The Effectiveness of Governance Mechanisms in Scenarios of Water Scarcity: The Cases of the Hydropolitical Complexes of Southern Africa and Jordan River Basin

In many regions of the world, the multiple uses of transboundary fresh water have been a critically important component for regional stability. This situation explains why, in many cases, water management has commonly become linked to national security concerns. But, in what intensity? In search for answers, we analyze the cases of Southern Africa and the Jordan River Basin due to their prevailing condition of hydrological stress. To verify the role played by governance mechanisms in accommodating the interests of riparian states, the Hydropolitical Complexes model was applied in a comparative perspective. Our findings suggest a trend towards cooperation in Southern Africa due to the successful institutionalization of management mechanisms capable of minimizing potential conflicts. In the Jordan Basin, however, the struggle for control of water resources has been a paramount feature in the maintenance of a tense and resilient non-cooperative framework among riparian countries

Influence of the APOE genotypes in some atherosclerotic risk factors

The aim of this work was to study the distribution of apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes and their association with some atherosclerotic risk factors, all of them modifiable: total, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, BMI, waist circumference and smoking. The sample population was constituted of 672 healthy subjects recruited in the Lisbon area. Lipids were quantified by usual automatic enzymatic methods and the APOE genotypes performed in accordance with Hixson and Vernier. Blood pressure measurement and hypertension classification followed international specifications. The frequency distribution of APOE alleles was: epsilon2 = 6.4%, epsilon3 = 83.6% and epsilon4 = 10.0% and the more prevalent genotypes were epsilon2/epsilon3, epsilon3/epsilon3 and epsilon3/epsilon4 respectively 11.0%, 70.1% and 16.1%. We could only observe associations among the most prevalent genotypes and lipids, always statistically significant, specially when the epsilon4 allele was present which was even proved by an higher prevalence of epsilon4 in dyslipidemic subjects with the only exception of those with low HDL-c values. A stronger intervention in the epsilon4 carriers is so recommended through appropriate intervention measures on the connected modifiable risk factors

Musculoskeletal Disorders and Work Capacity in Portuguese Navy

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ambiente de desenvolvimento para criação de actividades de programação

Nas últimas décadas, testemunhámos um enorme desenvolvimento da tecnologia. Este desenvolvimento alterou significativamente a forma como lidamos com as nossas tarefas diárias, sejam estas relativas a ocupação profissional ou lazer. A crescente utilização de dispositivos electrónicos de computação nas nossas tarefas diárias é acompanhada com um interesse, cada vez maior, em programação. Um dos impactos deste interesse em programação, na área do ensino, é o aparecimento de metodologias como o pensamento computacional, que visa aplicar a metodologia de solução de problemas de programação noutros problemas mais genéricos ou noutras áreas fora do contexto das ciências da computação. Nos últimos anos, foram desenvolvidas plataformas para ajudar os utilizadores a cultivar o pensamento computacional e técnicas de programação, algumas delas utilizando programação por blocos. Programação por blocos tornou-se uma forma para introduzir pensamento computacional e técnicas de programação, apresentando ambientes apelativos e intuitivos para resolver problemas. Uma desvantagem presente nas plataformas mais utilizadas é não permitirem a criação de novas actividades de programação, isto é, exercicios de programação. Neste documento apresenta-se uma aplicação web Bricks que sirva de ferramenta de apoio a aulas e que permita que sejam criadas actividades de programação por blocos de uma forma simples. A possibilidade de criação de actividades de programação beneficia professores e alunos, permitindo aos primeiros criar conteúdos que encaixem exactamente com os seus programas escolares e, em simultâneo, fornecendo aos segundos um ambiente apelativo onde podem realizar as actividades de programação. Estas actividades de programação têm como finalidade estimular o pensamento computacional e introduzir conceitos básicos de programação aos utilizadores.In the past few decades, we have witnessed a tremendous progress in the evolution of technology. This evolution changed how we perform a great number of tasks on our daily basis, both for work and leisure. Electronic devices have become increassingly more present in our daily tasks which has, over the last decades, also increased the interest in programming. This rise in intrest in programming impacted in certain areas of expertise such as education, where certain methodologies like computiational thinking, which applies the programming methodology for problem solving to either more generic problems or even problems beyond computational science’s scope, have come into existence. In the last few years, many platforms have been created to help users develop computational thinking and programming skills, using block programming. Block programming has become a standard for introducing these skills, presenting attractive and intuitive settings to solve exercises. A major disadvantage presented by the most commonly used platforms is the lack of support for instructors to create their own programming activities or exercises. In this dissertation, we propose a platform to allow users to create programming activities without much prior expertise. The creation of custom programming activities benefits both teachers and students alike, enabling teachers to create content to fit their exact planned program and presenting learners with more custom study materials and providing students with an appealing and intuitive environment where they can preform programming activities. These activities aim to stimulate computational thinking while introducing basic programming knowledge to users

P-cadherin expression in glandular lesions of the uterine cervix detected by liquid-based cytology

