Este trabalho é dividido em uma revisão taxonômica do gênero Pseudophallus Herald 1940 e em um estudo osteológico de P. brasiliensis. Pseudophallus foi descrito a partir de duas espécies distribuídas nas drenagens costeiras do Oceano Pacífico no continente americano (P. starskii e P. elcapitanensis) e posteriormente foi incluída uma espécie das drenagens costeiras do Oceano Atlântico, P. mindii, com ocorrência registrada até recentemente entre o estado de São Paulo, Brasil até Belize na América Central, incluindo as ilhas do Caribe. Em 1974 foi descrita uma nova espécie, P. brasiliensis, com base em exemplares coletados no Rio Tocantins com contagens merísticas mais baixas do que os exemplares da América Central e do resto do território brasileiro. Além disso, os exemplares brasileiros apresentavam uma variação clinal decrescente em sentido Sul-Norte nas contagens merísticas. Em 1982 esta espécie foi sinonimizada com P. mindii pelo fato de outros exemplares coletados em localidades distintas apresentarem valores merísticos próximos aos dos exemplares coletados no Rio Tocantins, indicando que esses valores mais baixos eram resultado de variação intraespecífica ao longo da distribuição de P. mindii. A fim de investigar a variação intraespecífica em P. mindii foi proposta uma revisão taxonômica de P. mindii que acabou se desdobrando em uma revisão do gênero Pseudophallus. Foram analisados caracteres morfométricos e merísticos de 443 exemplares de todas as espécies de Pseudophallus, provenientes de todas suas distribuições nas drenagens do Atlântico e do Pacífico e incluindo material-tipo. Cinco espécies puderam ser reconhecidas: P. elcapitanensis e P. starksii nas drenagens costeiras do Oceano Pacífico, P. mindii e P. brasiliensis nas drenagens do Oceano Atlântico, revalidando P. brasiliensis, e uma espécie nova endêmica do Lago Izabal na Guatemala. Estas espécies são redefinidas e redescritas, com algumas considerações taxonômicas e biogeográficas. Na segunda parte deste trabalho, abordou-se de forma exploratória a osteologia de P. brasiliensis com intuito de se familiarizar com o esqueleto de Syngnathidae e abordar questões nomenclaturais de sua anatomia. A família Syngnathidae é representada por diferentes espécies de peixes cachimbo, cavalos marinhos e dragões marinhos, com um grande conjunto de características que tornam esse grupo facilmente identificável como o corpo coberto por anéis ósseos, maxilase dêntulas, ausência de nadadeiras pélvicas e ossos intermusculares, abertura opercular reduzida a um poro na membrana opercular e principalmente pelo fato dos machos carregarem os ovos fecundados em uma bolsa incubadora. Embora seja um grupo tão peculiar e distinto morfologicamente, estudos osteológicos são raros e focados principalmente nos cavalos marinhos (gênero Hippocampus) e não existem trabalhos filogenéticos com base em caracteres morfológicos. Neste estudo foi possível levantar informações acerca da osteologia de P. brasiliensis que permitiram comparar e discutir questões da morfologia deste grupo que foram debatidas ao longo dos anos em diferentes trabalhos disponíveis na literatura, como a questão da existência do metapterigóide, composição dos arcos branquiais e da cintura peitoral. A osteologia de P. brasiliensis foi estudada levando em consideração essas questões a fim de se criar uma base para futuros estudos anatômicos e filogenéticos do grupo / This work is divided in a taxonomic review of the genus Pseudophallus Herald 1940 and an osteological study of P. brasiliensis. Pseudophallus was described based on two species occurring on the coastal drainages of the Pacific Ocean in the new world (P. starskii and P. elcapitanensis) and later, an additional species from the coastal drainages of the Atlantic Ocean, P. mindii, with a distribution ranging until recently from the Brazilian state of São Paulo, to Belize in Central America, including the Caribbean islands. In 1974 a new species, P. brasiliensis, was described based on specimens collected in the Tocantins River with lower meristic counts than the Central American specimens and the ones from the rest of the Brazilian territory. Besides that, the Brazilian specimens presented a decreasing clinal variation in a South-to-North direction in some meristic counts. In 1982 this species was synonymized with P. mindii due to the fact that specimens collected in other localities presented meristic counts similar to those collected in the Tocantins River, indicating that these lower counts were due to an intraspecific variation along the distribution of P. mindii. In order to investigate this intraspecific variation in P. mindii, a taxonomic review was proposed which became a taxonomic review of the genus Pseudophallus. In total 443 specimens, including type material, of all the species of Pseudophallus from along their entire distribution on the Atlantic and Pacific drainages had their meristic and morphometric characters studied. Five species are recognized: P. elcapitanensis and P. starksii from the Pacific drainages, P. mindii and P. brasiliensis from the Atlantic drainages, revalidating P. brasiliensis, and a new species endemic of the Lake Izabal, in Guatemala. Those species were redefined and redescribed herein, with some comments on their taxonomy and biogeography. On the second part of this study, an exploratory study on the osteology of P. brasiliensis was conducted, with the purpose of getting familiar with the osteology of the Syngnathidae and to address nomenclatural questions of their anatomy. The Syngnathidae are represented by different species of pipefishes, seahorses and seadragons, with a great array of characteristics that make this group easily recognizable such as the body armor, edentulous jaws, absence of pelvic fins and intermuscular bones, gill opening reduced to a pore on the opercular membrane and mainly by the fact that the males carry the eggs in a breeding pouch. Although this group is so peculiar and morphologically distinct, osteological studies are rare and focused mainly on the seahorses (genus Hippocampus) and there are no phylogenetic studies based on morphological characters. In this study, it was possible to gather information about the osteology of P. brasiliensis that allowed comparing and discussing morphological questions that are being debated along the years in different studies available on the literature, such as the existence of the metapterygoid, and branchial arch and pectoral girdle arrangement. The osteology of P. brasiliensis was conducted taking in consideration these questions in order to create a basis for future anatomical and phylogenetical studies in this group.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T20:05:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 31 / Fundo Loyola de Apoio Acadêmico / Estudos têm sido sugerido que a exposição crônica ao estresse possa ser responsabilizada pelo aumento dos níveis pressóricos. Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática, seguida de uma metanálise de estudos de coortes prospectivas com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito do estresse psicológico no aumento da pressão arterial. As principais bases de dados foram Ingenta, Psycinfo, Pubmed, Scopus e Web of Science. Para a inclusão, o estudo poderia ter sido escrito em qualquer idioma, publicado entre janeiro/1970 e dezembro/2006, possuir delineamento de estudos prospectivos de coorte, possuir idade entre 18 e 64 anos, relatar estresse psicológico/emocional como exposição de estudo, apresentar como desfecho hipertensão arterial ou aumento na pressão arterial >=3,5 mmHg, relatar risco relativo, hazard ratio ou razão de chances. A busca sistemática resultou em 2043 artigos, sendo 110 coortes, destas 06 foram selecionadas. Os resultados demonstraram que indivíduos com maior reação a tarefas estressoras possuíam 21% mais chances

