Implementation of the CAP Policy Options with the Land Use Modelling Platform - A first indicator-based analysis

This report presents the results of a study aiming to assess the environmental impact of two alternative scenarios for the new Common Agricultural Policy, evaluated by using the features of the Land Use Modelling Platform (LUMP). The first scenario set the baseline conditions in form of the Status Quo; the second was a policy alternative, Integration. The scenarios set the framework for the economic drivers as analysed by CAPRI, which the LUMP integrates to produce detailed and geographically specific projections of changes in land use/cover between 2006 and 2020. The changes in land use/cover were then evaluated for their impact on various environmental sectors by comparing their effect on a set of relevant indicators of environmental conditions. The simulations have shown that the greening options expressed under the Integration policy option produce an overall impact that can be measured with a set of land use/cover based indicators. In general terms, the greening options reduce the pressure on naturally vegetated areas and on environmentally sensitive sites. This modelling approach has proven to be applicable for the evaluation of the new CAP scenario and the implementation of policy options, in the frame of the overall objectives of the reform. Due to the characteristics of the modelling framework, the set of computed indicators shows the differentiation of the impacts at national and regional levels, allowing the assessment of the impacts of the new CAP in the proper geographical context.JRC.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

URBSOIL-LISBON-Geoquímica dos solos urbanos de Lisboa: caracterização e cartografia, suporte para futuros estudos de saúde humana: resultados preliminares

A Geologia, e em especial a Geoquímica em ambiente urbano, têm-se revelado ferramentas essenciais não só no estudo dos materiais naturais neste ambiente, como na ligação entre a Geologia e a acção antrópica. Este estudo, com uma metodologia que usa vários meios de amostragem, pretende avaliar quais os elementos químicos que podem intervir num contexto de interacção em que as crianças são tomadas como alvo principal. Os primeiros resultados sobre concentrações de elementos químicos para os solos urbanos de Lisboa apontam para uma exposição esparsa na cidade de alguns dos elementos químicos inorgânicos, mas havendo por vezes um zonamento por tipologia de local ou de elemento químico. Foram definidos quatro grupos de pontos de amostragem consoante o tipo de uso, e escolhidos para uma análise mais próxima alguns elementos considerados tendencialmente de input antrópico e que se relacionam com a saúde humana.

Drought response of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) landraces at leaf physiological and metabolite profile levels

Drought threatens the world’s food production, particularly in Sub Saharan Africa low external input and rain fed agricultural systems, where cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is an important food crop. In the context of growing concerns regarding climate changes implications on water availability, this study aimed at 1) to evaluate the drought responses in cowpea landraces with contrasting drought tolerance levels (A55 – high sensitivity; A80 - mild sensitivity; A116 - tolerant), 2) using an integrated physiological (leaf gas exchanges; chlorophyll a fluorescence) and biochemical (photoprotective pigments; RuBisCO activity; primary metabolite profiling) analysis to identify drought tolerance probes, in plants submitted to three water availability levels (well-watered, WW; mild drought, MD; severe drought, SD). A116 plants maintained a better water status under drought, what could justify the higher Pn and Pnmax values in MD, as well as higher photochemical use of energy (reflected in the photochemical quenching (qL) and in the quantum yield of non-cyclic electron transport (Y(II))), and the lower need of photoprotective thermal dissipation mechanisms (given by the non-photochemical quenching (qN), and the quantum yield of regulated energy dissipation at photosystem PSII (Y(NPQ))), in MD and SD plants. Greater declines of net (Pn) and potential (Pnmax) photosynthesis were observed in A55 plants, which frequently showed significant impacts already under MD conditions in most parameters, whereas A80 usually displayed and intermediate behaviour. Still, even A55 showed some acclimation response, regarding photoprotective mechanisms associated with high contents of zeaxanthin, lutein, and carotenes, and high Y(NPQ), and qN values, supporting the absence of an increase in the non-regulated energy dissipation at PSII (Y(NO) did not increased) even in SD plants. Additionally, A55 was not significantly affected in RuBisCO activity, which showed to be quite resilient in cowpea. A primary metabolite profiling, complemented with a partial least square discrimination analysis (PLS-DA), allowed a better separation of A116 and A55 plants according to their degree of drought tolerance. In response to drought, A116 showed the greatest accumulation of most responsive metabolites, 14 in total, with sucrose, fucose, urea, alanine and putrescine being exclusively increased in this genotype, suggesting that they can be candidates as drought tolerance proxies. Other compounds, as proline, valine, isoleucine (among amino acids), and rhamnose and raffinose (among sugars) showed close increase patternsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pluronic® F127 Thermoresponsive Viscum album Hydrogel: Physicochemical Features and Cellular In Vitro Evaluation

Viscum album L., popularly known as mistletoe, is well known for its anti-cancer properties, and the pharmaceutical application of hydroalcoholic dry extracts is still limited due to its low solubility in aqueous media, and physicochemical instability. The Pluronic® F127 is an amphiphilic polymer, which permits the solubilization of lipophilic and hydrophilic compounds. In this investigation, physicochemical features of hydrogel containing V. album dry extract (VADE-loaded-hydrogel) were performed by: dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). VADE-loaded-hydrogel presented nanometer-size micelles with volume distribution ranging from 10.58 nm to 246.7 nm, and a polydispersity index of 0.441. The sample thermal analyses (TG and DSC) showed similar decomposition curves; however, the thermal events indicated an increase in thermal stability in relation to the presence of the extract. In addition to these interesting pharmaceutical features, IC50 values of 333.40 µg/mL and >1000 µg/mL were obtained when tumor (SCC-25) and non-tumor (L929) cells were incubated with VADE-loaded-hydrogel, respectively. The optical and ultrastructural cellular analysis confirmed the tumor selectivity since the following alterations were detected only in SCC-25 cells: disorganization of plasmatic membrane; an increase of cytoplasmatic vacuole size; alteration in the cristae mitochondrial shape; and generation of amorphous cellular material. These results emphasize the promising antitumoral potential of VADE-loaded-hydrogel as an herbal drug delivery system via in vitro assays

