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Abstract Inherited retinal dystrophies/degenerations (IRDs) are the leading cause of visual impairment and incurable familial blindness in the Western world. Given the clinical and genetic heterogeneity, establishing a molecular diagnosis is especially relevant. The aim of this study was to perform the first nationwide survey to understand the prevalence and current management of IRDs in Portugal. A response was obtained from 26 healthcare providers (HCP) (76.5% response rate). Only 4 respondents reported not managing IRD patients. Most HCPs (68.1%) reported managing up to 100 patients, while three currently manage between 501 and 1000 patients. Based on the Portuguese population, an estimated IRD prevalence of 0.031%, i.e., about 1 in 3000 individuals, was calculated. In most HCPs (86.3%), most patients are adults, and non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa is the most frequent diagnosis. Only 4 HCPs currently use the national, web-based IRD registry (IRD-PT). However, all but one respondent expressed interest in participating in such a registry. Genetic testing is available in 54.5%, with 58.3% HCPs reporting solved rates between 61–80%, but 4 to 9 months to get a genetic test result in 83.4% of cases. Based on this survey, the prevalence of biallelic RPE65-associated disease in Portugal is 0.00031%, i.e., approximately 1:300,000 individuals. Data from this study provide vital background information on national differences in the diagnosis and management of IRD patients. Nationwide implementation of the IRD-PT registry should be encouraged and supported to provide population-based reference data and to identify patients eligible for current and future therapies.

Abstract Current evidence suggests that macroalgal-dominated habitats are important contributors to the oceanic carbon cycle, though the role of those formed by calcifiers remains controversial. Globally distributed coralline algal beds, built by pink coloured rhodoliths and maerl, cover extensive coastal shelf areas of the planet, but scarce information on their productivity, net carbon flux dynamics and carbonate deposits hampers assessing their contribution to the overall oceanic carbon cycle. Here, our data, covering large bathymetrical (2–51 m) and geographical ranges (53°N–27°S), show that coralline algal beds are highly productive habitats that can express substantial carbon uptake rates (28–1347 g C m−2 day−1), which vary in function of light availability and species composition and exceed reported estimates for other major macroalgal habitats. This high productivity, together with their substantial carbonate deposits (0.4–38 kilotons), renders coralline algal beds as highly relevant contributors to the present and future oceanic carbon cycle.

Neste artigo, compartilhamos vivências e reflexões elaboradas durante um semestre letivo, em um núcleo de biologia, física e química vinculado ao Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência, em uma cidade do interior paulista. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho consiste em discutir situações-limite desveladas e enfrentadas em campo (cerceamento de autonomia docente e imposição da escola conservadora), a partir de referenciais críticos. Por meio de análise dialética de registros memoriais, consideramos que o modelo de funcionamento do Programa consiste em lócus privilegiado para concretização da práxis, superando a imersão constante no cotidiano, para mobilizar coletivamente referenciais teórico-metodológicos que subsidiassem práticas. Finalmente, observamos contribuições à formação praxiológica, e estímulo à reflexão crítica e coletiva dos licenciandos, supervisores e coordenador.

Patients who are victims of traumatic injuries in the spine are evaluated by radiological protocols, as recommended by Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), including a computed tomography (CT) scan with the patient in the decubitus position. Spine fractures considered stable with initial nonoperative management should be further evaluated with a standard simple plain radiograph in orthostasis and/or a magnetic resonance image (MRI), to exclude any associated ligament injury and avoid neurological damage caused by occult instabilities. We present an illustrative case with an injury diagnosed through orthostasis X-ray to discuss its importance in the management of thoracolumbar fractures.

Introduction Infrared thermography (IRT) has demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) diagnosis in previous studies. However, the recovery of the autonomic function after treatment for CTS is rarely addressed in the literature, especially on the long-term.

The literature in business history has shown that the liquidity of company shares had implications on distribution structures of capital and decision-making power. This paper examines the share transactions of the Pombaline colonial companies in comparison to the United East India Company. It finds a more democratic distribution of capital per shareholder than in England but also a higher concentration of voting and decision-making power. It concludes that there was an increasing trend toward a more plutocratic system in both an absolutist monarchy and a parliamentary regime, showing that different legal systems had similar impacts on the distribution of power.

