Prevalence of Cardiac Arrhythmias During and After Pregnancy in Women with Chagas' Disease without Apparent Heart Disease

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate cardiac arrhythmias during and after pregnancy in women with Chagas' disease without apparent heart disease using dynamic electrocardiography. METHODS: Twenty pregnant women with Chagas' disease without apparent heart disease aged 19 to 42 years (26.96 ± 3.6) and a control group of 20 non-chagasic pregnant patients aged 16 to 34 years (22.5 ± 4.8). The patients were submitted to passive hemagglutination and indirect immunofluorescence for the detection of Trypanosoma cruzi evaluation, and electrocardiography, echocardiography and 24-h dynamic electrocardiography. RESULTS: Supraventricular premature depolarizations were observed in 18 (90%) patients and ventricular premature depolarization in 11 (55%) patients of both groups during pregnancy. After delivery, supraventricular premature depolarizations were present in 13 (60%) chagasic patients and in 16 (89.4%) control patients (P<=0.05). Ventricular premature depolarization were observed in 9 (45%) chagasic patients and 11 (57.8%) control patients. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of ventricular premature depolarization was similar for the chagasic and control groups during and after pregnancy. The incidence of supraventricular premature depolarizations was similar in the two groups during pregnancy, while after delivery a predominance was observed in the control group compared to the chagasic group.

Horário por turnos : análise do seu efeito numa empresa do sector industrial

O presente estudo teve por objetivo analisar os possíveis efeitos do trabalho por turnos, incluindo o turno noturno, a nível da saúde, vida familiar e social, numa empresa do sector da indústria. Foi construído um questionário que abordava questões relativas aos dados sociodemográficos, organização temporal do trabalho, qualidade do sono, exigências da tarefa e envolvimento, saúde, vida familiar e social, e posteriormente foi aplicado a uma amostra de 24 trabalhadores com idades entre os 29 e os 52 anos (41,58±5,79 anos). Os resultados mostram uma tendência para doenças como a obesidade, colesterol elevado e manifestação de sintomas relacionados com problemas digestivos nos trabalhadores que trabalham por turnos à [sic] mais anos. Antes do primeiro turno noturno o tempo de sono é bastante reduzido e fica aquém do tempo que os trabalhadores sentem que necessitam dormir para se sentirem bem. O turno da tarde é o que permite os trabalhadores ficarem com um tempo de sono mais próximo desse “ideal”. Em relação à idade, todos os trabalhadores do grupo etário mais velho manifestam interrupções do sono diurno. Também se verifica um maior descontentamento destes trabalhadores com o tempo livre para realizar atividades que tragam bem-estar. Este estudo contribui para o conhecimento da realidade do trabalho por turnos na indústria e espera-se que desperte a procura de soluções que otimizem a vida destes trabalhadores.

Overcoming the supply inconsistencies of tidal current energy conversion devices

The adoption of a sustainable approach to meeting the energy needs of society has recently taken on a more central and urgent place in the minds of many people. There are many reasons for this including ecological, environmental and economic concerns. One particular area where a sustainable approach has become very relevant is in the production of electricity. The contribution of renewable sources to the energy mix supplying the electricity grid is nothing new, but the focus has begun to move away from the more conventional renewable sources such as wind and hydro. The necessity of exploring new and innovative sources of renewable energy is now seen as imperative as the older forms (i.e. hydro) reach the saturation point of their possible exploitation. One such innovative source of energy currently beginning to be utilised in this regard is tidal energy. The purpose of this thesis is to isolate one specific drawback to tidal energy, which could be considered a roadblock to this energy source being a major contributor to the Irish national grid. This drawback presents itself in the inconsistent nature in which a tidal device generates energy over the course of a 24 hour period. This inconsistency of supply can result in the cycling of conventional power plants in order to even out the supply, subsequently leading to additional costs. The thesis includes a review of literature relevant to the area of tidal and other marine energy sources with an emphasis on the state of the art devices currently in development or production. The research carried out included tidal data analysis and manipulation into a model of the power generating potential at specific sites. A solution is then proposed to the drawback of inconsistency of supply, which involves the positioning of various tidal generation installations at specifically selected locations around the Irish coast. The temporal shift achieved in the power supply profiles of the individual sites by locating the installations in the correct locations, successfully produced an overall power supply profile with the smoother curve and a consistent base load energy supply. Some limitations to the method employed were also outlined, and suggestions for further improvements to the method were made.

