Nursing workload in specialized Semi-intensive Therapy unit: workforce size criteria

Abstract OBJECTIVE To assess the nursing workload (NW) in Semi-intensive Therapy Unit, specialized in the care of children with Craniofacial anomalies and associated syndromes; to compare the amount of workforce required according to the Nursing Activities Score (NAS) and the COFEN Resolution 293/04. METHOD Cross-sectional study, whose sample was composed of 72 patients. Nursing workload was assessed through retrospective application of the NAS. RESULTS the NAS mean was 49.5%. Nursing workload for the last day of hospitalization was lower in patients being discharged to home (p<0.001) and higher on the first compared to last day of hospitalization (p< 0.001). The number of professionals required according to NAS was superior to the COFEN Resolution 293/04, being 17 and 14, respectively. CONCLUSION the nursing workload corresponded to approximately 50% of the working time of nursing professional and was influenced by day and outcome of hospitalization. The amount of professionals was greater than that determined by the existing legislation.

Clustering of cardiovascular risk factors mimicking the human metabolic syndrome X in eNOS null mice.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The metabolic syndrome comprises a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors but the underlying mechanism is not known. Mice with targeted disruption of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) are hypertensive and insulin resistant. We wondered, whether eNOS deficiency in mice is associated with a phenotype mimicking the human metabolic syndrome. METHODS AND RESULTS: In addition to arterial pressure and insulin sensitivity (euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp), we measured the plasma concentration of leptin, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, fibrinogen and uric acid in 10 to 12 week old eNOS-/- and wild type mice. We also assessed glucose tolerance under basal conditions and following a metabolic stress with a high fat diet. As expected eNOS-/- mice were hypertensive and insulin resistant, as evidenced by fasting hyperinsulinaemia and a roughly 30 percent lower steady state glucose infusion rate during the clamp. eNOS-/- mice had a 1.5 to 2-fold elevation of the cholesterol, triglyceride and free fatty acid plasma concentration. Even though body weight was comparable, the leptin plasma level was 30% higher in eNOS-/- than in wild type mice. Finally, uric acid and fibrinogen were elevated in the eNOS-/- mice. Whereas under basal conditions, glucose tolerance was comparable in knock out and control mice, on a high fat diet, knock out mice became significantly more glucose intolerant than control mice. CONCLUSIONS: A single gene defect, eNOS deficiency, causes a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors in young mice. We speculate that defective nitric oxide synthesis could trigger many of the abnormalities making up the metabolic syndrome in humans.

PhD Students’ Research Group Social Capital in Two Countries: A Clustering Approach with Duocentred Network Measures

The article examines the structure of the collaboration networks of research groups where Slovenian and Spanish PhD students are pursuing their doctorate. The units of analysis are student-supervisor dyads. We use duocentred networks, a novel network structure appropriate for networks which are centred around a dyad. A cluster analysis reveals three typical clusters of research groups. Those which are large and belong to several institutions are labelled under a bridging social capital label. Those which are small, centred in a single institution but have high cohesion are labelled as bonding social capital. Those which are small and with low cohesion are called weak social capital groups. Academic performance of both PhD students and supervisors are highest in bridging groups and lowest in weak groups. Other variables are also found to differ according to the type of research group. At the end, some recommendations regarding academic and research policy are drawn

Testing Spatial Autocorrelation in Weighted Networks : the Modes Permutation Test

In a weighted spatial network, as specified by an exchange matrix, the variances of the spatial values are inversely proportional to the size of the regions. Spatial values are no more exchangeable under independence, thus weakening the rationale for ordinary permutation and bootstrap tests of spatial autocorrelation. We propose an alternative permutation test for spatial autocorrelation, based upon exchangeable spatial modes, constructed as linear orthogonal combinations of spatial values. The coefficients obtain as eigenvectors of the standardised exchange matrix appearing in spectral clustering, and generalise to the weighted case the concept of spatial filtering for connectivity matrices. Also, two proposals aimed at transforming an acessibility matrix into a exchange matrix with with a priori fixed margins are presented. Two examples (inter-regional migratory flows and binary adjacency networks) illustrate the formalism, rooted in the theory of spectral decomposition for reversible Markov chains.

