in very low birth weight (VLBW) premature infants, including both appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and small for gestational age (SGA) infants. Therefore, the purpose was to describe the anthropometric indicators of growth and nutritional status in VLBW premature infants AGA and SGA, hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Study design: The descriptive and prospective study design included 114 preterm infants, adequate for gestational age/small for gestational age hospitalized in the intensive care unit. Head, thigh, mid upper arm circumference, skin-fold measurements and weight/age, length/ age, and weight/length indices were obtained. Correlations were made among the anthropometric indices, and a multivariate regression analysis with weight/age as dependent variable was performed. Results: Weight/age in AGA premature infants had high number of significant anthropometric correlations. The SGA premature infants had few and weak correlations. The regression analysis showed that anthropometric indices better explain changes in the weight/age index in adequate for gestational age premature infants. Conclusion: Weight/age in the VLBW/AGA premature infants could reflect growth, nutritional status and energy stored as fat, but in the VLBW/SGA premature infants, thigh circumference and mid arm circumference would be better indicators just of nutritional status.

L’accès aux ressources alimentaires : facteurs prédicteurs de l’insécurité alimentaire sévère parmi les ménages bénéficiers des programmes communautaires en sécurité alimentaire à Montréal

Objectif : Examiner la relation entre l’accès aux ressources alimentaires et le degré de l’insécurité alimentaire du ménage parmi les nouveaux utilisateurs des organismes communautaires d’intervention en sécurité alimentaire de Montréal. Méthode : Étude observationnelle transversale. Elle consiste en une analyse secondaire de données (n=785) qui proviennent du premier temps de mesure de l’enquête sur les effets des interventions en sécurité alimentaire à Montréal menée entre 2011 et 2012. La variable dépendante a été l’insécurité alimentaire. Les variables indépendantes ont été le mode de transport utilisé pour transporter les aliments, l’emplacement de l’épicerie la plus fréquentée par le participant, la distance entre l’organisme communautaire fréquenté par le participant et son domicile, la proximité de l’épicerie la plus fréquentée, la satisfaction quant à l’acceptabilité et le caractère abordable des aliments dans l’épicerie la plus fréquentée, et les difficultés d’accès aux aliments. Des régressions logistiques furent effectuées afin d’évaluer la relation entre les variables indépendantes et le degré de l’insécurité alimentaire, en utilisant l’insécurité sévère comme catégorie de référence. Résultats : Nos données suggèrent que la sévérité de l’insécurité alimentaire est associée à la difficulté d’accès aux aliments à cause de la cherté des aliments (pour la sécurité alimentaire, OR=0.13; CI : 0.07-0.25 et pour l’insécurité alimentaire modérée, OR=0.42; CI : 0.28-0.63), au fait de faire l’épicerie à l’extérieur du quartier ou de faire rarement l’épicerie (pour l’insécurité alimentaire modérée, OR=0.50, CI : 0.30-0.84), au fait d’avoir accès au transport collectif (pour l’insécurité alimentaire modérée, OR=1.73; CI : 1.09-2.73), au fait de résider à une distance moyenne (soit entre 1000 et 2000 mètres) d’un organisme communautaire en sécurité alimentaire (pour l’insécurité alimentaire modérée, OR=1.83; CI : 1.14-2.92), et à la difficulté d’accès aux aliments à cause de contraintes de transport (pour la sécurité alimentaire, OR=0.18, CI : 0.06-0.52). Conclusion : L’accès aux ressources alimentaires est associé au degré de l’insécurité alimentaire des nouveaux ménages participant aux interventions en sécurité alimentaire à Montréal.

Os efeitos das reclamações online na lealdade dos consumidores: um estudo experimental