The Irish pub as a third place : a sociological exploration of people, place and identity

There is considerable interest in alcohol in Irish society, yet minimal sociologcial understanding of its consumption, particularly of the sites where most drinking occurs: the country's 8750 pubs. Despite widespread public discussions on the role of the pub, there is scant social science evidence to better inform debate. Pubs are central to Irish community and are key sites of social interaction. American sociologist Ray Oldenburg has argued that "third places" (neither workplace nor home) are crucial to the maintenance of the community and the enhancement of social capital. According to Oldenburg, the role of the third place in the community is to provide continuity, regularity, a sense of place - all of which conceptually contribute to the construction of the self, the projection of the self within the public sphere, the distribution of social capital and the generation of a collective identity. The pub is the archetypal third place, but Oldenburg is concerned that modern pubs are less able to provide this vital function. Social scientists have suggested that community is in a state of fragmentation and decline due to changes in modes of social interaction and a decrease in shared spaces, resulting in a weakened connection to place. Community without propinquity has been characterised by social alienation, fragmentation and what Oldenburg refers to as the "problem of place" (13). Third places, and thus the Irish pub, have been particularly affected. In order to increase the sociological knowledge of the pub in Ireland, this project critically engages with the pub to assess the importance that public drinking houses have in the everyday. Moreover, this research sets out to investigate the people/place relationship using the pub as an investigative lens and examine the ways in which people shape place, place shapes people and how that relationship is implicated in the construction of irish identities. Furthermore, this is also an articulation of a cultural shift within Ireland and Irish places whose effects are deep and multi-layered. This project aims to explore the development of the contemporary geography of identity as the irish pub as a third place is transformed or disappears from the social landscape.

Socially integrative customer service (SICS) : identification of a symbiotic link with corporate social responsibility

The aim of this study is to answer the research question "can customer service be revitalised through identification of a symbiotic relationship with social responsibility, linked by people-centricity?" The concept of customer service remains weak and there has been a lack of attention to the underlying purpose: "to serve". To strengthen the theory the humanistic nature of the concept should be revised. Fundamental to this argument is the question of who is a customer? To fully discover the scope of the concept requires a broader or more specifically a societal view. Herein the theme of social corporate responsibility is critical to the recognition of the customer service network (CSN). This suggestion in isolation is useful but structural. Another aspect must be identified to validate the "service" ethos. Through this reasoning the relational theme (RT) provides for a mechanism for this to be achieved. Therefore the theory of socially integrative customer service is based on broadening and deepening the customer service concept. This study is illustrated in the context of the grocery retail sector in the Republic of Ireland. Four case studies are presented, three based on company-wide and in-store research and a fourth is a cross-company study. Results across companies indicate acceptance of the research question and show evidence to validate SICS. There is scope to further develop SICS and to build on the CSN and the RT. Finally the concept of SICS provides for a diverse basis for further research. This theory does no purport to cause a paradigm shift but does add innovation to the body of knowledge. As is the hallmark of good theoretical development, the author has aimed to keep the philosophy simple.

Oviposition behavior of Zabrotes subfasciatus females (Coleoptera, Bruchidae) under conditions of host deprivation

Oviposition of Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boheman, 1833) on Phaseolus vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1753) was studied immediately after emergence of the adults throughout the females life and in situations of host deprivation lasting for 1 to 10 days. The number of eggs laid daily, longevity, duration of oviposition and distribution of eggs per grain were studied. The number of eggs laid per day varied significantly, with the oviposition peak in the presence of the host (control group) occurring between day 2 and day 5 of oviposition. In the absence of the host, a shift in the oviposition peak to the first day after deprivation was observed, except for the group deprived for one day which showed a peak between days 1 and 4 after introduction of the host. The distribution of the eggs per grain in the control group and in the groups deprived of the host for 2, 5, 8 and 10 days, a larger egg aggregation was observed for all deprived groups compared to the control group.