ABSTRACT: A wide range of recent studies are focusing on current issues of financial fraud, especially concerning cybercrimes. The reason behind this is even with improved security, a great amount of money loss occurs every year due to credit card fraud. In recent days, ATM fraud has decreased, while credit card fraud has increased. This study examines articles from five foremost databases. The literature review is designed using extraction by database, keywords, year, articles, authors, and performance measures based on data used in previous research, future research directions and purpose of the article. This study identifies the crucial gaps which ultimately allow research opportunities in this fraud detection process by utilizing knowledge from the machine learning domain. Our findings prove that this research area has become most dominant in the last ten years. We accessed both supervised and unsupervised machine learning techniques to detect cybercrime and management techniques which provide evidence for the effectiveness of machine learning techniques to control cybercrime in the credit card industry. Results indicated that there is room for further research to obtain better results than existing ones on the basis of both quantitative and qualitative research analysis.

AIM: To investigate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal dexamethasone implants (Ozurdex®/DEX) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) either naïve or non-naïve to anti-VEGF therapies who switched to DEX implant independent of response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGFs). METHODS: This was an audit retrospective review of medical records of patients with DME who switched to the DEX intravitreal implant. Patients were divided into 2 groups: patients naïve to antiangiogenic therapy and patients who were previously treated with anti-VEGFs. Data regarding demographics, changes in mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and intraocular pressure (IOP) was collected over 6mo. The demographic data mean changes in BCVA, CMT, and IOP were compared. Six-month follow-up data of 47 patients (57 eyes), who either switched to DEX implant irrespective of response to previous treatments or were treatment naïve before receiving DEX implant, was collected. RESULTS: Improvement in mean BCVA was observed from 1-4mo after injection with a decreased effect at month 6 as expected, with better outcomes in naïve compared to non-naïve patients. A statistically relevant decrease in mean CMT was observed during the follow-up period. An increase in mean IOP was observed in the first 2mo after DEX therapy. The mean number of injections of the overall population during the 6mo was 1.3. A subgroup analysis showed no relevant difference between phakic versus pseudophakic patients relative to measured outcomes. There was no cataract progression during the follow-up period and no adverse events reported. CONCLUSION: This real-life setting study shows that intravitreal DEX implant is effective and safe. The timings of greater therapeutic impact are concordant with previous studies and suggest that earlier treatment with corticosteroids may have an additional benefit in naïve patients.

This study’s primary objective is to investigate the impact of stressful living environments and extreme weather conditions on youth’s education. For the fulfillment of this objective, the unique and latest methodology, such as second-generation unit root, cross-sectional ARDL, and the Westerlund approach are used on panel data taken from India and Pakistan. The cross-sectional dependency test is also employed to determine the internal correlations between cross-sections. The results indicate that there are long- as well as short-run relationships between variables. This study helps to develop policies to manage natural disasters, as well as provide the theoretical background to reduce the stressful living environment.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) are widely used for the treatment of multiple conditions such as hypertension, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. Angioedema is a rare but potentially fatal complication of ACEi use and unilateral tongue edema is a very rare presentation. We report a case of a 55-year-old man, with a history of hypertension, on enalapril for three years, who presented to the hospital with unilateral tongue swelling, without airway compromise. Other causes were excluded and the diagnosis of angioedema due to enalapril was established. The patient was discharged with discontinuation of ACEi with total resolution of symptoms and without relapse after several months. Although very rare, unilateral tongue swelling should be considered in the presentation of angioedema associated with ACEi. Tight surveillance is important to prevent fatal complications such as airway obstruction. ACEi discontinuation is crucial to avoid clinical relapse.

Coralline algae are important components in a large variety of ecosystems. Among them, rhodoliths are a group of free-living coralline red algae that cover extensive coastal areas, from tropical to polar regions. In contrast to other ecosystem engineers, limited research efforts preclude our understanding of their physiology, underlying mechanisms, drivers and potential differences related to species under varying environments. In this study, we investigated the photosynthetic and calcification mechanisms of six Atlantic rhodolith species from different latitudes, as well as intra-specific differences in one species from four locations. Laboratory incubations under varying light levels provided simultaneous photosynthesis- and calcification-irradiance curves, allowing the assessment of inter- and intra-specific differences on the coupling between these two processes. Stable isotope analysis and specific inhibitor experiments were performed to characterize and compare carbon-concentrating mechanisms (CCMs), as well as the involvement of specific ion-transporters for calcification. Our findings showed significant differences in rhodolith physiological mechanisms that were partially driven by local environmental conditions (light, temperature). High variability was found in the coupling between photosynthesis and calcification, in CCM-strategies, and in the importance of specific ion transporters and enzymes involved in calcification. While calcification was strongly correlated with photosynthesis in all species, the strength of this link was species-specific. Calcification was also found to be reliant on photosynthesis- and light-independent processes. The latter showed a high plasticity in their expression among species, also influenced by the local environment. Overall, our findings demonstrate that (1) rhodolith calcification is a biologically-controlled process and (2) the mechanisms associated with photosynthesis and calcification display a large variability among species, suggesting potential differences not only in their individual, but also community responses to environmental changes, such as climate change.

