Measuring efficiency and productivity growth of new technology-based firms in business incubators: the Portuguese case study of Madan Parque.

Business incubators can play a major role in helping to turn a business idea into a technology-based organization that is economically efficient. However, there is a shortage in the literature regarding the efficiency evaluation and productivity evolution of the new technology-based firms (NTBFs) in the incubation scope. This study develops a model based on the data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology, which allows the incubated NTBFs to evaluate and improve the efficiency of their management. Moreover, the Malmquist index is used to examine productivity change. The index is decomposed into multiple components to give insights into the root sources of productivity change. The proposed model was applied in a case study with 13 NTBFs incubated. From that study, we conclude that inefficient firms invest excessively in research and development (R&D), and, on average, firms have a productivity growth in the period of study.

Prevalence and severity of hepatopulmonary syndrome and its influence on survival in cirrhotic patients evaluated for liver transplantation.

The prevalence of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) and its influence on survival before and after liver transplantation (LT) remain controversial. Additionally, the chronology of post-LT reversibility is unclear. This study prospectively analyzed 316 patients with cirrhosis who were evaluated for LT in 2002-2007; 177 underwent LT at a single reference hospital. HPS was defined by a partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2 ) <70 mmHg and/or an alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (A-a PO2 ) ≥20 mmHg in the supine position and positive contrast echocardiography. The prevalence of HPS was 25.6% (81/316 patients), and most patients (92.6%) had mild or moderate HPS. High Child-Pugh scores and the presence of ascites were independently associated with HPS. Patients with and without HPS did not significantly differ in LT waiting list survival (mean 34.6 months vs. 41.6 months, respectively; log-rank, p = 0.13) or post-LT survival (mean 45 months vs. 47.6 months, respectively; log-rank, p = 0.62). HPS was reversed in all cases within 1 year after LT. One-fourth of the patients with cirrhosis who were evaluated for LT had HPS (mostly mild to moderate); the presence of HPS did not affect LT waiting list survival. HPS was always reversed after LT, and patient prognosis did not worsen.

Effects of a music-based intervention on psychophysiological outcomes of patients undergoing medical imaging procedures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Musical intervention (MI) is a valuable strategy for addressing the psychological and emotional challenges faced by patients undergoing imaging procedures. This study explores MI's impact on psychophysiological outcomes during imaging procedures, detailing the sound repertoire and technical characteristics employed in MI. METHODS: A systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis (MA) were conducted. Electronic database searches of PubMed, Web-of-Science, and Scopus were performed encompassing original randomised research and quasi-experimental articles published until June 2023. RESULTS: Thirteen articles were included in this SR, scoring between 23 and 68 on the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Checklist. Four articles were included to perform a MA concerning anxiety and heart rate (HR) outcomes. Most studies utilised digital playlists as the medium for MI. Headphones were commonly used, with an average volume of 50-60 dB and a musical frequency of 60-80 beats/min. While authors generally preferred selecting musical genres for the repertoire, two articles specifically chose Johann Pachelbel's "Canon in D major" as their musical theme. In terms of psychological parameters, the experimental groups exhibited lower anxiety values than the control groups, with further reductions after MI. However, MA shows that this trend is only marginally significant. Patient comfort and overall examination experience showed improvement with MI. Regarding physiological parameters, HR, especially in the final phase of the examination, was significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Across multiple studies, MI demonstrated the ability to reduce anxiety and HR. However, no specific music repertoire emerged as the most effective. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: MI arises as a painless, reliable, low-cost, and side-effect-free strategy, presenting imaging departments with a practical means to enhance patient comfort and mitigate anxiety and stress during medical procedures.

Depressive symptomatology, temperament and oxytocin serum levels in a sample of healthy female university students.