Traditional use, phytochemistry and biological activities of Poincianella pyramidalys (Tul.) LP Queiroz

The vegetation of Northeastern Brazil is an important source of income for the local population. Poincianella pyramidalis is a very important species in the semiarid and is inserted in various categories of ethnobotanical use, as foraging, construction and technology uses. However, the most important use is medicinal. Several preparations obtained from the root, bark, leaves and flowers of P. pyramidalis are used to treat various ailments, especially infections, pain and inflammation. This paper discusses the medical use, chemical constituents and pharmacological potential of P. pyramidalis. This revision was based on studies published in scientific journals, books, and search sites such as Science Direct, PubMed and American Chemical Society (ACS). P. pyramidalis features a wealth of secondary metabolites, belonging to the most diverse classes as flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins and others. Of these, 22 compounds were included in this review. The species showed significant ability to perform biological activities such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective, radioprotective and anticancer, as well as being both a molluscicide and larvicide. On the other hand, the species showed relative toxicity. Numerous compounds in P. pyramidalis were identified with recognized action on the body, where anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities were the most pronounced. All parts of the plant stem, flower, root and leaf showed pharmacological action validating many traditional uses. However, the identification of the chemical constituents or group responsible for producing these therapeutic actions, as well as carrying out of further test in vivo to determine the mechanisms of action related to biological activities is required.Key words: Poincianella pyramidalis, folk medicine, bioactive compounds, phytochemistry, biological  activities

Metabolic syndrome in elderly from a northeastern brazilian city

Introduction: Population aging is a global reality. In Brazil, it is so expressive and in 2050 is estimated that the number of men and women over 80 years old can overcome the 20-24 years old population and also children under 14 years old. Metabolic syndrome is defined as a set of cardiovascular risk factors, detection and intervention in this age group may decrease cardiovascular mortality. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in elderly patients in a northeastern Brazilian city. Method: This is a quantitative, observational, cross-sectional and population-based study. The population consisted of non-institutionalized individuals aged> 60 years old, attended in the Family Health Strategy (FHS) and residents in Cajazeiras, PB, Brazil. For the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome we considered the criteria recommended by the International Federation of Diabetes. Results: We studied 351 elderly patients with 72.4+8.7 years old and 66.1% were female. The prevalence of MS was 69.8% and the most frequent criterion was increased waist circumference (82.6%), followed by high triglycerides (81.5%) and low HDL-cholesterol (80.6%). We observed a statistically significant positive association between MS and women [OR: 1.38 (95% CI: 1.18 to 1.63)] and housing in urban areas [OR: 1.23 (1.02 to 1.48)]. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of MS among the elderly mainly in women and those living in urban areas

The Difficult Daily Life of Heart Failure Bearing Patients / O difícil cotidiano dos pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca

Objetivo: analisar as principais limitações relatadas por pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca. Método: análise secundária de um estudo exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa, realizado com 15 pacientes portadores de insuficiência cardíaca no período de março a julho de 2011, dentre os 167 em atendimento ambulatorial. A coleta de dados primários deu-se a partir de uma entrevista semi-estruturada, com posterior análise de Bardin, e para presente análise secundária foi utilizada como estratégia a interpretação retrospectiva. Resultados: predominância do sexo feminino (73,3%); ensino fundamental incompleto (80,2%); hipertensos (80,2%); dislipidêmicos (53,4%); diabéticos (33,3%). Quanto às limitações no cotidiano, destacam-se: deambulação prejudicada, padrão de sono precário, fadiga, dispneia, perda de autonomia, dependência de terceiros, padrão de sono precário, baixa frequência da atividade sexual. Conclusão: na insuficiência cardíaca, uma doença crônica, é fundamental que o enfermeiro busque por orientações e estratégias, as quais possam desenvolver a capacidade de  autocuidado, prevenção e promoção da saúde. 

The Difficult Daily Life of Heart Failure Bearing Patients / O difícil cotidiano dos pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca

Objetivo: analisar as principais limitações relatadas por pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca. Método: análise secundária de um estudo exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa, realizado com 15 pacientes portadores de insuficiência cardíaca no período de março a julho de 2011, dentre os 167 em atendimento ambulatorial. A coleta de dados primários deu-se a partir de uma entrevista semi-estruturada, com posterior análise de Bardin, e para presente análise secundária foi utilizada como estratégia a interpretação retrospectiva. Resultados: predominância do sexo feminino (73,3%); ensino fundamental incompleto (80,2%); hipertensos (80,2%); dislipidêmicos (53,4%); diabéticos (33,3%). Quanto às limitações no cotidiano, destacam-se: deambulação prejudicada, padrão de sono precário, fadiga, dispneia, perda de autonomia, dependência de terceiros, padrão de sono precário, baixa frequência da atividade sexual. Conclusão: na insuficiência cardíaca, uma doença crônica, é fundamental que o enfermeiro busque por orientações e estratégias, as quais possam desenvolver a capacidade de  autocuidado, prevenção e promoção da saúde.