Sea urchins play an important role in island coastal ecosystems as keystone species and as potential resources for harvesting and aquaculture. In Southern Europe, the most valuable and harvested species is the European purple sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, but there is a growing interest to explore other edible species like the blunt sea urchin Sphaerechinus granularis. The echinoderms biodiversity of Madeira archipelago was previously described, but their local habitat, population densities and size distribution, important to establish their harvest and aquaculture potential, are poorly known. The present study aimed to evaluate S. granularis population in the oligotrophic and narrow insular shelf of Madeira archipelago, mainly regarding its habitat, densities, reproduction season and roe marketable characteristics. Sphaerechinus granularis was found in low densities (0.01 ind./m2) from shallow to deep reefs (5–30 m). The highest densities occurred in shallow waters and breakwaters in association to encrusting algae, turf and erect brown macroalgae. Here, the low primary productivity ecosystem influenced the long reproductive season of the local population. This population showed a relatively high gonadosomatic index (maximum GI of 8), high gonad weight (5.00–12.19 g) with high proportion of bright yellow and orange gonads (37.5–60%) between February and November. Additionally, the high level of total carotenoids, the high PUFA (particularly EPA) content, and the ratio n-6/n-3 close to one support the high nutritional value of S. granularis roe. The trend of incremental GI between September and November and the increasing content of PUFA in autumn suggests this could be the preferential harvesting season. This information is key to evaluate a sustainable exploitation of this living marine resource.

Giant cell arteritis is the most common type of systemic vasculitis. An increased risk of venous thromboembolism has been described in these patients. We report the case of a 79-year-old woman with a history of polymyalgia rheumatica, who presented with left thoracic pain radiating to the neck and scapula plus temporal headache. She had no changes on physical examination, but work-up tests showed increased D-dimer levels and computed tomography pulmonary angiography revealed signs of a chronic/subacute embolism in the right inferior lobe. Anticoagulation with edoxaban was started after 5-day bridging with enoxaparin. Three weeks after the initial diagnosis the headache still persisted and she developed scalp tenderness. Giant cell arteritis was diagnosed and treated with prednisolone, with complete resolution of symptoms. Extensive diagnostic work-up was performed to identify an alternative cause of pulmonary thromboembolism; however, the investigations were negative. This case supports the hypothesis that this type of vasculitis could be related to the occurrence of pulmonary embolism.

Price discovery function analyses the dynamics of futures and spot price behavior in an asset’s intertemporal dimensions. The present study examines the price discovery function of the bullion, metal, and energy commodity futures and spot prices through the Granger causality and Johansen–Juselius cointegration tests. The Granger causality test results show bidirectional causality between the spot and futures returns for gold, silver, aluminum, lead, nickel, and zinc. The Johansen cointegration test shows that spot and futures prices are in the long-run equilibrium path for silver, aluminum, lead, nickel, zinc, crude oil, and natural gas. The vector error correction model results suggest that both the spot and futures markets are equally efficient in price discovery for the nickel. The spot market leads the futures market in price discovery for copper and zinc. However, the futures market leads the spot market in price discovery for silver, aluminum, and lead. The findings of the study suggest the market participants for implementing hedging and arbitrage strategies. It also helps the market regulators to examine the stability of these rapidly growing commodity futures markets in India.

Este trabalho consistiu na caracterização geral das inserções da perspectiva freireana em pesquisas sobre formação inicial de professores das ciências da natureza (EC), focalizada em 16 artigos publicados de 2010 a 2020, e 21 teses e dissertações publicadas entre 2015 e 2020. A partir da Análise de Conteúdo, as unidades foram levantadas e analisadas por três processos: quantificação das menções nos artigos; levantamento das seções de teses e dissertações com menções a Freire; e categorização das menções nas dimensões ontológica, gnosiológica, metodológica, e transformação da realidade. Como resultados, evidenciamos que metade dos artigos trouxe até 5 menções ao referencial. Para as teses e dissertações, observamos que 21 pesquisas mencionaram Freire nas seções introdutórias, enquanto 17 também utilizaram seu referencial em discussões e conclusões, e 9 também basearam suas metodologias na perspectiva freireana. Ademais, notamos que a dimensão ontológica apareceu em todos os trabalhos, seguida da dimensão de transformação da realidade (em 30 pesquisas), gnosiológica (24) e metodológica (19). Assim, concluímos ser urgente uma maior aproximação do referencial freireano à formação de professores do EC, principalmente em âmbito metodológico.