In an environment of constant change, technological developments, market competition and more informed consumers, the search for a lasting relationship through the conquest of loyalty has become the objective of companies. However, several authors suggest that this loyalty can be affected by negative comments available on the internet. Therefore, this dissertation has as objective to examine if the complaints are available on the internet impact the loyalty to a brand of mobile phone. The research used as the basis the Expanded NCSB model suggest by Johnson et al. (2001), studying five prominent drives of loyalty: image/brand reputation, affective commitment, calculative commitment, perceived value and trust, beyond the satisfaction construct as moderator variable. The research method adopted was the experimental design which included 285 undergraduate students, with the trial which included 285 undergraduate students, with the field study of the mobile industry, specifically, the brands of cell phones. The research approach was quantitative and methods were descriptive statistics, factor analysis, cluster analysis, linear regression and non-parametric test of Wilcoxon for data analysis. Of the 16 hypothesis stemmed from the research model proposed, 12 were confirmed. The results showed that the complaint available on the internet, here represented by the available on the site Reclame Aqui, may impact consumer perceptions about brand loyalty, as well as its antecedents, being that these complaints can affect all the consumers, regardless of historical satisfaction with the brand. It also noted the positive relationship between the independent variables trust, image/brand reputation, perceived value, affective commitment and calculative commitment and the dependent variable - loyalty, even when considering the data obtained after exposure to the complaint. However, no unanimous conclusion that the relationship between these variables was strongest in the group with satisfactory experience. At the first moment of the research, the trust was the most important variable for the formation of loyalty. However, after exposure to treatment, the image/brand reputation, was more relevant. Contributions of the study, limitations and recommendations for future researches are approached in the present investigation

Crowdfunding for non-commercial initiatives

Organizations and individuals dealing with non-commercial initiatives are in permanent search for funding. Crowdfunding is an alternative way of collecting funds from general public through Internet-based platforms, which is currently gaining popularity all over the world. There are several research initiatives in that field that show the influence of different factors on the success of campaigns, both with commercial and non-commercial objectives. Non-profit nature of the project is named among key predictors of positive outcome. In this context, the purpose of this work is to check whether the tendencies detected by scholars are valid for non-commercial initiatives, especially those having socially aware objectives, posted on the Belarusian crowdfunding platform Ulej. The method used for validation of the research hypotheses is binary logistic regression and statistical test. The results showed that the dependent variable success is influenced by such independent variables as the funding goal, the sum collected, the number of sponsors and the average pledge. On the other hand, the effect of the duration period is not significant. Inferential analysis shows that there is no difference in the level of success between commercial and non-commercial projects and that social orientation does not increase the likelihood of meeting financial goals. The findings are opposite to those provided in literature. However that could be explained by the short period of functioning of platform and the small number of projects.

Qualidade do sono, atividade física e funcionamento físico de pessoas idosas independentes

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar associações entre a qualidade do sono, a atividade física e o funcionamento físico (aptidão física e atividades da vida diária (AVD)) de pessoas idosas independentes. Metodologia: A amostra incluiu 437 pessoas idosas independentes (143 homens e 294 mulheres; 65-103 anos). A qualidade do sono e as AVD foram avaliadas através de questionário, a atividade física através de acelerometria e a aptidão física através do Senior Fitness Test. Resultados: A análise da regressão logística tendo como variável dependente a qualidade do sono e como variáveis independentes a atividade física, a aptidão física e as AVD, revelou que as AVD foi a única variável explicativa da discriminação entre má e boa qualidade do sono. O aumento de um ponto nas AVD correspondeu a uma diminuição de 91,4% na probabilidade de ter uma má qualidade de sono. Os resultados não foram alterados quando se incluiu no modelo o género, a idade ou o escalão etário. Conclusões: Um melhor funcionamento físico parece estar associado a uma melhor qualidade do sono em pessoas idosas. A obtenção de 19 pontos nas AVD revelou ser discriminatória da qualidade do sono de pessoas idosas.

Factors predicting the importance of sex in old age

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada ao ISPA - Instituto Universitário

Gender and size diversity in top management team: evidence from Portugal

In recent years the Top Management Team (TMT) in the companies has been extensively studied and discussed by many researchers (Campbell & Mínguez-Vera, 2008; Erhardt et al, 2003; Haleblian & Finkelstein, 1993; Amason & Spienza, 1997). Thus, this theme has undergone a major evolution as well as it has been diversified progressively. Combined with the Upper Echelons Theory, it was established a new dimension of diversity of the Top Management Team that addresses, for example, the diversity of gender and the size of the team. There are several countries that have established laws and regulatory requirements in order to increase the presence of women in the business environment such as Norway, Spain, France, Holland and Italy. However, the female gender is far from equal in terms of representativeness (Torchia et al., 2011), but there are noteworthy developments yearly. It is also noticeable that the size of Top Management Teams has also increased, which can provide advantages for the company (Heleblian & Finkelstein, 1993). In the course of this dissertation it was studied the female gender ratio and the size of the Top Management Team with the profitability (ROA – Return On Assets) of 41 Portuguese companies listed on the Euronext Lisbon between 2011 - 2015. Initially, the Spearman test was applied in order to verify the correlations between the variables in study. It was created a linear regression that relates the number of women (independent variable) and ROA (dependent variable). The Mann-Whitney test was used to verify the ROA behaviour between companies with no women in TMT and companies with women in TMT. After analysis, the results demonstrated that there was a positive relationship between the number of women with ROA. Also companies that have women in TMT have better performance compared to companies with no women in the Top Management Team. As far as the size of the team is concerned, it positively influences the economic profitability, in a meaningful way.

