Non-invasive detection of aortic and coronary atherosclerosis in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia by 64 slice multi-detector row computed tomography angiography

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is a rare disorder characterized by the early onset of atherosclerosis, often at the ostia of coronary arteries. In this study we document for the first time that aortic and coronary atherosclerosis can be detected using 64 slice multiple detector row computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA). We studied five HoFH patients (three females, two males, mean age 19.8 +/- 2.9 years, age range 15-23 years, with a mean low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol 618 +/- 211 mg/dL) using 64 slice CTCA. None of the patients showed evidence of ischemia with standard exercise testing. Calcified and mixed atherosclerotic plaques adjacent to or compromising the coronary artery ostia were found in all study subjects. Coronary plaques causing significant obstruction were found in one patient, who had previously undergone coronary artery bypass surgery and aortic valve replacement. Two other patients were noted to have non-obstructive calcified, mixed and non-calcified coronary artery plaques. Our data suggest that CTCA could be a useful non-invasive method for detection of early aortic and coronary atherosclerosis specifically affecting the coronary ostia in HoFH subjects. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of two cellular harvesting methods for primary human oral culture of keratinocytes

The possibility of obtaining transplantable oral epithelia opens new perspectives for oral treatments. Most of them are surgical, resulting in mucosal failures. As reconstructive material this in vitro epithelia would be also useful for other parts of the human body. Many researchers still use controversial methods; therefore it was evaluated and compared the efficiency of the enzymatic and direct explant methods to obtain oral keratinocytes. To this project oral epithelia fragments were used. This work compared: time needed for cell obtainment, best cell amount, life-span and epithelia forming cell capacity. The results showed the possibility to obtain keratinocytes from a small oral fragment and we could verify the advantages and peculiar restrictions. We concluded that under our conditions the enzymatic method showed the best results: in the cells obtaining time needed, cell amount and life-span. Both methods showed the same capacity to form in vitro epithelia.

Analysis of the gutta-percha filled area in C-shaped mandibular molars obturated with a modified MicroSeal technique

To analyse the gutta-percha filled area of C-shaped molar teeth root filled with the modified MicroSeal technique with reference to the radiographic features and the C-shaped canal configuration. Twenty-three mandibular second molar teeth with C-shaped roots were classified according to their radiographic features as: type I - merging, type II - symmetrical and type III - asymmetrical. The canals were root filled using a modified technique of the MicroSeal system. Horizontal sections at intervals of 600 mu m were made 1 mm from the apex to the subpulpal floor level. The percentage of gutta-percha area from the apical, middle and coronal levels of the radiographic types was analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Complementary analysis of the C-shaped canal configurations (C1, C2 and C3) determined from cross-sections from the apical third was performed in a similar way. No significant differences were found between the radiographic types in terms of the percentage of gutta-percha area at any level (P > 0.05): apical third, type I: 77.04%, II: 70.48% and III: 77.13%, middle third, type I: 95.72%, II: 93.17%, III: 91.13% and coronal level, type I: 98.30%, II: 98.25%, III: 97.14%. Overall, the percentage of the filling material was lower in the apical third (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the C-shaped canal configurations apically; C1: 72.64%, C2: 79.62%, C3: 73.51% (P > 0.05). The percentage of area filled with gutta-percha was similar in the three radiographic types and canal configuration categories of C-shaped molars. These results show the difficulty of achieving predictable filling of the root canal system when this anatomical variation exists. In general, the apical third was less completely filled.

Taking telehealth to the bush: lessons from north Queensland

Networking North Queensland (NNQ) was a two-year project to improve access to health services in rural and remote communities. The project involved email and Internet access in 61 communities, in a region almost three times the size of the UK. Videoconferencing equipment was also installed at 21 sites and a total of 197 h of videoconferencing was recorded at 10 of the remote sites over 12 months. As a result of the project, health consumers enjoyed improved access to medical, specialist, allied health and primary health services. In addition, health service providers had better access to reliable, up-to-date health-care information via intranet and Internet services. Consideration of local issues-local needs and existing resources-was vital to the achievements of the project. Community involvement and community access were also important factors in its success.