Introduction Fifth metacarpal neck fractures are extremely common, but there is still no consensus regarding the ideal course of treatment. Volar angulation and shortening are decisive factors; however, there is still controversy about the cut-off values that translate into worse clinical results. The present study aims to answer these questions in order to provide additional data to aid in the clinical practice and decision making. Materials and Methods A retrospective study evaluated patients with fifth metacarpal fractures treated between 2013 and 2018. A total of 133 patients were included, with an average follow-up of 2 months. Surgery was performed in 21 patients, and 112 were treated conservatively. The radiological assessment of volar anguation and shortening was based in the first and last radiographs of the follow-up. The patients were contacted and submited to a questionnaire that included the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) score and subjective evaluations of pain (Visual Analogue Scale, VAS), hand strength, stiffness and finger mobility, and cosmetic result. Results Surgery was more successful in reducing angulation than the conservative treatment, achieving more anatomic final values for angulation and shortening (p 60° and final angulations > 50° were associated with worse cosmetic results (p = 0,039). Final shortening > 4 mm translated into a higher notion of stiffness and limited finger mobility (p = 0.034). More advanced age showed a correlation with higher scores on the VAS (p = 0.023) and QuickDASH (p

Rhodolith seabeds are ‘ecosystem engineers’ composed of free-living calcareous red macroalgae, which create extensive marine habitats. This study addressed how depth influenced the structure (size and morphology) of rhodoliths and the abundance of associated floral and faunal epibionts across the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. Sampling was carried out at two sites within five regions (Brittany, Galicia, Madeira, Gran Canaria, and Principe Island), from temperate to tropical, covering a latitudinal gradient of 47°, in three depth strata (shallow, intermediate and deep), according to the rhodolith bathymetrical range in each region. Depth typically affected the rhodolith size at all regions; the largest nodules were found in the intermediate and deep strata, while rhodolith sphericity was larger at the shallow depth strata. Higher biomasses of attached macroalgae (epiphytes) were observed at depths where rhodoliths were larger. The abundance of epifauna was variable across regions and depth strata. In general, the occurrence, structure, and abundance of the associated biota across rhodolith habitats were affected by depth, with local variability (i.e., sites within regions) often displaying a more significant influence than the regional (large-scale) variation. Overall, this study showed that the rhodolith morphology and associated epibionts (flora and fauna) were mostly affected by depth, irrespective of latitude.

Hybrid bioactive composite resins combine the benefits of glass ionomer cements with composite resins. Its self-adhesiveness is achieved through functional polyacrylic acids and carboxylic groups, hybridizing the smear layer and establishing ionic interactions between calcium and dentin. These materials are defined as having good aesthetics, moisture tolerance, durability, simplicity in technique and handling and are able to maintain a low microfiltration rate while releasing calcium, phosphate and fluorine. The aim of the present study was to evaluate microleakage in restorations using Surefill One™ bioactive resin. The null hypothesis is that this type of resin does not obtain a lower microleakage rate when compared to other materials. An in vitro study was carried out using thirty-six premolars and molars extracted for orthodontic reasons. Identical preparations were thus performed in all of them (Class V with 4 mm mesio-distal, 3 mm occluso-gingival and 3 mm in depth) and divided into different experimental groups: one positive control, one negative control and two tests with bioactive composite resin and conventional composite resin (Surefill One™ and Spectra™ ST HV, respectively). Through quantitative techniques using nuclear medicine, it was possible to evaluate microleakage through the use of a radioactive isotope, technetium. Radioactivity emitted by the specimens was detected by a gamma camera. The different groups were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis test and the Games–Howell test for multiple comparisons. The results of the experimental study point to statistically significant differences between the test groups (p = 0.002) with increased microleakage in the bioactive composite resin group. Based on the present microleakage study, it was possible to conclude that the bioactive composite resin (Surefill One™) does not reduce the microleakage rate when compared to a conventional nanohybrid composite resin (Spectra™ ST HV). However, Surefill One™ can be used in temporary restorations, primary teeth and in cases of tissue remineralization, thus avoiding more invasive procedures.

