Gender, socio-economic status and metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and old adults.

BACKGROUND: Studies that addressed social and economic determinants of cardiovascular diseases, consistently showed an increase prevalence of the individual features of metabolic syndrome in the lower socio-economic strata. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the association between social class and metabolic syndrome in a sample of urban middle-aged and old Portuguese adults. METHODS: We evaluated 1962 subjects (1207 women and 755 men) aged 40 or more years. Marital status, education, occupation, menarche age and height distribution were used as socioeconomic indicators. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the ATP III, by the presence of at least three of the following characteristics: waist circumference > 102 cm in men and > 88 cm in women; triglycerides > or = 150 mg/dl; HDL cholesterol or = 130/85 mm Hg; and fasting glucose > or = 110 mg/dl. Proportions were compared using the chi square test or Fisher's exact test. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were computed using unconditional logistic regression to estimate the magnitude of the associations. RESULTS: Metabolic syndrome was significantly more frequent in females (24.9 vs. 17.4, p < 0.001). In females, the odds favoring metabolic syndrome significantly increased with age and in unfavorable social class as described by occupation, and decreased with education level. In males, metabolic syndrome was significantly more frequent in the 60-69 years age class (OR = 1.82; 95%CI: 1.02-3.26) when compared to those in the 40-49 years age class. Concerning other socioeconomic indicators no significant associations were found. CONCLUSION: This study showed that gender influenced the association of socio-economic status indicators with metabolic syndrome. Females in lower social classes, as defined by education and occupational classification, more frequently presented metabolic syndrome, no such association was found in males

The Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment - Hydrologic Applications for the Southeast US (IPHEx-H4SE). Part II: Atmospheric Forcing and Topographic Corrections

In order to prepare atmospheric forcing data sets to drive the hydrologic models at high spatial resolution, it is necessary to apply appropriate downscale methods and bias correction schemes to the coarse reanalysis products. In this manuscript, first we describe the methodology to derive a high-resolution (1×1 km2, hourly) atmospheric forcing data set from 3-hr NARR (North American Regional Reanalysis) products originally at 32×32km resolution, and second we illustrate the value and utility of the downscaled products to drive hydrologic models offline through analysis of a long-term (5-year) continuous simulation of water and energy budgets in the Southern Appalachians against flux tower observations. The IPHEx-H4SE atmospheric forcing data set includes elevation corrected air temperature and lapse rate, specific humidity, 46 friction velocity, surface layer winds, incoming longwave radiation, and topographically and cloudiness corrected incoming shortwave radiation that enable simulating water and energy fluxes from diurnal to annual time-scales, and for extreme events. Although the 5-year simulation presented here was conducted with a randomly selected rainfall product among those recommended in the companion report ( EPL-2013-H4SE-3) without re-initialization or data assimilation, and therefore does not represent an optimal simulation with the hydrological model but rather a baseline control simulation that integrates and propagates the uncertainty in all forcing data sets, the results clearly illustrate the benefit of using the bias corrected NARR atmospheric forcing fields made available here

Quando países emergentes reformam a governança global das mudanças climáticas : o Brasil sob Lula

ABSTRACT: Due to its recent economic success, Brazil is considered an emerging country, but is it an emerging power concerning global environmental governance? This article argues that although Brazil has a sui generis profile, it can only be considered an emerging power in some environmental regimes, such as global climate change. Thus, international relations theory needs more analytical instruments to assess the impact of emerging powers in global environmental governance. __________________________________________________________________________________ RESUMOPor causa de seu recente sucesso econômico, o Brasil é considerado um país emergente. Isso vale também para a governança ambiental? Este artigo argumenta que, apesar de o Brasil ter um perfil sui generis, o País pode ser considerado uma potência emergente em alguns regimes ambientais, como o de mudanças climáticas. Portanto, as teorias de relações internacionais precisam de mais instrumentos analíticos para lidar com o impacto de potências emergentes na governança ambiental global

The Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment - Hydrologic Applications for the Southeast US (IPHEx-H4SE) Part III: High-Resolution Ensemble Rainfall Products

The first stage of the Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEX) includes the 37 development of quality-controlled data sets of different hydrometeorological and landscape attributes at high spatial and temporal resolutions (respectively 1km×1km and 1 hour). These data sets will facilitate the intercomparison of hydrological models and provide support to the ground validation campaign of GPM over the Southern Appalachian region. In the present report we focus on the spatial downscaling of Stage IV precipitation data (Baldwin and Mitchell, 1996; Lin and Mitchell, 2005; see online at http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/ylin/pcpanl/stage4) from 4km to 1km resolution for the period 2007-2011. First, we describe the 44 methodologies utilized to develop the various QPE products and in particular the use of modified fractal downscaling methodologies, which conserve the spatial structure of the coarse resolution while enhancing sub-grid scale variability. Three different (hourly, 1km2) precipitation datasets were produced: 1) Stage IV bilinear interpolated fields; 2) Stage IV fractal downscaled fields using (with 50 ensemble realizations for each hour); and 3) Stage IV fractal downscaled fields using a transient (with 50 ensemble realizations for each hour). The realizations 50 provided for each hour in the fractal downscaled cases should be particularly useful to ensemble hydrologic applications and analysis of uncertainty propagation. The performance of the downscaled QPE (Quantitative Precipitation Estimation) products is subsequently evaluated for selected headwater basins in the Southern Appalachians for individual events and for 5 year continuous simulations in three watersheds, which are intended to highlight that, in long-term hydrological modeling and prediction and the precipitation forcing is de facto not accurate, the uncertainty varies in time, and this is further modulated by storage, evapotranspiration and subsurface flow in the hydrological model, a highly nonlinear system. The results show improved performance of an uncalibrated hydrological model using the downscaled Stage IV product using modified fractal interpolation methods as compared to bilinear interpolation. Finally, a survey of basic skill metrics indicates that current precipitation estimates are significantly poor in the inner mountain region of the Southern Appalachians where NEXRAD (Next Generation Radar Data) data used to inform the Stage IV product is compromised, which is expected in regions of complex terrain.NASA’s Precipitation Measurement Missions Program and GPM Ground Validation

O conceito de estabelecimento estável e a dupla tributação internacional

O conceito de estabelecimento estável é importante e necessário para atenuar ou evitar a dupla tributação internacional. Tratando-se de um conceito jurídico, a sua formulação apresenta-se por vezes diferente de imposto para imposto e de ADT para ADT. Neste trabalho faz-se uma breve resenha histórica e evolutiva do conceito e efectua-se uma análise da sua formulação no âmbito da Convenção Modelo da OCDE para a Dupla Tributação sobre o Rendimento e o Capital e do artigo 5 do CIRC, concluindo-se que o legislador nacional desenhou um conceito mais abrangente e que os pré-acordos com a Administração Fiscal bem como a jurisprudência podem ser factores de referência para as empresas multinacionais

Linear programming knowledge in first stage higher education courses

In this work we will describe an experimental study with approximately fifty Portuguese students of the 2nd year of the BSc Degree of Biomedical Engineering as well as Chemical and Biological Engineering Higher Education Courses. The aims of this study are to identify which knowledge of Linear Programming (LP) taught in High School the students acquired and still remember, which tools they used in that stage of education when learning the theme of LP and their opinion about the significance of LP in daily life problem resolution. We also propose to investigate if the students are able to use WinQSB software to solve LP problems. In addition, we intend to identify not only the versatility of this software but also the opinion of the students about the resolution of LP problems with WinQSB, as well as their main difficulties during this experience