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptomatology is prevalent among female university students with adverse effects on their quality of life and academic performance. Previous research suggested associations between depressive symptomatology and oxytocin levels and between depressive symptomatology and Temperament Traits. Despite this evidence, to the best of our knowledge no research has studied the effects fboth oxytocin serum levels and temperament dimensions on depressivesymptoms in a healthy sample. The present study aimed to analyse the effect of oxytocin levels and temperament traits on depressive symptomatology in healthy female university students. METHODS: All participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory and the Adult Temperament Questionnaire. Blood samples were collected between 8 and 8H30 a.m. after 12 h of fasting and between 5 and 8 day of the menstrual cycle and serum oxytocin levels were quantified using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A hierarchical multiple regression model using a stepwise method was conducted to identify predictors of depression. RESULTS: Forty-five women aged between 18 and 25 years old (19.37 ± 1.32 years) volunteered to participate in this study. Depressive symptomatology was negatively associated with oxytocin serum levels and "Negative affect" and positively associated with "Effortful control" and "Activation Control". In the final regression model, only oxytocin level was a predictor (B = - 0.090, p < 0.0001), the model explaining 65.2% of the depression variation. Oxytocin played a mediation role between "Negative affects" and Depressive symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that oxytocin level, rather than personality dimensions, was associated with depressive symptomatology. These results highlight the relevance of the discussion on the use of oxytocin as a biological marker of emotional and social symptoms that characterize depression.

Anxiety experienced by oncological patients who undergo 18F-FDG PET CT: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Anxiety is an emotional reaction often experienced by patients who undergo Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG). This systematic review aimed to summarise the evidence currently available considering the anxiety experienced by adult oncological patients concerning pre and post 18F-FDG PET/CT examination and the factors contributing to anxiety. METHODS: A systematic review search of CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus and Web Science databases and other manual search sources, was conducted from November to February 2021. The research included articles published from January 2000 to December 2020. It included quantitative studies, which analysed the anxiety experienced by oncological patients who had undergone 18F-FDG PET/CT. RESULTS: Ten articles met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The studies selected were published between 2011 and 2020 and carried out in five countries. Anxiety experienced by patients was evaluated at the various stages of the 18F-FDG PET/CT, eight studies assessed it in the pre-examination, seven studies in the post-examination and five studies at both times. Four main anxiety factors were found: patients' clinical situation, first-time patients' examination, scan procedure, and patients concern with the examination result. CONCLUSION: Moderate to high levels of anxiety are present in most of the patients who undergo the examination. This review also highlights several factors related to the anxiety levels through different procedure moments. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results of this research will allow health professionals to adjust non-pharmacological strategies to decrease anxiety levels in oncological patients undergoing 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Hepatic and blood lead levels in patients with chronic liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between lead levels in the liver and blood, liver function indices and other biological variables in patients with liver disease. DESIGN: Prospective study. METHOD: The levels of lead in blood and hepatic tissue was measured in 92 patients with different liver diseases and in a control group (n = 100). Lead levels were analysed by electrothermic atomic absorption spectrophotometry. RESULTS: For controls, the mean lead level in blood was 175 +/- 87 micrograms/l. Blood lead levels were significantly linked with alcohol intake. They were raised in patients with alcoholic liver disease, including both those with cirrhosis (230 +/- 65 micrograms/l) and those with chronic non-cirrhotic liver disease (247 +/- 82 micrograms/l). The differences between these subgroups, the control group, and the patients with non-alcoholic liver disease were statistically significant. The mean hepatic lead level for patients was 2.30 +/- 1.40 micrograms/g dry weight (d.w.), and 2.15 +/- 1.71 micrograms/g d.w. for controls (not significant). Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis had higher hepatic lead levels than non-alcoholic patients (2.62 +/- 1.48 micrograms/g d.w. versus 2.07 +/- 1.14 micrograms/g d.w., respectively), although the difference was not statistically significant. There was no relationship between blood and hepatic lead levels (r = 0.27; not significant). Blood lead levels correlated with phosphorus (r = -0.36; P < 0.001), and alcohol intake (g/day; r = 0.32; P < 0.001). Blood and hepatic lead levels in patients with cirrhosis were similar for patients with Child-Pugh class A, B and C disease. CONCLUSIONS: Increased levels of lead were found in the blood of patients who consumed alcohol and those with alcoholic liver disease. Our data suggest that both blood and hepatic lead levels are not influenced by changes in liver function.