Development of an activity disease score in patients with uveitis (UVEDAI)

To develop a disease activity index for patients with uveitis (UVEDAI) encompassing the relevant domains of disease activity considered important among experts in this field. The steps for designing UVEDAI were: (a) Defining the construct and establishing the domains through a formal judgment of experts, (b) A two-round Delphi study with a panel of 15 experts to determine the relevant items, (c) Selection of items: A logistic regression model was developed that set ocular inflammatory activity as the dependent variable. The construct “uveitis inflammatory activity” was defined as any intraocular inflammation that included external structures (cornea) in addition to uvea. Seven domains and 15 items were identified: best-corrected visual acuity, inflammation of the anterior chamber (anterior chamber cells, hypopyon, the presence of fibrin, active posterior keratic precipitates and iris nodules), intraocular pressure, inflammation of the vitreous cavity (vitreous haze, snowballs and snowbanks), central macular edema, inflammation of the posterior pole (the presence and number of choroidal/retinal lesions, vascular inflammation and papillitis), and global assessment from both (patient and physician). From all the variables studied in the multivariate model, anterior chamber cell grade, vitreous haze, central macular edema, inflammatory vessel sheathing, papillitis, choroidal/retinal lesions and patient evaluation were included in UVEDAI. UVEDAI is an index designed to assess the global ocular inflammatory activity in patients with uveitis. It might prove worthwhile to motorize the activity of this extraarticular manifestation of some rheumatic diseases.

Factores de riesgo asociados al desarrollo de bacteriemia en pacientes adultos cirróticos hospitalizados

Introducción: La Bacteriemia en pacientes cirróticos es una causa importante de morbimortalidad, en gran parte favorecida por la especial vulnerabilidad de esta población ante procesos infecciosos. El objetivo fue determinar los factores asociados al desarrollo de bacteriemia primaria y secundaria en pacientes con Cirrosis, hospitalizados en la Fundación Cardioinfantil – Instituto de Cardiología entre 01 enero de 2010 y 31 enero de 2016. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio de casos y controles en pacientes mayores de 18 años con cirrosis hepática conocida o confirmada durante la hospitalización. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo, un análisis bivariado para determinar las diferencias entre los casos y los controles con respecto a las variables independientes un análisis de asociación mediante un modelo de regresión logística no condicional con variable dependiente bacteriemia. Los resultados se expresan en odds ratios con intervalos de confianza al 95%. Resultados: Las condiciones asociadas a bacteriemia como factores de riesgo fueron: Enfermedad renal crónica OR 9,1 (IC 95% 2,4-34), Escala Meld > 10 puntos OR 4,0 (IC 95% 2,-34), Infección previa OR 7,2 (IC 95% 2,1-24), presencia de catéter central OR 12,0 (IC 95% 1,8-80), presencia de sonda vesical OR 21,1 (IC 95% 1,6-276), estudio endoscópico OR 3,9 (IC 95% 1,1-14). Discusión: Factores relacionados con las condiciones clínicas del paciente evaluadas por las escalas Meld y Child-Pugh, el antecedente de infección previa y la presencia de dispositivos para monitorear el estado del paciente aumentan el riesgo de bacteriemia en pacientes hospitalizados con cirrosis.

