Clinical and laboratory parameters in dapsone acute intoxication

OBJECTIVE: To determine the severity of dapsone (DDS) acute intoxication – an uncommon medical event – using clinical and laboratory parameters. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy four patients with acute DDS intoxication, aged 1 month to 50 years old, were studied and classified into four age groups. Clinical evaluation was assessed through a protocol and correlated with laboratory parameters. Spectrophotometric methods were used to analyze methemoglobinemia (MHbp) and dapsonemia (DDSp). RESULTS: The most prevalent clinical sign of intoxication was cyanosis, seen in 65.7% of the patients and in 100% of children less than 5 years of age. According to laboratory criteria, MHbp-related severe clinical intoxication was seen in 56.2% and DDSp-related occurred in 58% of the patients. Regarding DDSp, intoxication was considered severe when 20 tablets (100 mg each) were ingested, a median of 29 mug/ml. Regarding MHbp, intoxication was severe when 7.5 tablets were ingested, a median of 38% of the total Hb. The correlation between MHbp and DDSp was statistically significant (n=144, r=0.32, p<0.05). Negative correlation was observed between MHbp and the time elapsed since DDS intake (n=124, r=-0.34, p<0.001). There was also a negative correlation between DDSp and the time elapsed since DDS intake (n=63, r=-0.35, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal analysis showed a significant association between methemoglobinemia and the time elapsed after the intake (t), according to the equation: Dapsonemia = 12.9256 - 0.0682t + 0.234 methemoglobinemia

Enhancing reflexivity and technology in translation learning: case study on the use of ePortfolio as a training environment

In this paper we describe a casestudy of an experiment on how reflexivity and technology can enhance learning, by using ePorfolios as a training environment to develop translation skills. Translation is today a multiskilled job and translators need to assure their clients a good performance and quality, both in language and in technology domains. In order to accomplish it, for the translator all the tasks and processes he develops appear as crucial, being pretranslation and posttranslation processes equally important as the translation itself, namely as far as autonomy, reflexive and critical skills are concerned. Finally, the need and relevance for collaborative tasks and networks amongst virtual translation communities, led us to the decision of implementing ePortfolios as a tool to develop the requested skills and extend the use of Internet in translation, namely in terminology management phases, for the completion of each task, by helping students in the management of the projects deadlines, improving their knowledge on the construction and management of translation resources and deepening their awareness about the concepts related to the development and usability of ePorfolios.

Some translation difficulties in the use of false friends in english

This paper will focus on some aspects of translation based on blending distinct linguistic domains such as English Language and Portuguese in using false friends in the English class in tertiary level students, reflecting namely on: 1. the choice of a word suitable to the context in L2 ; 2. the difficulties encountered by choice of that word that could be misleading, by relying in a false L1 reality that is going to adulterate reality in the L2 domain; 3. the difficulty in making such type of distinctions due to the lack of linguistic and lexical knowledge. 4. the need to study the cause of these difficulties by working, not only with their peers, but also with their language teacher to develop strategies to diminish and if possible to eradicate this type of linguistic and, above all, translation problem by making an inventory of those types of mistakes. In relation to the first point it is necessary to know that translation tasks involve much more than literal concepts ( Ladmiral, 1975) : furthermore it is necessary and suitable to realise that lexicon relies in significant contexts (Coseriu 1966), which connects both domains, that, at first sight do not seem to be compatible. In other words, although students have the impression they dominate lexicon due to the fact that they possess at least seven years of foreign language exposure that doesn’t mean they master the particularities engaged in such a delicate task as translation is concerned. There are some chromaticisms in the words (false friends), that need to be researched and analysed later on by both students and language teachers. The reason for such state of affairs lies in their academic formation, of a mainly general stream, which has enabled them only for knowledge of the foreign language, but not for the translation as a tool as it is required only when they reach the tertiary level. Besides, for their translations they rely, most of the times, on glossaries, whose dominant language is portuguese of Brazil, which is, obviously, much different from the portuguese mother tongue reality and even more of English. So it seems necessary to use with caution the working tools (glossaries) that work as surpluses, but could bring translation problems as we will see.