Tooth extraction is necessary when there is advanced decay, significance trauma or injury to the oral cavity, misalignment associated with crowded teeth or even, poor eruption of third molars. Typically, during extraction procedures, bone grafting material is inserted to minimize bone loss. Bone grafting has become a standard procedure in dentistry and an essential component in modern medicine. The practice started nearly 350 years ago when a Dutch doctor in 1668 performed the first and successful bone grafting operation. Currently, research studies are ongoing to enhance the success and viability of dental reconstruction. This thesis examines the effect of varying dental graft techniques and methodology on the stability and long-term effect on the jawbone. These techniques include five primary bone grafting methods, onlay, inlay, ridge expansion, distracted osteogenesis and guided bone regeneration (GBR) have been approved to enhance the outcome of dental implants. The review has presented the documented limitations and viability of each method. In this paper, the alternatives to bone grafting have also been elaborated. Based on the findings depicted in this research, the following recommendations will assist in achieving the best jawbone outcomes in long-term and short-term assessments. These recommendations are as follows, a proper evaluation of each patient to determine their health condition. The nature of the infection, injury, and trauma that led to the extraction of the tooth should be well documented. The selection of technique pertaining to dental restoration, functionality, and aesthetic needs are of primary factors considered. A proper clinical follow-up and monitoring of recovery process is an essential part that contributes to valid results. Finally, patient awareness is essential as well. The study found out that although some of the bone grafting techniques have shown a high survival rate, significant alveolar bone quality and quantity, and success of the implants, several reports that the use of bone grafts and implants is a practice that will still dominate dental surgery and attract more clinical assessments.