The warm-up is fundamental to optimize physical activity and exercise performance. However, little is known about the effect of warm-up in resistance training and strength performance. We performed a systematic review to synthesize and analyze the effects of different warm-up strategies in maximal and submaximal strength during resistance exercises. A search for studies was performed on four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and ScienceDirect) for original research published between May 1973 and December 2019. Eleven articles were selected according to the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies evaluated the effects of warm-up on maximal strength and the number of repetitions until failure. The results were not consensual regarding the use of general warm-up followed by a specific warm-up. Moreover, while some studies showed that specific warm-up did not lead to different results than without warm-up, others found that performing only the specific warm-up was the best way to obtain maximal strength performance. It seemed that the maximal strength and the number of repetitions could be positively affected when a specific warm-up is performed at loads close to the maximum. Further studies are needed to deepen the knowledge about the preparation procedures for optimizing resistance exercise performances. Keywords: pre-exercise, general warm-up, specific warm-up, strength, performance.

The diversity of data collected on both social networks and digital interfaces is extremely increased, raising the problem of heterogeneous variables that are not often favourable to classification algorithms. Despite the significant improvement in machine learning (ML) and predictive analysis efficiency for classification in customer relationship management systems (CRM), their performance remains very limited by heterogeneous data processing, class imbalance, and feature scales. This impact turned out to be more important for simple ML methods which in addition often suffer from over-fitting. This paper proposes a succinct and detailed ML model building process including cross-validation of the combination of SMOTE to balance data and ensemble methods for modelling. From the conducted experiments, the random forest (RF) model yielded the best performance of 0.86 in terms of accuracy and f1-scoreusing balanced data. It confirms the literature summary about this topic which shows that RF was among the most effective algorithms for customer predictive classification issues. The constructed and optimized models were interpreted by Shapley values and feature importance analysis which shows that the “age” feature was the most significant while “HasCrCard” was the less one. This process has proven effective in bridging previously reported research gaps and the resulting model should be used for supporting bank customer loyalty decision-making.

The sustainable financial behavior and financial well-being have been a key concern among the developing societies; thereby encompassing the various psychological factors which play a role in influencing individual's positive financial behavior and financial well-being, this study is conducted. Research focusing on the psychological aspect of human financial behavior and well-being is scarce, focusing more on the cognitive side such as financial literacy and numeracy. The aim of this research study is to find the role played by the non-cognitive factors such as self-esteem, self-control, optimism and deliberative thinking, in forming the financial behavior and financial well-being of the young adults. A sample of 429 university students from public and private sector was collected via an online and field survey using purposive sampling technique. The survey contained measures for demographics, self-esteem, optimism, deliberative thinking, self-control, general financial behavior and financial well-being. SPSS and PLS-SEM tools were used for the exploration of the relationships among dependent and independent variables. The results of PLS path analysis demonstrate that among the non-cognitive factors, self-control and deliberative thinking show a significant association with both financial behavior, and financial security. Self-esteem plays no significant role in forming the financial behavior of the young adults when all the variables are taken together but it exhibits a significant association with financial well-being (financial security and financial anxiety). Optimism on the other hand exhibits no significant association with both financial behavior and financial well-being (financial security and financial anxiety). The results of this study complement the previous studies and also put forth new outcomes. This research is unique as it is the first of its kind conducted in a consumption-oriented economy like Pakistan. In addition to the previous studies which have often established the link of self-esteem with general well-being, this study goes further by analyzing the association between self-esteem and financial well-being and by the identification of the role played by non-cognitive factors like self-esteem, optimism, deliberative thinking and self-control together on the financial behavior and financial well-being of the individuals using PLS-SEM approach.

Polyarteritis nodosa is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis that typically affects medium-sized muscular arteries, with occasional involvement of small muscular arteries. Most cases of polyarteritis nodosa are idiopathic but multiple infectious agents have been associated with this disease. We present a clinical case of a 72-year-old male with fever, diarrhoea and haemodynamic instability, diagnosed with a bacterial infection caused by Salmonella Typhi. One week after clinical resolution of the infection, the patient developed purpuric lesions with ulcers, pustules and necrotic areas accompanied by testicular pain and weight loss of 5 kg over the previous 15 days. A skin biopsy was performed and it revealed typical histologic signs of polyarteritis nodosa. The aetiologic association between bacteria of the genus Salmonella and polyarteritis nodosa has been previously described in the scientific literature but seldom meeting classification criteria and with histologic confirmation.