Feeding ecology of Pterodoras granulosus (Siluriformes, Doradidae) in the Lajeado Reservoir, Tocantins, Brazil

The diet and feeding habits of armado catfish, Pterodoras granulosus (Valenciennes, 1821), were studied in the Lajeado Reservoir, Tocantins, Brazil, and the mouth of its tributaries. Stomach contents of 327 specimens were analyzed by the percentage composition and volumetric methods. The feeding of armado on a wide variety of foods, including both animal and plant items, leads to its classification as a euriphagic species with herbivorous tendency. However, it should be noted that armado showed a strong ontogenetic diet shift, with the gradual replacement of detritus and sediment by plant items, especially terrestrial ones. The environmental use pattern of P. granulosus corroborates the ontogenetic shift observed in its diet. Small fish predominated mainly in the benthic region and detritus and sediment represented an important resource, whereas large fish fed mainly on terrestrial plants, as they explore open water sites and the surface of the water column.

Absolute type shaft encoding using LFSR

Maximal-length binary sequences have been known for a long time. They have many interesting properties, one of them is that when taken in blocks of n consecutive positions they form 2ⁿ-1 different codes in a closed circular sequence. This property can be used for measuring absolute angular positions as the circle can be divided in as many parts as different codes can be retrieved. This paper describes how can a closed binary sequence with arbitrary length be effectively designed with the minimal possible block-length, using linear feedback shift registers (LFSR). Such sequences can be used for measuring a specified exact number of angular positions, using the minimal possible number of sensors that linear methods allow.

Necesidad de formación en el mercado de trabajo español: composición del empleo y estructura productiva

Este trabajo estudia las intensas transformaciones que se han producido en la composición del empleo español por niveles de educación y por categoría profesional. Mediante una técnica de descomposición “shift-share” se desagregan los efectos inputados al cambio técnico sesgado y al cambio técnico desigual, y se advierte que, en la segunda mitad de los noventa, se ha producido una ruptura con la pauta de comportamiento anterior. En efecto, a partir de 1995, el incremento de participación total del empleo cualificado ha venido determinado con mucha mayor intensidad que en períodos anteriores por el cambio técnico sesgado. Cuando, en cambio, esta influencia se examina desde la perspectiva de la recomposición del empleo por categoría profesional se observa que ha sido mucho menor. Ello permite introducir, aunque de manera muy preliminar, la hipótesis de sobreeducación en el mercado de trabajo español, que según los resultados obtenidos y como es de esperar, sólo afectaría a los colectivos más formados con relación a las categorías profesionales con empleos no manuales.

Cooperative vs. non-cooperative mechanisms in the EU decision making process

According to the account of the European Union (EU) decision making proposed in this paper, this is a bargaining process during which actors shift their policy positions with a view to reaching agreements on controversial issues.

The ‘Global Dimension’ of Contemporary Politics. An Argument for Taking ‘Global’ Seriously

Recent years have seen a striking proliferation of the term ‘global’ in public and political discourse. The popularity of the term is a manifestation of the fact that there is a widespread notion that contemporary social reality is ‘global’. The acknowledgment of this notion has important political implications and raises questions about the role played by the idea of the ‘global’ in policy making. These questions, in turn, expose even more fundamental issues about whether the term ‘global’ indicates a difference in kind, even an ontological shift, and, if so, how to approach it. This paper argues that the notion of ‘global’, in other words the ‘global dimension’, is a significant aspect of contemporary politics that needs to be investigated. The paper argues that in the globalization discourse of International Studies ‘global’ is ‘naturalized’, which means that it is taken for granted and assumed to be self-evident. The term ‘global’ is used mainly in a descriptive way and subsumed under the rubric of ‘globalization’. ‘Global’ tends to be equated with transnational and/or world-wide; hence, it addresses quantitative differences in degree but not (alleged) differences in kind. In order to advance our understanding of contemporary politics, ‘global’ needs to be taken seriously. This means, firstly, to understand and to conceptualize ‘global’ as a social category; and, secondly, to uncover ‘global’ as a ‘naturalized’ concept in the Political and International Studies strand of the globalization discourse in order to rescue it for innovative new approaches in the investigation of contemporary politics. In order to do so, the paper suggests adopting a strong linguistic approach starting with the analysis of the word ‘global’. Based on insights from post-structuralism as well as cognitive and general constructivist perspectives it argues that a frame-based corpus linguistic analysis offers the possibility of investigating the collective/social meaning(s) of global in order to operationalize them for the analysis of the ‘global dimension’ of contemporary politics.