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Background: There is a paucity of research into Cluster C personality disorders, however there is increasing recognition that they are highly prevalent, associated with significant distress and frequently present alongside co-occurring axis I disorders. Research has led to significant progress in the understanding of the psychological mechanisms and has guided the development of evidence based treatment for borderline personality disorder and therefore it is likely that increased focus on Cluster C personality disorders may lead to similar developments. This thesis aimed to examine and evaluate current research on psychological interventions for the treatment of Cluster C personality disorders. It also sought to explore psychological factors involved in the development and maintenance of cluster C personality disorder. Method: A systematic literature review examining the effectiveness of psychological treatments for cluster C personality disorder identified 16 studies. The empirical study recruited individuals identified by clinicians as meeting criteria for Cluster C personality disorders. Participants completed a range of self-report measures of personality psychopathology, interpersonal problems and axis I disorders and a series of interviews exploring adult attachment style, reflective function, autobiographical memories. These were completed at 2 time points, 4 months apart. Participants also provided responses to a semi-structured qualitative interview to gain insight into their beliefs about their difficulties. Additional information was also gained through participants’ psychiatric notes. Results: The systematic review results indicate that psychological interventions are effective in the treatment of cluster C personality disorders however studies generally focused on cognitive behavioural or psychodynamic approaches. There is a lack of clarity over which treatment components are most effective in treating particular features of cluster C personality disorders. The empirical paper identifies no significant changes in personality psychopathology, anxiety and depressive symptoms, interpersonal problems, reflective function and autobiographical memory across time. Participants demonstrated insecure adult attachment styles. Conclusions: Results from the systematic review and empirical study identify a need for more research to explore the complexity of personality psychopathology and co-occurring axis I and axis II disorders. It is also necessary for research to identify psychological factors involved in the development and maintenance of Cluster C personality disorders in order to guide evidence based treatments. The systematic review highlights the need for research to identify the most effective psychological treatments for cluster C personality disorders and to establish which components of treatment are most effective in targeting particular symptoms associated with cluster C personality disorder.

As revisões sistemáticas são consideradas os desenhos experimentais capazes de guiar os cuidados em saúde. Contudo, as revisões narrativas ainda são largamente publicadas até o presente momento. No âmbito do tratamento das doenças periodontais, diversos estudos têm reportado que o uso adjuvante de estatinas à terapia periodontal mecânica pode acarretar melhorias nos parâmetros clínicos periodontais, como adicionais reduções de profundidade de sondagem e ganhos de inserção clínica. O objetivo deste trabalho é contextualizar a informação advinda de uma revisão sistemática realizada sobre um tema clínico significativo e compreender qual o seu papel como suporte da atenção ao paciente periodontal, a partir da compreensão obtida no estudo bibliométrico de revisões de literatura. No estudo bibliométrico, uma amostra representativa das revisões de literatura, publicadas na base Scopus, foi selecionada. Tipo de revisão, número de citações, ano de publicação, temática do estudo e outras variáveis foram coletadas. Nesse estudo, observou-se que o número de revisões sistemática tem aumentado significativamente ao longo dos anos quando comparados com o número de revisões narrativas. Apesar disso, o número ajustado de citações das revisões sistemáticas não difere significativamente das recebidas nas revisões narrativas. Já na revisão sistemática de uso adjuvante de estatinas, uma estratégia de busca nas bases Pubmed, Scopus e Embase foi realizada para identificar todos os ensaios clínicos que tenham utilizado estatinas como adjuvantes ao tratamento periodontal mecânico em comparação à terapia periodontal mecânica isolada ou associada a placebo. Quinze estudos foram selecionados. Observou-se que, na maioria dos estudos, o uso adjuvante de estatina apresentou adicionais reduções de profundidade de sondagem e ganhos de inserção clínica quando comparado com seus respectivos grupos controles. Contudo, a alta heterogeneidade desse resultado e o grande número de estudos ser executado por um mesmo grupo de pesquisa são fatores limitadores dessa revisão sistemática. Dessa maneira, pode-se concluir que o número de revisões sistemáticas vem aumentando a longo do tempo, porém o seu número de citações parece não acompanhar as mesmas tendências. Além disso, o uso adjuvante de estatina na terapia periodontal ainda não deve ser recomendado até a execução de outros estudos com melhor qualidade. / Systematic review is considered the experimental design capable of guiding the health care. However, narrative reviews are broadly published nowadays. Regarding periodontal diseases treatment, several studies reported that the adjuvant use of statins to mechanical periodontal treatment may promote additional improvements in clinical periodontal parameters, such as additional reduction in probing depth and clinical attachment gain. This study aimed to contextualize the information obtained in a systematic review about a significant clinical thematic and comprehend is its role in the periodontal care, through information gathered in a bibliometric study of literature review studies in Dentistry. In the bibliometric study, a representative sample of literature reviews studies, published in Scopus database, was selected. Type of review, number of citations, year of publication, study thematic, and other variables were collected. It was showed that the number of systematic reviews increased throughout the years in comparison to narrative reviews. Additionally, the Dentistry clinical fields presented the highest number of published systematic reviews. Despite of that, the mean adjusted number of citations granted for systematic reviews did not differ from the narrative ones. Regarding the performed systematic review, a search strategy was conducted on Pubmed, Scopus, and Embase databases to identify all clinical trials that used statins as adjuvant to mechanical periodontal treatment in comparison to mechanical periodontal treatment alone or in association with placebo. Fifteen studies were included. It was showed that most of the included studies presented additional reduction in probing depth and clinical attachment gain in comparison to their control groups. However, the high heterogeneity among the studies and the high number of studies conducted by the same research group are limitations of the present systematic review. It was concluded that the number of systematic review are increasing dramatically throughout the years, but this trend is not followed by the number of citations granted to this type of study. Furthermore, the adjuvant use of statin in the mechanical periodontal therapy may not be recommended until further well-designed studies have been published.