Clustering of health behaviours in adult survivors of childhood cancer and the general population.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about engagement in multiple health behaviours in childhood cancer survivors. METHODS: Using latent class analysis, we identified health behaviour patterns in 835 adult survivors of childhood cancer (age 20-35 years) and 1670 age- and sex-matched controls from the general population. Behaviour groups were determined from replies to questions on smoking, drinking, cannabis use, sporting activities, diet, sun protection and skin examination. RESULTS: The model identified four health behaviour patterns: 'risk-avoidance', with a generally healthy behaviour; 'moderate drinking', with higher levels of sporting activities, but moderate alcohol-consumption; 'risk-taking', engaging in several risk behaviours; and 'smoking', smoking but not drinking. Similar proportions of survivors and controls fell into the 'risk-avoiding' (42% vs 44%) and the 'risk-taking' cluster (14% vs 12%), but more survivors were in the 'moderate drinking' (39% vs 28%) and fewer in the 'smoking' cluster (5% vs 16%). Determinants of health behaviour clusters were gender, migration background, income and therapy. CONCLUSION: A comparable proportion of childhood cancer survivors as in the general population engage in multiple health-compromising behaviours. Because of increased vulnerability of survivors, multiple risk behaviours should be addressed in targeted health interventions.

A new species of Calloconophora Dietrich (Hemiptera, Membracidae) from the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil

A new species of treehopper, Calloconophora gaudencia sp. nov., from Araruna, Paraíba State, is described and illustrated.

Duas novas espécies de Enchenopa Amyot & Serville (Hemiptera, Membracidae) do semi-árido do Estado da Paraíba, Brasil

Enchenopa eunicea sp. nov. e Enchenopa minuta sp. nov. (ambas de São José dos Cordeiros, Paraíba, Brasil ) são descritas e ilustradas.

Breeding system and genetic variance in the monogamous, semi-social shrew, Crocidura russula

The population-genetic consequences of monogamy and male philopatry (a rare breeding system in mammals) were investigated using microsatellite markers in the semisocial and anthropophilic shrew Crocidura russula. A hierarchical sampling design over a 16-km geographical transect revealed a large genetic diversity (h = 0.813) with significant differentiation among subpopulations (F-ST = 5-6%), which suggests an exchange of 4.4 migrants per generation. Demic effective-size estimates were very high, due both to this limited gene inflow and to the inner structure of subpopulations. These were made of 13-20 smaller units (breeding groups), comprising an estimate of four breeding pairs each. Members of the same breeding groups displayed significant coancestries (F-LS = 9-10%), which was essentially due to strong male kinship: syntopic males were on average related at the half-sib level. Female dispersal among breeding groups was not complete (similar to 39%), and insufficient to prevent inbreeding. From our results, the breeding strategy of C. russula seems less efficient than classical mammalian systems (polygyny and male dispersal) in disentangling coancestry from inbreeding, but more so in retaining genetic variance.

III Simpósio Brasileiro de Captação de Água de Chuva no Semi-Árido - os Sistemas de Water Harvesting e sua Aplicação em Cabo Verde

A localização geográfica do arquipélago de Cabo Verde na zona saheliana entre as isoietas de 250 mm e 500 mm aproximadamente, aliada aos condicionalismos físicos, climáticos e económicos explicam em grande parte, os escassos recursos hídricos disponíveis. Devido ao caracter torrencial das chuvas, os resultados de aplicação das diferentes técnicas e sistemas de “water harvesting”, provaram no passado de que se tratam de tecnologias que podem contribuir para uma melhor gestão dos recursos hídricos. Por esta razão, deverão continuar a fazer parte dos programas de investigação aplicada, aperfeiçoadas e divulgadas no seio das comunidades rurais e nas áreas urbanas devido ao baixo custo do preço da água captada e as vantagens de caracter ambiental. Este trabalho faz uma abordagem sobre as tecnologias de aproveitamento de águas superficiais, com destaque para os sistemas de “water harvesting”, e discute as potencialidades do seu desenvolvimento em Cabo Verde.

Seasonality of insects in the semi-arid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil

Insects are essential to tropical ecosystems functioning. In semi-arid regions, the increase in abundance and/or activity (e.g. reproduction and foraging behavior) of insects is usually associated with climatic variables. The present study investigates which climatic variables are best predictors of insect abundance in an area of Caatinga in northeastern Brazil. Individuals were sampled for 24 months using Malaise and pitfall traps, and beating trays. A total of 58925 individuals belonging to 20 insect orders were collected. The most abundant orders were Hymenoptera, Diptera, Collembola and Coleoptera. Most orders studied showed a clear maximum abundance in the rainy season. Rainfall and humidity were the best predictors of insect abundance in the Caatinga. However, no climatic variable could explain Psocoptera and Blattodea variance in abundance/activity. Our results suggest that climatic changes associated with rainfall patterns in the Caatinga may affect ecosystem processes and services that depend direct or indirectly on insect abundance/activity.