Intersubjectivity and poetic translation

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Trypanosoma cruzi prevalence and clinical forms in blood donor candidates in Brazil

The prevalence and clinical forms of Trypanosoma cruzi were evaluated among blood donor candidates attended at a general hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from January 1997 to April 1999. The investigation was done by means of the indirect hemagglutination test and was confirmed via ELISA. Data were collected from clinical examinations, conventional electrocardiogram, chest radiography and echocar-diography. The results showed that despite Trypanosoma cruzi prevalence of 1.17% (128 patients), mainly in males aged 40 years or over, 70.8% of these patients, mainly males aged 19 to 39 years, demonstrated abnormalities that allowed the diagnosis of cardiopathy and/or esophagopathy. This once again corroborates the importance of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in urban centers.

Clinical Education - a fundamental curricular unit for all health practitioners

Clinical education is recognized as being crucial for the training of health professionals. This subject is debated amongst teachers, students and professionals. Besides the clinical and research skills, we look for other competencies such as oratory, creative thinking or leadership. We present the results of a study with 4th graders. It’s a exploratory study; the main purpose was to evaluate the outcomes of a unit of clinical education prepared according a new set of competencies and methodologies. The competencies were seen as valuable. Organization, leading or supporting a colleague, rethinking a program to serve client and family are equally important.

Novel method using a laser scanning cytometer for detection of Mycobacteria in clinical samples

In order to evaluate the capacity of laser scanning cytometry (LSC) to detect acid-fast bacilli directly on clinical samples, a comparison between Kinyoun-stained smears analyzed under light microscopy and propidium iodide-auramine-stained smears analyzed by LSC was performed. The results were compared with those for culture on BACTEC MGIT 960. LSC is a new, reliable methodology to detect Mycobacteria.

Pronoun-dropping or zero anaphora in translation from german into portuguese

In this article I will analyse anaphoric references in German texts and their transaltion into Portuguese. I will take as main corpus Heinrich Böll's novel Haus ohne Hüter and its translation into Portuguese by Jorge Rosa with the title Casa Indefesa. I will concentrate on the use of personal pronouns and possessives in references to both people and objects in source text and target text and I will present patterns of symmetries and asymmetries. I will claim that asymmetries in the translation of such anaphoric references can be accounted for mainly by differences in the pronominal systems and verbal systems of both languages and by differences in the way each language marks theme/topic continuity/discontinuity in discourse. Issues related to style and the translation of anaphors will also be addressed. I will finally raise some questions related to ambiguous references which can not be solved within the scope of syntax or semantics, thus requiring pragmatic interpretation based on cultural knowledge/world knowledge.

Validade da versão em português da Clinical Dementia Rating

OBJETIVO: Analisar a validade da versão em português da Clinical Dementia Rating para classificar a função cognitiva de idosos. MÉTODOS: Utilizou-se o instrumento Mini-Mental State Examination para rastreamento de déficit cognitivo em coorte composta por 424 idosos. Foram selecionados todos que obtiveram escores <26 (108 idosos) e 48 idosos com escores >26. Os 156 idosos selecionados foram submetidos a uma avaliação clínica e testes neuropsicológicos para diagnóstico de casos de demência. Tanto os casos como os não-casos foram classificados segundo a versão em português da Clinical Dementia Rating em: normais, casos questionáveis e casos de demência leve, moderada ou grave. RESULTADOS: Entre os 156 avaliados, 122 eram não-casos, destes 62 (51%) foram classificados como normais (CDR=0) e questionáveis 60 (49%) (CDR=0,5). Entre os 34 casos de demência, 17 (50%) foram classificados como demência leve (CDR=1), 8 (23%) moderada (CDR=2) e 6 (18%) grave (CDR=3). Apenas três (9%) dos casos foram considerados questionáveis pelo Clinical Dementia Rating. Sua sensibilidade foi de 91,2% e a especificidade de 100%, com valor preditivo positivo de 100% e negativo de 97,6%. As pontuações no Mini-Mental State Examination declinaram significativamente conforme o grau de demência. CONCLUSÕES: O Clinical Dementia Rating mostrou ser instrumento válido para classificar o grau de demência entre idosos. Quase metade dos não-casos foram casos questionáveis pelo Clinical Dementia Rating e podem corresponder a casos de transtorno cognitivo leve, com maior risco de conversão em demência.