Objective: To study P-cadherin aberrant expression as a possible marker for cervical adenocarcinomas in cytological samples. Methods: We studied P-cadherin immunoexpression in liquid-based cervical cytology samples of biopsy-proven cervical lesions. Results: We found a statistically significant correlation between P-cadherin expression and a cytological diagnosis of malignancy, either glandular or squamous (P < 0.0001). Twenty-two of 33 malignant cases showed P-cadherin membrane staining. None of the 30 benign cases tested showed membrane staining, but three of them displayed an aberrant nuclear P-cadherin expression. Conclusions: We concluded that P-cadherin can be used to discriminate between malignant and benign cervical cytological specimens, but not to discriminate glandular from squamous lesions

Bryophytes of Azorean parks and gardens (I) : «Reserva Florestal de Recreio do Pinhal da Paz» : São Miguel Island

Historic urban parks and gardens are increasingly being considered as interesting refuges for a great number of species, including some rare taxa, otherwise almost absent from urban areas, such as many bryophytes and other biota that are not their main focus. After a bibliographic work, the "Reserva Florestal de Recreio do Pinhal da Paz" (RFR-PP), in São Miguel Island (Azores), stood out as one of the least studied areas of the region, without any bryophyte’ references. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify the most striking bryophyte species present along the main visitation track of RFR-PP, in order to increase its biodiversity knowledge. Bryophytes growing on rocks, soil or tree bark were collected adhoc, in 17 sites, ca. 100 m apart from each other. In total, 43 species were identified: 23 mosses, 19 liverworts, and one hornwort, encompassing five classes, 15 orders and 27 families. Seven species are endemic from Europe and three from Macaronesia. No invasive bryophytes were found in the surveyed area. These results update the distribution data of São Miguel Island, show that Azorean parks and gardens contribute to the community dynamics of bryophytes at lower elevation and add a new layer of interest to the visitors of RFR-PP.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Variants in the inflammatory IL6 and MPO genes modulate stroke susceptibility through main effects and gene-gene interactions

A complex interplay between genetic background, clinical and life-style factors and the environment is expected to ultimately regulate the onset, acute phase and outcome of stroke. There is substantial evidence that inflammation within the Central Nervous System contributes to stroke risk, and known clinical risk factors for stroke, like atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and peripheral infection, are associated with an elevated systemic inflammatory profile. The inflammatory response is equally of major importance in recovery and healing processes after stroke. In this study we tested the genetic association of major inflammatory players IL1B (2q14), IL6 (7p21), TNF (6p21.3) and MPO (17q23.1) with stroke susceptibility and with stroke outcome at three months, in a population sample of 672 patients and 530 controls, adjusting for demographic, clinical and life-style risk factors and/or stroke severity parameters. The apparent complexity of the inflammatory mechanisms in stroke, and the multiplicity of players involved suggest a concerted process, in which implicated molecules interact to tightly regulate each other. We therefore examined both independent gene effects and the occurrence of gene-gene interactions among the tested inflammatory genes in stroke risk and stroke recovery. Two IL6 and one MPO SNP were significantly associated with stroke risk after multiple testing correction (0.022 correctedP 0.042), highlighting gene variants of low to moderate effect in stroke risk. An epistatic interaction between the IL6 and MPO genes was also identified in association with stroke susceptibility (P=0.031 after 1000 permutations). In the subset of 546 patients assessed for stroke outcome at three months using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), we found one IL6 haplotype associated with stroke outcome (correctedP=0.024). In the present study we present supporting evidence for a role of the IL6 and MPO inflammatory genes in stroke susceptibility, and show that stroke risk is modulated by main gene effects together with clinical and life-style factors as well as by gene-gene interactions. Our findings are compatible and strengthen previous genetic and biological observations, highlighting the need of further functional studies, particularly in view of the possible utility of IL-6 as a diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker for stroke

APOE genotypes and dyslipidemias in a sample of the Portuguese population

The objective of this work was to study the distribution of apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes in a sample of the Portuguese population, and its association with the dyslipidemias observed. Study participants were healthy users of local Public Health Laboratories in six regions of mainland Portugal (Porto, Vila Real, Viseu, Lisboa, Portalegre and Faro). A total of 779 men and 1153 women aged 15-74 years agreed to participate. Fasting lipid levels and APOE genotypes were determined centrally at the National Institute of Health in Lisboa. The frequency distribution of APOE alleles was: epsilon2=5.3%, epsilon3=84.9% and epsilon4=9.8%. Dyslipidemias were present in 66.6% of men and 60.7% of women. Comparison of APOE genotypes and relative allele frequencies showed that in dyslipidemic compared to normolipidemic subjects, the epsilon4 allele was more frequent in both sexes, although in a more pronounced way in men than in women due to higher frequencies of epsilon3/epsilon4 and epsilon4/epsilon4 genotypes. The known association of the epsilon4 allele with high cholesterol levels, the association of the epsilon2 allele with low cholesterol levels, and the association of the epsilon2 allele with high levels of triglycerides and low levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were confirmed in this study