Índice acumulativo de riesgo (nice) como prueba diagnóstica con base en tomografía corneal por elevación en la prevención de ectasia corneal post-lasik

Antecedentes La ectasia corneal post-lasik (ECPL) es una complicación infrecuente, pero devastadora en la cirugía lasik (queratomileusis asistida con éxcimer láser) para el tratamiento de la miopía con o sin astigmatismo. Con base en la tomografía corneal por elevación por imágenes de Scheimpflug (Sistema Pentacam HR, Oculus Wetzlar, Alemania), se propone un novedoso índice acumulativo de riesgo para ser utilizado como prueba diagnóstica de tamizaje y así prevenir esta complicación. Metodología Se realizó un estudio observacional analítico, de corte transversal tipo pruebas diagnósticas, con el fin de evaluar las características operativas del índice NICE teniendo como estándar de referencia el módulo de Belin-Ambrosio (Pentacam HR) utilizando un modelo de regresión logística binaria, tablas de contingencia y estimando el área bajo la curva ROC. Resultados Se evaluaron 361 ojos de los cuales el 59,3% provenían de pacientes de sexo femenino, la edad media global fue de 30 años (RIC 11,0). El modelo logístico binario aplicado se construyó con base en cuatro variables independientes cuantitativas (K2, PAQUI, EP e I-S) y una cualitativa (SEXO), y se determinó su relación con la variable dependiente, NICE (puntaje final). Las variables predictoras fueron estadísticamente significativas clasificando adecuadamente el 92,9% de los ojos evaluados según presencia o ausencia de riesgo. El coeficiente de Nagelkerke fue de 74,4%. Conclusiones El índice acumulativo de riesgo NICE es una herramienta diagnóstica novedosa en la evaluación de candidatos a cirugía refractiva lasik para prevenir la ectasia secundaria.

Traços desadaptativos da personalidade, sintomas depressivos e afectividade positiva e negativa: Uma amostra com estudantes universitários

Pretendemos estudar quais os traços desadaptativos de personalidade que se relacionam com os sintomas depressivos, a afectividade positiva e negativa, numa amostra de 187 estudantes universitários, entre os 18 e os 43 anos. Calculámos as correlações entre as escalas de padrões de personalidade e as escalas de padrões graves de personalidade do Inventário Multiaxial clínico de Millon II (MCMI-II) com os sintomas depressivos avaliados pela Escala de Depressão do Centro de Estudos Epidemiológicos e com a afectividade positiva e negativa avaliadas pela Escala de Afectividade Positiva e Afectividade Negativa. Realizámos uma análise da regressão múltipla utilizando as escalas de padrões de personalidade do MCMI-II como predictores e o resultado na CES-O, como variável dependente. Obtivemos uma correlação significativa entre os padrões de personalidade borderline, masoquista, esquizotípico, negativista e evitante e paranóide e os sintomas depressivos. A afectividade negativa apresenta-se também positivamente correlacionada com os padrões dependente e esquizóide. A afectividade positiva correlacionou-se significativa e positivamente com os padrões histriónico e narcisista e negativamente com os padrões esquizóide, esquizotípico, negativista, borderline, evitante e masoquista. Na análise de regressão, o padrão borderline prevê a presença de sintomas depressivos e os padrões sádico e dependente também, mas num sentido negativo. /ABSTRACT: We intendend to study wich personality traits relate to depressiva symptoms, and positive and negative affectivity, in a sample of 187 university students, between 18 and 43 years. We did the correlation between the personality patterns scales and the personality patterns of severe personality with the depressive symptoms measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and the positive and negative affectivity measured by the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Shedule. We did a multiple regression analysis using the personality patterns scale of Millon Clinical Multiaxial lnventory (MCMI-II) as predictors and the result of CES-D, as dependent variable. We obtained a significant correlation between the borderline, masochist, schizotypal, negativistic, avoidant and paranoid personality patterns and the depressive symptoms. Negative affectivity relates also positively with dependent and schizoid patterns. Positive affectivity correlated significant and positively with histrionic and narcissistic personality patterns and negatively with schizoid, schizotypal, negativistic, borderline, avoidant and masochist personality patterns. ln the regression analysis, the borderline pattern predicts the presence of depressive symptoms as well as the sadistic and dependent, but in the negative sense.

Effetto antinfiammatorio del trattamento emodialitico in pazienti con malattia renale cronica allo stadio terminale e COVID-19: confronto fra due filtri dializzatori (ATA vs PMMA)