Tomada de decisão no parto por cesariana

Introdução: Atualmente, verifica-se um aumento das taxas de cesariana na maioria dos países desenvolvidos, com implicações no aumento da morbilidade materna e encargos financeiros em saúde. As distintas práticas do parto constituem nos dias atuais, um assunto complexo nos cuidados em obstetrícia. Em Portugal começam a surgir algumas preocupações, as estatísticas revelam a existência de um elevado número de cesarianas, o que faz com que as taxas tenham ultrapassado largamente os 15% preconizados pela OMS. Objetivo: Compreender a forma como se estabelece a decisão de parto por cesariana. Metodologia: Abordagem qualitativa com vista a uma análise aprofundada dos dados e à identificação das relações entre as variáveis. Realizaram-se entrevistas semiestruturadas entre as 24 e as 72 horas pós parto, a cinco puérperas submetidas a cesariana electiva e de urgência no serviço de obstetrícia da Unidade Local de Saúde do Baixo Alentejo - Hospital José Joaquim Fernandes em Beja. Os dados foram colhidos e analisados de acordo com a grounded theory. Foram critérios de exclusão a gravidez patológica, parto pré- termo, parto gemelar e morte fetal. Resultados:A decisão médica tem maior impacto e o obstetra apresenta-se como agente da tomada de decisão. As mulheres, apesar das experiências vividas e das expectativas criadas para o parto tendem a não expressar verbalmente o seu desejo pelo tipo de parto, parecendo não estar muito envolvidas nas tomadas de decisão reconhecendo credibilidade nas razões apresentadas pelo obstetra, e que levam à decisão tanto para a cesariana electiva como para a cesariana de urgência. Conclusão: As mulheres, quando das tomadas de decisão por parte do obstetra não identificam para si próprias riscos fisiológicos e psicológicos, centrando-se sobretudo nos benefícios imediatos e no bem-estar do bebé, não sendo envolvidas nas tomadas de decisão

Plasma membrane-specific interactome analysis reveals calpain 1 as a druggable modulator of rescued Phe508del-CFTR cell surface stability

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a chloride channel normally expressed at the surface of epithelial cells. The most frequent mutation, resulting in Phe-508 deletion, causes CFTR misfolding and its premature degradation. Low temperature or pharmacological correctors can partly rescue the Phe508del-CFTR processing defect and enhance trafficking of this channel variant to the plasma membrane (PM). Nevertheless, the rescued channels have an increased endocytosis rate, being quickly removed from the PM by the peripheral protein quality-control pathway. We previously reported that rescued Phe508del-CFTR (rPhe508del) can be retained at the cell surface by stimulating signaling pathways that coax the adaptor molecule ezrin (EZR) to tether rPhe508del–Na+/H+-exchange regulatory factor-1 (NHERF1) complexes to the actin cytoskeleton, thereby averting the rapid internalization of this channel variant. However, the molecular basis for why rPhe508del fails to recruit active EZR to the PM remains elusive. Here, using a proteomics approach, we characterized and compared the core components of wt-CFTR– or rPhe508del–containing macromolecular complexes at the surface of human bronchial epithelial cells. We identified calpain 1 (CAPN1) as an exclusive rPhe508del interactor that prevents active EZR recruitment, impairs rPhe508del anchoring to actin, and reduces its stability in the PM. We show that either CAPN1 downregulation or its chemical inhibition dramatically improves the functional rescue of Phe508del-CFTR in airway cells. These observations suggest that CAPN1 constitutes an attractive target for pharmacological intervention, as part of CF combination therapies restoring Phe508del-CFTR function.This work was supported by a center grant UID/MULTI/04046/2019 to BioISI and project PTDC/BIA-CEL/28408/2017 and IF2012 to PM, both from FCT, Portugal. AMM was recipient of fellowship SFRH/BD/52490/2014 from BioSYS PhD programme PD65-2012, and PB of fellowship SFRH/BPD/94322/2013.N/

III Congresso Internacional de Ciências Jurídico-Empresariais : actas

O III CICJE decorreu na Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão de Leiria no dia 24 de novembro de 2011 e foi subordinado ao tema Direito e Gestão Empresarial. As Atas que agora se publicam resultam das preleções dos oradores que copuseram os vários painéis