This paper presents an evaluation and comparison of interaction methods for the configuration and visualization of pervasive Augmented Reality (AR) experiences using two different platforms: desktop and mobile. AR experiences consist of the enhancement of real-world environments by superimposing additional layers of information, real-time interaction, and accurate 3D registration of virtual and real objects. Pervasive AR extends this concept through experiences that are continuous in space, being aware of and responsive to the user’s context and pose. Currently, the time and technical expertise required to create such applications are the main reasons preventing its widespread use. As such, authoring tools which facilitate the development and configuration of pervasive AR experiences have become progressively more relevant. Their operation often involves the navigation of the real-world scene and the use of the AR equipment itself to add the augmented information within the environment. The proposed experimental tool makes use of 3D scans from physical environments to provide a reconstructed digital replica of such spaces for a desktop-based method, and to enable positional tracking for a mobile-based one. While the desktop platform represents a non-immersive setting, the mobile one provides continuous AR in the physical environment. Both versions can be used to place virtual content and ultimately configure an AR experience. The authoring capabilities of the different platforms were compared by conducting a user study focused on evaluating their usability. Although the AR interface was generally considered more intuitive, the desktop platform shows promise in several aspects, such as remote configuration, lower required effort, and overall better scalability.

Abstract: Bone metastasis in gastric cancer is uncommon and usually emerges as a recurrence of cancer and in a later stage of the disease. Therefore, spine metastasis as an initial presentation of gastric adenocarcinoma is a rare event. We present the case of an 82-year-old woman, with a history of prolonged lumbar pain and no gastrointestinal symptoms. A lumbar computed tomography scan identified multiple osteolytic lesions and upon additional investigation we found a Gastric Adenocarcinoma as the primary tumor. She initiated palliative radiotherapy and best supportive care. Resumen: Las metástasis óseas en el cáncer gástrico son poco frecuentes y normalmente se detectan como recurrencia de un tumor o en estadios avanzados de la enfermedad. Por ello, esta forma de presentación en un adenocarcinoma gástrico es infrecuente. Presentamos el caso de una paciente de 82 años con historia de dolor lumbar de larga evolución y ausencia de síntomas gastro-intestinales. Una tomografía lumbar identificó múltiples lesiones osteolíticas y tras estudios complementarios se encontró un adenocarcinoma gástrico como tumor primario. Se inició tratamiento paliativo con radioterapia y de soporte.

The aim of this study was to highlight the effect of corporate philanthropy (CP) on consumer patronage behavior. For this purpose, reciprocity was taken as the key mechanism which determines consumers’ willingness to participate in and buy goods or services of a company performing philanthropic activities. The moderating effect of trust and vicarious licensing was also studied. Considering the importance of CP to society and its residents, it is essential to recognize its effect on consumer patronage behavior. To accomplish this objective, data were collected from 340 respondents via a questionnaire. The results of this research revealed that reciprocity shows a statistically significantly positive association with both participation intention (R = 0.729, R2 = 0.531, p = 0.000, b = 0.740) and purchasing intention (R = 0.71, R2 = 0.534, p = 0.000, b = 0.878). Similarly, trust strengthens the relationship of reciprocity with both participation intention (b = 0.250) and purchasing intention (b = 0.310). However, vicarious licensing weakens the relationship of reciprocity with both participation intention (b = −0.175) and purchasing intention (b = −0.187). The mediation effect of participation intention was also examined in this study. The results of this research will contribute to the benefit of society, since philanthropy plays a vital role in society’s progress. The greater response of consumers towards companies performing philanthropic activities justifies the importance of CP.

This study aims to apply value at risk (VaR) and expected shortfall (ES) as time-varying systematic and idiosyncratic risk factors to address the downside risk anomaly of various asset pricing models currently existing in the Pakistan stock exchange. The study analyses the significance of high minus low VaR and ES portfolios as a systematic risk factor in one factor, three-factor, and five-factor asset pricing model. Furthermore, the study introduced the six-factor model, deploying VaR and ES as the idiosyncratic risk factor. The theoretical and empirical alteration of traditional asset pricing models is the study’s contributions. This study reported a strong positive relationship of traditional market beta, value at risk, and expected shortfall. Market beta pertains its superiority in estimating the time-varying stock returns. Furthermore, value at risk and expected shortfall strengthen the effects of traditional beta impact on stock returns, signifying the proposed six-factor asset pricing model. Investment and profitability factors are redundant in conventional asset pricing models.