We aimed to elucidate the role of vitamin D supplementation on adipokines through a systematic review and a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs). The search included PUBMED, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar through July 1st, 2015. Finally we identified 9 RCTs and 484 participants. Meta-analysis of data from 7 studies did not find a significant change in plasma adiponectin concentrations following vitamin D supplementation (mean difference [MD]: 4.45%, 95%CI: -3.04, 11.93, p=0.244; Q=2.18, I(2)=0%). In meta-regression, changes in plasma adiponectin concentrations following vitamin D supplementation were found to be independent of treatment duration (slope: 0.25; 95%CI: -0.69, 1.19; p=0.603) and changes in serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels (slope: -0.02; 95%CI: -0.15, 0.12; p=0.780). Meta-analysis of data from 6 studies did not find a significant change in plasma leptin concentrations following vitamin D supplementation (MD: -4.51%, 95%CI: -25.13, 16.11, p=0.668; Q=6.41, I(2)=21.97%). Sensitivity analysis showed that this effect size is sensitive to one of the studies; removing it resulted in a significant reduction in plasma leptin levels (MD: -12.81%, 95%CI: -24.33, -1.30, p=0.029). In meta-regression, changes in plasma leptin concentrations following vitamin D supplementation were found to be independent of treatment duration (slope: -1.93; 95%CI: -4.08, 0.23; p=0.080). However, changes in serum 25(OH)D were found to be significantly associated with changes in plasma leptin levels following vitamin D supplementation (slope: 1.05; 95%CI: 0.08, 2.02; p=0.033). In conclusion, current data did not indicate a significant effect of vitamin D supplementation on adiponectin and leptin levels. / Revisión por pares

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

For several decades, management scholars have extolled the virtues of using real option logic when making decisions under uncertainty. Real option logic suggests that in such situations, firms might be better off deferring or staging investments, reducing potential financial losses, while at the same time securing an option to grow (or abandon) the investment when uncertainty abates. Our analysis of the empirical research published in leading management journals over the past 25 years suggests that while some progress has been made, much more work needs to be done. We still do not have the answers to critical questions such as: Which entrepreneurial/managerial traits impact the identification or exploitation of real options? Do multiple types of uncertainties interact with each other and influence real option decisions? Addressing these and other issues identified in our study can help improve our understanding of the usefulness of real option logic in management.

Child sexual abuse is a heinous crime. It consists of a variety of pernicious practices which include, but are not limited to, online child pornography, rape and incest. Globally, an estimated 15 million female adolescents have been coerced into sex during their lifetime, whilst the figure for boys is unknown.1 In many instances, this crime is perpetrated by those who are closest to the victims. Child victims may be severely traumatised and as a result become dysfunctional members of society. Child sexual abuse harms the very fabric of society and society thus pays a heavy price for continuing to tolerate this crime. As such, as this crime predominantly takes place behind closed doors and victims only very rarely report cases,2 a comprehensive legislative and policy approach must be adopted in order to effectively combat child sexual abuse. Legislators around the world as well as the international community must therefore make combating child sexual abuse a priority. However, the question arises whether there exist difficulties and weaknesses within international law which contribute to the persistent problem of child sexual abuse. Accordingly, this research probes whether international law accords adequate protection to the rights of the children and, if not, whether it fails to adequately protect children from sexual abuse. For this purpose, a detailed examination of relevant UAE laws is undertaken in the form of a case study. It is argued that international law has failed to clearly establish norms and also lacks enforcement mechanisms. The main international instrument, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, fails to determine the age of the child. Instead, it empowers domestic law to do this. Other shortcomings also limit the effectiveness of international law, particularly implementation issues. In the context of the UAE, the fundamental problem is that cultural values entrenched in Islamic criminal and family law have not shown an understanding of the child sexual abuse paradigm. Instead, the honour ideology has been reinforced.