[The toxic shock syndrome versus the adult Kawasaki syndrome. The diagnostic difficulties]. / Síndrome del shock tóxico frente a síndrome de Kawasaki del adulto. Dificultades diagnósticas.

The case of a 18-year-old woman with the toxic shock syndrome (TSS) associated to a staphylococcal infection in the maxillary sinus is presented. The initial course of the disease was clinically superposed to a Kawasaki syndrome (KS). Both entities, of purely clinical diagnosis, possess many common elements occasionally making differentiation extremely difficult. The clinical data that may orient diagnosis to one of the processes was analyzed. Finally, it is emphasized that the paranasal sinus must be considered as an occult foci in those cases of TSS in which there is no apparent foci of infection.

[Serum enzyme alterations during diabetic ketoacidosis. Prospective study of the behaviour of AP, AsAT, AIAT, and GGPT in 24 cases (author's transl)]. / Modificaciones enzimáticas séricas en el curso de la cetoacidosis diabética. Estudio prospectivo del comportamiento de la FA, AsAT, AIAT y GGTP en 24 casos.

Because of the scarcity of data on the changes of serum enzymes during diabetic ketoacidosis, the authors have prospectively studied the alterations of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP), alkaline phosphatase (AP), aspartate aminotransferase (AsAT), and alanine aminotransferase (AIAT) in this metabolic disturbance. The most significant finding was the frequent increase of AP activity on admission, with a systematic fall of the serum levels within the first 24 hours (p less than 0.001). This phenomenon was negatively correlated with patients' age (p less than 0.05), and the same occurred with the bone isoenzyme of AP (p less than 0.01). The remaining enzymes studies were always normal, thus suggesting that any increase of the serum levels of GGTP, AsAT, and AIAT found in a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis must arise the suspicion of an associated disturbance.

Developmental studies on creatine kinase. Isoenzyme in rat gastrointestinal tract.

Creatine kinase activity and its isoenzymatic profile in rat intestinal mucose during normal development have been studied. Creatine kinase enzymatic activity increased stepwise during fetal development and the first week of life. An isoenzymatic pattern of exclusively CK-BB types occurred in all segments of the digestive tract during the early fetal stage. The isoenzyme profile of creatine kinase in the esophagic tissue with advancing maturation of the fetus shifted in the same way as in adults, with preferential concentration of CK-MM. However, CK-BB continued to be the main isoenzyme in the rest of the digestive tract. Our results show that rats are particularly suitable for experimental studies of intestinal creatine kinase isoenzymes.

[Epidemiological aspects of gastric adenocarcinoma in the Southern Seville area]. / Aspectos epidemiológicos del adenocarcinoma gástrico en el área sur de Sevilla.

We performed a basic epidemiological study of gastric adenocarcinoma in the Southern Seville area, with Valme Hospital as the reference center. All cases with an endoscopic diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma carried out in our center from May 1982 through December 1987 were included in the study. Basically, the following variables were evaluated: the sex and age distribution of the neoplasia, and its mean and yearly incidence during the study period, both as a whole and in the different natural regions of the Southern Seville area. The mean age of the patients with gastric adenocarcinoma was 67 +/- 1.5; 62.8% were males and 37.2% females, with a male/female ratio of 1.68/1. The mea incidence during the study period was 5.93 cases for 100,000/year. The yearly incidence showed a mild and progressive increase until 1986 with a decrease in 1987.

Anomalous creatine kinase isoenzymes in serum from patients with rectal carcinoma.

Sera from eight patients with biopsy-proven rectal carcinoma were assayed for creatine kinase (CK). Two of the patients had enzyme activity: one with the BB and the other with an MB isoenzyme. We think that our results may be of interest because the detection of anomalous isoenzymes of CK in serum ma serve as a diagnostic marker or as an indicator of the effectiveness of treatment.