This article presents an assessment of the challenges facing the use of small locally manufactured wind turbines as a rural electrification solution for the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua. Strongly based on the authors work experience at the non-profit, non-governmental organization blueEnergy, this assessment makes an objective analysis of the technical, social, economic and organizational challenges faced by blueEnergy when using small wind turbines for rural electrification. The article provides detail on the challenges faced and puts forward methodologies and technologies to overcome or to detect and avoid these. Based on the challenges faced, a set of key factors that are essential for the success of small wind turbines in other contexts is proposed, together with two methodologies for a preliminary feasibility assessment.

Iron is a critical element for most organisms, which plays a fundamental role in the great majority of physiological processes. So much so, that disruption of iron homeostasis has severe multi-organ impacts with the brain being particularly sensitive to such modifications. More specifically, disruption of iron homeostasis in the brain can affect neurophysiological mechanisms, cognition, and social behavior, which eventually contributes to the development of a diverse set of neuro-pathologies. This article starts by exploring the mechanisms of iron action in the brain and follows with a discussion on cognitive and behavioral implications of iron deficiency and overload and how these are framed by the social context. Subsequently, we scrutinize the implications of the disruption of iron homeostasis for the onset and progression of psychosocial disorders. Lastly, we discuss the links between biological, psychological, and social dimensions and outline potential avenues of research. The study of these interactions could ultimately contribute to a broader understanding of how individuals think and act under physiological and pathophysiological conditions.

This paper analyzes People's Republic of China (PRC) economic and political ascendance in the 21st century focusing on the evolution of the sui generis economic development model and its significances of the evolution of relationship between China and the developing countries in the peripheral "Global South." The objective of this article is to analyze the relationship between China and the Global South (Africa and South America) in the 21st century, characterized as a new Center-periphery global network power based on trade and investment that we call as "Asian Consensus."

Purpose. To report the long-term clinical outcomes after switching from intravitreal bevacizumab or ranibizumab to aflibercept therapy in eyes with AMD. Methods. Retrospective analysis of changes in BCVA, SD-OCT image, and frequency of injections after 1, 2, and 3 years of follow-up. Results. 164 eyes were analyzed, 101 eyes switched from bevacizumab (group 1) and 63 from ranibizumab (group 2). One year after the switch, there was an overall nonsignificant mean decrease of 2 ETDRS letters in BCVA. Three years after, there was an overall mean decrease of 7 ETDRS letters, which was statistically significant. A significant improvement in the mean CRT was found at 1, 2, and 3 years. There was a significant decrease in the mean number of injections per year (7.8 to 6.5, p

Resumo do projeto de investigação apresentado no Encontro Internacional de Doutorandos de Enfermagem da Universidade de Lisboa, Maio de 2016.

To meet the challenging key performance indicators of the fifth generation (5G) system, the network infrastructure becomes more heterogeneous and complex. This will bring a high pressure on the reduction of OPEX and the improvement of the user experience. Hence, shifting today's manual and semi-automatic network management into an autonomic and intelligent framework will play a vital role in the upcoming 5G system. Based on the cutting-edge technologies, such as Software-Defined Networking and Network Function Virtualization, a novel management framework upon the software-defined and Virtualized Network is proposed by EU H2020 SELFNET project. In the paper, the reference architecture of SELFNET, which is divided into Infrastructure Layer, Virtualized Network Layer, SON Control Layer, SON Autonomic Layer, NFV Orchestration and Management Layer, and Access Layer, will be presented.

The purpose of this study was to verify the association between unhealthy weight and academic performance and the influence of physical activity level (PAL) in elementary school children. This study was conducted with 450 elementary school students (50% girls) enrolled in 1st to 4th grades. PAL was assessed by self-reported questionnaire of typical physical activity and daily food intake (DAFA). Academic achievement (Portuguese and Mathematics) was estimated based on the academic performance system of public schools from Recife/Brazil. Binary logistic regression was used to verify the association between unhealthy weight (underweight and overweight) and normal weight with academic performance. The results showed that 26.6% of the students presented overweight, 11.1% presented underweight, 49.1% and 50.9% were classified as high and low PAL, respectively. In addition, 56.9% had sufficient academic performance in Portuguese and 51.1% had sufficient academic performance in Mathematics. Students with overweight presented higher odds for insufficient performance in Portuguese when compared to normal weight counterparts, even when adjusted for reported PAL, gender and age (OR = 1.69; 95%CI: 1.08-2.64). The results corroborate with evidences that unhealthy weight is associated with poor academic performance in children.