A survey of dental and oral trauma in south-east Queensland during 1998

Background: This project investigated the aetiology of dental and oral trauma in a population in southeast Queensland. The literature shows there is a lack of dental trauma studies which are representative of the general Australian population. Method: Twelve suburbs in the south-east district of Queensland were randomly selected according to population density in these suburbs for each 25th percentile. All dental clinics in these suburbs were eligible to participate. Patients presenting with dental and oral trauma were eligible to participate. Results: A total of 197 patients presented with dental/oral trauma over a 12 month period. The age of patients ranged from 1-64 years whilst the most frequently presenting age group was 6-10 years. There was a total of 363 injured teeth with an average of 1.8 injured teeth per patient. Males significantly outnumbered females in the incidence of trauma. Conclusions: The highest frequency of trauma occurred in the 6-10 year age group. Most injuries in this group occurred while playing or riding bicycles. In the next most prevalent trauma group, 16-20 years, trauma occurred as a result of fighting and playing sport. Overall, males significantly outnumbered females by approximately 1.8:1.0. The majority of injuries in the deciduous dentition were to periodontal tissues. In the secondary dentition most injuries were to hard dental tissue and pulp.

Low intraspecific variation in the rRNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of the Australian paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus

Ixodes holocyclus has a narrow, discontinuous distribution along the east coast of Australia. We studied ticks from 17 localities throughout the geographic range of this tick. The ITS2 of I. holocyclus is 793 bp long. We found nucleotide variation at eight of the 588 nucleotide positions (1.4%) that were compared for all ticks. There were eight different nucleotide sequences. Most sequences were not restricted to a particular geographic region. However, sequences F, G and H, which had an adenine at position 197, were found only in the far north of Queensland - all other ticks had a guanine at this position. The low level of intraspecific variation in this tick (0.7%) contrasts with the sequence divergence between L holocyclus and its close relative, I. cornuatus (13.1 %). These data indicate that L holocyclus does not contain cryptic species despite possible geographic isolation of some populations. We conclude that variation in the ITS2 is likely to be informative about the phylogeny of the group.

Archetype change in professional organizations: Survey evidence from large law firms

This paper examines the proposition that the traditional archetype of the professional partnership is said to have changed into a more 'business-like' entity, the managed professional business. It broadens the restricted case sample base on which much of the evidence has been adduced, by developing a survey questionnaire through which 197 large British law firms were sampled. Change, consistent with the notion of a more commercially oriented and consciously managed organization, is concentrated in the market-facing area of the firm but coexists with areas of continuity in the governance of the firm and its strategic management. The findings reveal a more managerial form of organization in which the core elements of the traditional form of professional organization have not been transformed. These results contest the assertion of either transformational or sedimented change found in other, case-based research and suggest that archetype change needs theoretically to be distinguished from the general phenomenon of greater managerialism within the professional service firm.

Sex- and race-related differences in cross-sectional geometry and bone density of the femoral mid-shaft in older adults

Background : Femoral shaft fracture incidence increases in older adults and is associated with low-energy trauma. Apart from bone density, the distribution and size of bone contributes to its strength. Aim : To examine if bone geometry and density of the femoral mid-shaft in older adults differs by sex and race, we studied 197 White women, 225 Black women, 242 White men, and 148 Black men aged 70-79 years participating in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study; a prospective cohort study in the USA. A secondary purpose of the study was to examine the association of site-specific muscle and fat to bone geometry and density. Subjects and methods : Subjects were community-dwelling and reported no difficulty walking one-quarter of a mile or climbing stairs. Mid-femoral volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD, mg cm -3 ), total area (TA), cortical area (CA), medullary area (MA), cross-sectional moments of inertia (CSMI: I x , I y , J ), and muscle and fat areas (cm 2 ) were determined by computed tomography (CT; GE CT-9800, 10 mm slice thickness). Results : vBMD was greater in men than women with no difference by race ( p < 0.001). Bone areas and area moments of inertia were also greater in men than women ( p < 0.001), with Black women having higher values than White women for TA and CA. Standardizing geometric parameters for body size differences by dividing by powers of femur length did not negate the sex difference for TA and MA. Significant differences ( p < 0.05) among the four groups also remained for I x and J . Mid-thigh muscle area was an independent contributor to TA in all groups (Std beta = 0.181-0.351, p < 0.05) as well as CA in women (Std beta = 0.246-0.254, p < 0.01) and CSMI in White women (Std beta = 0.175-0.185, p < 0.05). Further, muscle area was a significant contributor to vBMD in Black women. Conclusion : These results indicate that bone geometry and density of the femoral diaphysis differs primarily by sex, rather than race, in older well-functioning adults. In addition, site-specific muscle area appears to have a potential contributory role to bone geometry parameters, especially in women.

Boletim eletr??nico de bibliografias especializadas: pol??ticas p??blicas em direitos humanos

Os direitos humanos s??o os direitos essenciais a todos os seres humanos, sem que haja discrimina????o por ra??a, cor, g??nero, idioma, nacionalidade ou por qualquer outro motivo. Eles podem ser civis ou pol??ticos, como o direito ?? vida, ?? igualdade perante a lei e ?? liberdade de express??o. Podem tamb??m ser econ??micos, sociais e culturais, como o direito ao trabalho e ?? educa????o e coletivos, como o direito ao desenvolvimento. As Pol??ticas P??blicas em Direitos Humanos ?? tema deste boletim bibliogr??fico, o qual traz publica????es que mostram que estas n??o devem ser apenas programas governamentais, mas um instrumento de participa????o da sociedade civil na delimita????o do espa??o p??blico.