Fick's law adapted to cationic diffusion in a semi-infinite solid: application to spinel megacrystals

In alkaline lavas, the chemical zoning of megacrystals of spinel is due to the cationic exchange between the latter and the host lava. The application of Fick's law to cationic diffusion profiles allows to calculate the time these crystals have stayed in the lava. Those which are in a chemical equilibrium were in contact with the lava during 20 to 30 days, whereas megacrystals lacking this equilibrium were in contact only for 3 or 4 days. The duration of the rise of an ultrabasic nodule in the volcanic chimney was calculated by applying Stokes' law.

Seasonal activity of Dinoponera quadriceps Santschi (Formicidae, Ponerinae) in the semi-arid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil

Seasonal activity of Dinoponera quadriceps Santschi (Formicidae, Ponerinae) in the semi-arid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil. We studied seasonal foraging patterns of the queenless ant D. quadriceps (Formicidae, Ponerinae) for 24 months in a Caatinga area of northeastern Brazil, an ecosystem characterized by strong climatic changes throughout the year, in order to determine if regulation of worker activity is based on environmental conditions (air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation) and/or food resources (potential prey: Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera, Araneae, Chilopoda and Diplopoda). Foraging activity of D. quadriceps varied over the course of both years, with the highest frequency occurring from May to August, corresponding to the late rainy season and early dry season. This foraging activity was negatively correlated with temperature and positively correlated with the availability of potential prey, but not with total abundance of soil arthropods or with rainfall and relative humidity. Diet composition, in relation to the main taxonomic prey groups, seems to be common to the species, regardless of habitat. Our results suggest that D. quadriceps workers adjust foraging activity to the most suitable period of the year, to avoid thermal stress and increase efficiency. Thus, they present an appropriate behavioral response to seasonal fluctuations in the Caatinga.

O Sistema Semi-Presidencialista Cabo-verdiano: A Relação entre os Poderes Executivo e Legislativo

O artigo procura analisar a relação que se estabelece entre o poder executivo e legislativo no sistema de governo cabo-verdiano, onde Investigadores buscam compreendê-lo, tendo em conta a sua configuração prática, teórica e constitucional. Há que realçar a proeminência do debate e dos estudos realizados no sentido de compreender como é que a academia científica procura debelar esta problemática. Duas questões são pertinentes neste debate: a primeira refere-se à configuração teórico-constitucional do sistema de governo cabo-verdiano e a outra à prática política e legislativa.

The semi-presidential system of Cape Verde: the relationship between the executive and the legislative powers = O sistema semi-presidencialista caboverdiano: a relação entre os poderes executivo e legislativo

e article analyses the relationship established between the executive and legislative powers in the Cape Verdean government system where researchers seek to understand it, taking into account their theoretical and constitutional setting practice. It should be noted the prominence of the debate and studies undertaken to understand how the scienti c academy seeks to eradicate this problem. Two issues are relevant in this debate: the rst reporting to the theoretical and constitutional con guration of Cape Verdean government system and the other to its policy and legislative practice. Keywords: Cape Verde. Semi-presidential System. Systems of Government. Legislative and Executive Powers.

Fixação do N2 em leucena (Leucaena leucocephala) em solo da região semi-árida brasileira submetido à salinização

Com a finalidade de avaliar a tolerância de rhizobium loti em Leucaena leucocephala cv K8, submetida a níveis crescentes de salinidade, realizou-se um experimento em casa de vegetação, usando-se um Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo textura franco-arenosa, coletado em Serra Talhada (PE). O experimento obedeceu ao arranjo fatorial 5 x 4, no delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com 3 repetições. Foram usados 5 níveis de salinidade do solo (C.E. = 1,5; 6,6; 10,1; 12,8 e 14,4 dS m-1) e 2 tratamentos inoculados (NFB 494 e SEMIA 6069), fertilização nitrogenada com 200 mg kg-1 de N (NH4NO3), e o controle sem inoculação e sem adubação nitrogenada. O incremento dos níveis crescentes de salinidade reduziu a nodulação (número e massa de nódulos), o rendimento de matéria seca e a acumulação de N na parte aérea. O tratamento com fertilização nitrogenada inibiu totalmente a nodulação em leucena, em todos os níveis de salinidade; contudo, promoveu melhores rendimentos na acumulação de N e na produção de matéria seca. Observou-se resposta significativa das plantas inoculadas com a estirpe SEMIA 6069, em todas as características avaliadas, superando os resultados obtidos com o isolado NFB 494.