What do Portuguese cardiologists think and feel about their work?

Introduction And Objectives: This study reports the results of an online survey carried out by the Portuguese Society of Cardiology about its medical members' work characteristics before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, their job satisfaction, work motivation, and burnout.

Methods: A sample of 157 participants answered a questionnaire with demographic, professional, and health-related information, followed by questionnaires on job satisfaction and motivation designed and validated for this study and a Portuguese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and MANOVA, considering gender, professional level, and sector of activity, respectively.

Influence of buffer solutions in the adsorption of human serum proteins onto layered double hydroxide.

The adsorption of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) and human serum albumin (HSA) on a non-calcined Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (3:1 Mg-Al LDH) was studied in batch and fixed bed experiments, focusing on the effect of buffer solution and pH over sorbent uptake. Mg-Al LDH was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N adsorption-desorption isotherms at -196°C, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Zero point charge (pHzpc), particle size distribution and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR). Batch adsorption experiments were performed in order to investigate the effects of pH on IgG and HSA adsorption with different buffers: sodium acetate (ACETATE), sodium phosphate (PHOSPHATE), 3-(N-morpholino) propanesulfonic acid (MOPS), 4-(2-Hydroxyethyl)piperazine-1-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) and trizma-hydrochloric acid (TRIS-HCl).

Spontaneous Coronary Dissection: "Live Flash" Optical Coherence Tomography Guided Angioplasty.

Optical Coherence tomography (OCT) is a light-based imaging modality which shows tremendous potential in the setting of coronary imaging. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an infrequent cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The diagnosis of SCAD is made mainly with invasive coronary angiography, although adjunctive imaging modalities such as computed tomography angiography, IVUS, and OCT may increase the diagnostic yield.

Background values for evaluation of heavy metal contamination in sediments in the Parnaíba River Delta estuary, NE/Brazil.

This study establishes regional background levels and upper thresholds (geochemical baseline) for Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Mn, and Fe from surface samples and profiles taken in 16 sedimentary environments of the Parnaíba River Delta estuary, NE-Brazil. Three approaches were applied to evaluate metal contamination: normalization to Fe, statistical analysis and sediment quality guidelines or environmental assessment criteria (TEL-PEL). Metal concentrations in sediments ranged from 2.

Sediment quality assessment in a tropical estuary: the case of Ceará River, Northeastern Brazil.

The present study aimed to assess the sediment quality in a tropical estuary located in the northeast of Brazil under semi-arid conditions and multiple sources of contamination, using both toxicity bioassays and metal distribution. The metal distribution followed a concentration gradient decreasing one order of magnitude from the inner station toward the outer estuary, with amounts in the following order: Fe > Al > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu. The index of geoaccumulation indicated a metal enrichment in the Ceará river sediment, mainly at inner sites, considered from moderately to strongly contaminated by Al, Cu, Cr and Zn.

Exclusively endoscopic surgery for juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.

Objective: To present the indications of nasal endoscopic surgery for treating juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA).

Study Design: Chart review.

Materials And Methods: Twelve patients underwent nasal endoscopic surgery exclusively to resect JNA from January 2001 to June 2004.

Role of mast cells and pro-inflammatory mediators on the intestinal secretion induced by cholera toxin.

Recent data suggest that diarrhea caused by Vibrio cholerae involves a pro-inflammatory mediators release, such as cytokines, prostaglandin and nitric oxide. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of mast cells and their mediators in the intestinal secretion induced by cholera toxin. We examined the dose responses, time course and role of mast cells and pro-inflammatory mediators in cholera toxin intestinal secretory response, in vivo.