A????es premiadas no 17?? Concurso Inova????o na Gest??o P??blica Federal 2012

Este livro traz os relatos das 10 iniciativas premiadas no 17?? Concurso Inova????o na Gest??o P??blica Federal. Iniciativa da ENAP, em parceria com o MP, o Concurso conta com o apoio, para as premia????es, das embaixadas da Fran??a, da Noruega e da Nova Zel??ndia; da Coopera????o Alem?? para o Desenvolvimento (GIZ); e da Ag??ncia Brasileira de Coopera????o (ABC). Ao longo de 17 anos, o Concurso tem cumprido seu objetivo de estimular a implementa????o de iniciativas inovadoras de gest??o em organiza????es do governo federal; dissemin??-las e valorizar servidores p??blicos que atuam de forma criativa em suas atividades

A????es premiadas no 8?? Concurso Inova????o na Gest??o P??blica Federal

Projetos premiados no 8?? Concurso Inova????o na Gest??o P??blica Federal. Representam contribui????es para a melhoria da gest??o p??blica nas seguintes ??reas: articula????o de parcerias, estabelecimento de padr??es de atendimento e servi??os, gerenciamento de informa????es, implementa????o de melhoria cont??nua, inclus??o social e simplifica????o e agiliza????o de procedimentos

Mudan??a organizacional em busca da excel??ncia

Este trabalho apresenta a experi??ncia do programa de mudan??as em busca da excel??ncia do Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN), unidade da Comiss??o Nacional de Energia Nuclear, implementado por meio de uma abordagem baseada na teoria dos sistemas complexos. Foi desenvolvido um sistema adaptativo de gest??o para organiza????es que lidam com tecnologia perigosa, como a nuclear, baseado no Modelo de Excel??ncia do Pr??mio Nacional da Qualidade e na cultura de seguran??a, sendo a seguran??a tratada como dimens??o estrat??gica para a excel??ncia. A implementa????o pr??tica do sistema foi conduzida por meio de uma interven????o do tipo mudan??a facilitada, que proporcionou certo grau de governan??a ao programa. Foi obtida uma evolu????o de 119% no n??vel de excel??ncia da gest??o do IEN no per??odo entre 2000 e 2003, assim como aprimoramentos na cultura de seguran??a do instituto

A????es premiadas no 5?? Concurso de Inova????es na Gest??o P??blica Federal

Projetos premiados no 5?? Concurso Inova????o na Gest??o P??blica Federal. As iniciativas representam contribui????es para a melhoria da gest??o p??blica

10?? concurso inova????o na gest??o p??blica federal

O Concurso Inova????o na Gest??o P??blica Federal, promovido pela ENAP e pelo Minist??rio do Planejamento, Or??amento e Gest??o, chegou ?? sua d??cima edi????o neste ano. Um total de 49 experi??ncias concorreu ao pr??mio, que visa reconhecer e incentivar a gera????o e incorpora????o de novas pr??ticas e conhecimentos na administra????o p??blica federal. Em 2006, a experi??ncia Educa????o sanit??ria em agrot??xicos, sa??de humana e meio ambiente, do Minist??rio da Agricultura, Pecu??ria e Abastecimento, ficou em primeiro lugar. Em segundo, o projeto Mudan??a de paradigma na presta????o de servi??os, da Receita Federal. O Hospital de Cl??nicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) obteve a terceira coloca????o, com o projeto Registro eletr??nico do atendimento ambulatorial: mais um passo na consolida????o do prontu??rio eletr??nico do paciente. A RSP relata a seguir um pouco dessas experi??ncias.

O Senior Executive Service: especial refer??ncia ao perfil do Top Public Service em Portugal

No contexto de reforma da administra????o p??blica, o objectivo do trabalho pretende dar conta das caracter??sticas dos modelos de direc????o p??blica, em particular dos dirigentes (Senior Executive Service: Top Public Service e Top Management Service), e do seu perfil em face dos novos desafios da administra????o p??blica. O objectivo principal deste trabalho foi caracterizar o sistema de designa????o/ nomea????o para os cargos de dirigente de livre escolha pol??tica, sistema conhecido na literatura como spoil system, com especial refer??ncia ao 1o e 2o n??veis, grupo I, dessas fun????es, no contexto da elite das direc????es-gerais em Portugal.