Intersubjectivity and a practical intersubjective ethics of translation

This essay suggests that the intersubjectivity in translation should be given priority because different stages of the translation activity have different subjects, and presents a practical intersubjective ethics of translation based on an interpretation of the intersubjective relations connected with translation activities in a perspective of game theory in the hope that it can equip us with better explanations of the translator’s calculations or considerations in the professional practice.

Literary translation and quality assessment analysis – its significance in translation training

This paper aims to highlight the role of translation quality assessment in translation training so as to develop students’ translation competence and skills to face translation problems. An analysis to assess literary translation quality is proposed before proceeding to discuss its pedagogical implementation.

Reliability of nasal auscultation and their relation to middle ear condition – a clinical interest to pediatrics respiratory physiotherapy

Background: Acute respiratory infections are usual in children under three years old occurring in upper respiratory tract, having an impact on child and caregiver’s quality of life predisposing to otitis media or bronchiolitis. There are few valid and reliable measures to determine the child’s respiratory condition and to guide the physiotherapy intervention. Aim: To assess the intra and inter rater reliability of nasal auscultation, to analyze the relation between sounds’ classification and middle ear’s pressure and compliance as well as with the Clinical Severity Score. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was composed by 125 nursery children aged up to three years old. Tympanometry, pulmonary and nasal auscultation and application of Clinical Severity Score were performed to each child. Nasal auscultation sounds’ were recorded and sent to 3 blinded experts, that classified, as “obstructed” and “unobstructed”, with a 48 hours interval, in order to analyze inter and intra rater reliability. Results: Nasal auscultation revealed a substantial inter and intra rater reliability (=0,749 and evaluator A - K= 0,691; evaluator B - K= 0,605 and evaluator C - K= 0,724, respectively). Both ears’ pressure was significantly lower in children with an "unobstructed" nasal sound when compared with an “obstructed” nasal sound (t=-3,599, p<0,001 in left ear; t=-2,258, p=0,026 in right ear). Compliance in both ears was significantly lower in children with an "obstructed" nasal sound when compared with “unobstructed” nasal sound (t=-2,728, p=0,007 in left ear; t=-3,830, p<0,001 in right ear). There was a statistically significant association between sounds’ classification and tympanograms types in both ear’s (=11,437, p=0,003 in left ear; =13,535, p=0,001 in right ear). There was a trend to children with an "unobstructed" nasal sound that had a lower clinical severity score when compared with “obstructed” children. Conclusion: It was observed a good intra and substantial inter reliability for nasal auscultation. Nasal auscultation sounds’ classification was related to middle ears’ pressure and compliance.

Chronic liver disease staging classification based on ultrasound, clinical and laboratorial data

In this work the identification and diagnosis of various stages of chronic liver disease is addressed. The classification results of a support vector machine, a decision tree and a k-nearest neighbor classifier are compared. Ultrasound image intensity and textural features are jointly used with clinical and laboratorial data in the staging process. The classifiers training is performed by using a population of 97 patients at six different stages of chronic liver disease and a leave-one-out cross-validation strategy. The best results are obtained using the support vector machine with a radial-basis kernel, with 73.20% of overall accuracy. The good performance of the method is a promising indicator that it can be used, in a non invasive way, to provide reliable information about the chronic liver disease staging.

Diffuse liver disease classification from ultrasound surface characterization, clinical and laboratorial data

In this work liver contour is semi-automatically segmented and quantified in order to help the identification and diagnosis of diffuse liver disease. The features extracted from the liver contour are jointly used with clinical and laboratorial data in the staging process. The classification results of a support vector machine, a Bayesian and a k-nearest neighbor classifier are compared. A population of 88 patients at five different stages of diffuse liver disease and a leave-one-out cross-validation strategy are used in the classification process. The best results are obtained using the k-nearest neighbor classifier, with an overall accuracy of 80.68%. The good performance of the proposed method shows a reliable indicator that can improve the information in the staging of diffuse liver disease.