Estudi de l'evolució del sòl urbà a la Vall d'Àneu

Aquest treball té com a principal objectiu analitzar l’evolució del sòl urbà als pobles de la Vall d’Àneu, dins l’àmbit del Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu. La Vall d’Àneu, situada en el Pirineu axial català, està formda pels municipis de l’Alt Àneu, Espot, Esterri d’Àneu i La Guingueta d’Àneu, i amb un total de 24 poblacions, totes elles per sota la cota de 1500 m. A mitjans del segle passat, el conjunt de pobles de la Vall mostraven una homogeneïtat envers la seva grandaria i distribució, on l’alçada no era un factor determinant. En les darreres dècades, la Vall d’Àneu ha experimentat un creixement demogràfic i econòmic, basat en el sector serveis (estacions d’esquí, turisme rural, esports d’aventura, etc.). Aquest gir econòmic ha desencadenat un creixmenet de les poblacions, accentuat en els últims anys. Aquest no ha estat homogeni, sinó que s’ha focalitzat en determinades zones segons el període. Així, en els darrers anys, aquest creixement s’ha centrat en els pobles propers a les pistes d’esquí i segons les previsions del PTPAPiA per l’any 2026, la tendència seguirà sent la mateixa.

Generalized factor models: a bayesian approach

There is recent interest in the generalization of classical factor models in which the idiosyncratic factors are assumed to be orthogonal and there are identification restrictions on cross-sectional and time dimensions. In this study, we describe and implement a Bayesian approach to generalized factor models. A flexible framework is developed to determine the variations attributed to common and idiosyncratic factors. We also propose a unique methodology to select the (generalized) factor model that best fits a given set of data. Applying the proposed methodology to the simulated data and the foreign exchange rate data, we provide a comparative analysis between the classical and generalized factor models. We find that when there is a shift from classical to generalized, there are significant changes in the estimates of the structures of the covariance and correlation matrices while there are less dramatic changes in the estimates of the factor loadings and the variation attributed to common factors.

Mutational analysis of the highly conserved arginine within the Glu/Asp-Arg-Tyr motif of the alpha(1b)-adrenergic receptor: effects on receptor isomerization and activation.

We have suggested previously that both the negatively and positively charged residues of the highly conserved Glu/Asp-Arg-Tyr (E/DRY) motif play an important role in the activation process of the alpha(1b)-adreneric receptor (AR). In this study, R143 of the E/DRY sequence in the alpha(1b)-AR was mutated into several amino acids (Lys, His, Glu, Asp, Ala, Asn, and Ile). The charge-conserving mutation of R143 into lysine not only preserved the maximal agonist-induced response of the alpha(1b)-AR, but it also conferred high degree of constitutive activity to the receptor. Both basal and agonist-induced phosphorylation levels were significantly increased for the R143K mutant compared with those of the wild-type receptor. Other substitutions of R143 resulted in receptor mutants with either a small increase in constitutive activity (R143H and R143D), impairment (R143H, R143D), or complete loss of receptor-mediated response (R143E, R143A, R143N, R143I). The R413E mutant displayed a small, but significant increase in basal phosphorylation despite being severely impaired in receptor-mediated response. Interestingly, all the arginine mutants displayed increased affinity for agonist binding compared with the wild-type alpha(1b)-AR. A correlation was found between the extent of the affinity shift and the intrinsic activity of the agonists. The analysis of the receptor mutants using the allosteric ternary complex model in conjunction with the results of molecular dynamics simulations on the receptor models support the hypothesis that mutations of R143 can drive the isomerization of the alpha(1b)-AR into different states, highlighting the crucial role of this residue in the activation process of the receptor.

Una primera aproximació a la selecció d'un sistema automatitzat de biblioteques

Res no pot garantir que un procés de selecció d'un sistema automatitzat arribi a tenir èxit, però l'observació d'un conjunt de principis de sentit comú pot ajudar a assegurar l'èxit del resultat. El procés ha de centrar-se en el llarg termini i ha de tenir present el context institucional en el qual el sistema s'establirà. Els sistemes estan cada vegada més orientats als usuaris, i per tant el compromís dels usuaris en el procés de selecció és més i més important. Els components del procés de selecció poden ser previstos i combinats de moltes maneres diferents. El procediment usat per les Purdue University Libraries serveix per a il·lustrar una via en la realització pràctica d'un procés.