Background. Mitral valve calcification and intima media thickness (IMT) are common complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) implicated with high cardiovascular mortality. Objective. To investigate the implication of magnesium and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) levels with mitral valve calcification and IMT in CKD diabetic patients. Methods. Observational, prospective study involving 150 diabetic patients with mild to moderate CKD, divided according to Wilkins Score. Carotid-echodoppler and transthoracic echocardiography were used to assess calcification. Statistical tests used to establish comparisons between groups, to identify risk factors, and to establish cut-off points for prediction of mitral valve calcification. Results. FGF-23 values continually increased with higher values for both IMT and calcification whereas the opposite trend was observed for magnesium. FGF-23 and magnesium were found to independently predict mitral valve calcification and IMT (P

Our purpose is to report a clinical case of bilateral macular edema caused by malignant hypertension in a 35-year old male. Patient presented with bilateral low visual acuity, massive macular edema, retinal hemorrhages and papilledema. Soon after he was diagnosed with other target-organ lesions, on heart and kidneys. After months of controlled blood pressure, an increase in visual acuity and a small decrease of macular edema, we effectively treated the lower vision eye with two intravitreal ranibizumab 0,5 mg injections, improving anatomy and function on both eyes. Even though we only treated one eye with ranibizumab, the contralateral eye also improved visual acuity and central macular thickness. This probably happened due to systemic absorption of ranibizumab. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ranibizumab use in macular edema due to malignant hypertension.

É sobejamente conhecido o potencial das aplicações de tecnologias de informação para a melhoria do funcionamento das organizações ou ainda para a obtenção de vantagens competitivas. É incontornável que as Escolas de Ensino Superior devam integrar os professores no processo de mudança organizacional aquando da decisão de implantação de um LMS. Mas para que esse processo tenha sucesso, é necessário que o profissional responsável pela implantação não negligencie nas suas ações/iniciativas a opinião de todos os stakelhoders ao mesmo tempo que deve estar atento a manifestações de resistência. Contudo estes processos nem sempre são bem conduzidos, verificando-se que existem ações/iniciativas sem efeitos, e que levam a que surjam “grupos de professores” que boicotam o uso da tecnologia. É assim importante que o profissional responsável pelo processo de mudança tenha conhecimento acerca de ações/iniciativas e quais os efeitos das mesmas, para que consiga obter sucesso na implantação da tecnologia.

For many years endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation have been the standard of care for very low birth weight infants but, in the last decade, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) has been described in many studies as an option for the treatment of preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome. In fact, recent studies have shown that early nCPAP is not associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality and does not imply more days of ventilation support when compared to traditional ventilation techniques. The authors conducted a study to compare the outcomes (in terms of mortality, morbidity and need for medical support) of very low birth weight infants treated with nCPAP or endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. One hundred and four newborns were enrolled in this study, 44 (42.3%) were treated with nCPAP and 60 (57.7%) with endotracheal intubation followed by mechanical ventilation. A subgroup analysis of newborns with gestational age between 28 and 31 weeks was also performed. It included 57 newborns with similar demographic characteristics, 29 (50.9%) treated with nCPAP and 28 (49.1%) with endotracheal intubation followed by mechanical ventilation. No statistically significant differences were found in the frequency of death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Statistically significant differences were found in the prevalence of hyaline membrane disease (p = 0.033) and surfactant administration (p = 0.021) with lower rates in the nCPAP group. No other differences were found in the prevalence of other morbidities or in the need for medical support after birth. These results suggests that nCPAP might be chosen as primary ventilatory support choice in very low birth weight preterm, when there are no contraindications to its use.

Various research projects often involve determining the relative position of genomic coordinates, intervals, single nucleotide variations (SNVs), insertions, deletions and translocations with respect to genes and their potential impact on protein translation. Due to the tremendous increase in throughput brought by the use of next-generation sequencing, investigators are routinely faced with the need to annotate very large datasets. We present Segtor, a tool to annotate large sets of genomic coordinates, intervals, SNVs, indels and translocations. Our tool uses segment trees built using the start and end coordinates of the genomic features the user wishes to use instead of storing them in a database management system. The software also produces annotation statistics to allow users to visualize how many coordinates were found within various portions of genes. Our system currently can be made to work with any species available on the UCSC Genome Browser. Segtor is a suitable tool for groups, especially those with limited access to programmers or with interest to analyze large amounts of individual genomes, who wish to determine the relative position of very large sets of mapped reads and subsequently annotate observed mutations between the reads and the reference. Segtor (http://lbbc.inca.gov.br/segtor/) is an open-source tool that can be freely downloaded for non-profit use. We also provide a web interface for testing purposes.