Background I filtri dializzatori ad alto flusso potrebbero mitigare la “tempesta citochinica" nell'infezione da Sars-COV-2, ma il loro impatto nei pazienti in dialisi cronica non è accertato. Lo scopo delle studio è valutare l’effetto del filtro in triacetato asimmetrico di cellulosa (ATA) e in polimetilmetacrilato (PMMA) sui marcatori infiammatori in pazienti in dialisi cronica affetti da SARS-CoV-2. Metodi Si tratta di uno studio prospettico osservazionale su pazienti in trattamento emodialitico cronicp con COVID-19 arruolati da marzo 2020 a Maggio 2021.Le variabili cliniche, la conta leucocitaria, la IL-6, la proteina C-reattiva (PCR), la procalcitonina (PCT) e la ferritina sono state determinate al basale. I valori ematici di PCR, PCT, e IL-6 sono stati determinati pre e post-dialisi per ogni seduta effettuata (i valori ottenuti sono stati corretti per ’emoconcentrazione). I pazienti sono stati trattati con emodiafiltrazione online con un filtro ad alto flusso in PMMA o ATA. L’end-point primario è stato valutare l’effetto dei due filtri sulle molecole infiammatorie, in particolare sulla reduction ratio (RR) della IL-6. Risultati Dei 74 pazienti arruolati, 48 sono trati trattati con filtro ATA e 26 con filtro PMMA (420 vs 191 sedute dialitiche). La RR percentuale mediana della IL-6 è risultata maggiore nel gruppo ATA (17,08% IQR -9,0 - 40.0 vs 2,95% IQR -34,63 – 27,32. Anche le RR percentuale di PCR e PCT sono state maggiori nel gruppo ATA. La regressione logistica multipla avente come variabile dipendente una IL-6RR maggiore del 25%, ha mostrato che ATA determinava una maggiore probabilità di raggiungere l’outcome dopo correzione per i parametri infiammatori pre-dialisi (OR 1,721 95% CI 1,176 – 2,538 p=0,0056). Al contrario una PCR elevata riduceva la probabilità di ottenere una IL-6RR significativa (OR 0,9101 95% CI 0,868 – 0,949, p<0.0001). Conclusioni Nella nostra popolazione il filtro ATA ha mostrato un migliore profilo antiinfiammatorio.

Spinal Cord Damage In Machado-joseph Disease.

Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3) is the most frequent spinocerebellar ataxia worldwide and characterized by remarkable phenotypic heterogeneity. MRI-based studies in SCA3 focused in the cerebellum and connections, but little is known about cord damage in the disease and its clinical relevance. To evaluate the spinal cord damage in SCA3 through quantitative analysis of MRI scans. A group of 48 patients with SCA3 and 48 age and gender-matched healthy controls underwent MRI on a 3T scanner. We used T1-weighted 3D images to estimate the cervical spinal cord area (CA) and eccentricity (CE) at three C2/C3 levels based on a semi-automatic image segmentation protocol. The scale for assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) was employed to quantify disease severity. The two groups-SCA3 and controls-were significantly different regarding CA (49.5 ± 7.3 vs 67.2 ± 6.3 mm(2), p < 0.001) and CE values (0.79 ± 0.06 vs 0.75 ± 0.05, p = 0.005). In addition, CA presented a significant correlation with SARA scores in the patient group (p = 0.010). CE was not associated with SARA scores (p = 0.857). In the multiple variable regression, we found that disease duration was the only variable associated with CA (coefficient = -0.629, p = 0.025). SCA3 is characterized by cervical cord atrophy and antero-posterior flattening. In addition, the spinal cord areas did correlate with disease severity. This suggests that quantitative analyses of the spinal cord MRI might be a useful biomarker in SCA3.

Determinação da difusividade efetiva de raiz de chicória

Inulin is a fructooligosacharide found in diverse agricultural products, amongst them garlic, banana, Jerusalem artichoke and chicory root. Inulin generally is used in developed countries, as a substitute of sugar and/or fat due to its characteristics of fitting as functional and dietary food. Chicory root is usually used as source and raw material for commercial extration of inulin. The experiments consisted on drying sliced chicory roots based on a factorial experimental design in a convective dryer whose alows the air to pass perpendicularly through the tray. Effective diffusivity (dependent variable) has been determined for each experimental combination of independent variables (air temperature and velocity). The data curves have been fitted by the solution of the second Fick law and Page's model. Effective difusivity varied from 3.51 x 10-10 m² s-1 to 1.036 x 10-10 m² s-1. It is concluded that, for the range of studied values, air temperature is the only statistically significant variable. So, a first order mathematical model was obtained, representing effective diffusivity behavior as function of air temperature. The best drying condition was correspondent to the trial using the highest drying air temperature.

Qualidade de vida de portadores de Diabetes Mellitus tipo II frente às oscilações no nível de atividade física, aspectos socioeconômicos e presença de comorbidades

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física