Is there a metropolitan bias? The inverse relationship between poverty and city size in selected developing countries

This paper provides evidence from eight developing countries of an inverse relationship between poverty and city size. Poverty is both more widespread and deeper in very small and small towns than in large or very large cities. This basic pattern is generally robust to choice of poverty line. The paper shows, further, that for all eight countries, a majority of the urban poor live in medium, small, or very small towns. Moreover, it is shown that the greater incidence and severity of consumption poverty in smaller towns is generally compounded by similarly greater deprivation in terms of access to basic infrastructure services, such as electricity, heating gas, sewerage, and solid waste disposal. The authors illustrate for one country—Morocco—that inequality within large cities is not driven by a severe dichotomy between slum dwellers and others. The notion of a single cleavage between slum residents and well-to-do burghers as the driver of urban inequality in the developing world thus appears to be unsubstantiated—at least in this case. Robustness checks are performed to assess whether the findings in the paper are driven by price variation across city-size categories, by the reliance on an income-based concept of well-being, and by the application of small area estimation techniques for estimating poverty rates at the town and city level.poverty and city size, urban poverty, slums.

Experiência profissionalizante na vertente de Investigação e Farmácia Comunitária

O presente relatório, realizado no âmbito da unidade curricular “Estágio” do Mestrado Integrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas, encontra-se divido em duas partes, a primeira diz respeito à vertente de investigação e a segunda ao estágio em Farmácia Comunitária. A primeira parte aborda a temática de “Aplicações de Algas como Ingredientes Cosméticos”. Tendo em conta a atual preferência dos consumidores por ingredientes naturais, a indústria cosmética tem manifestado um forte interesse quer nos extratos de algas quer nos seus metabolitos bioativos. Assim, nos últimos anos, foram realizados inúmeros estudos com o intuito de descobrir e corroborar os benefícios destes ingredientes ao nível da pele. A sua aplicação em produtos cosméticos, no mercado europeu, depende da disponibilidade comercial de ingredientes cosméticos que cumpram os requisitos de qualidade e segurança descritos no Regulamento 1223/2009. Neste relatório são abordados alguns dos desafios do uso de algas em cosméticos, os principais metabolitos responsáveis pelos efeitos das algas ao nível da pele e as suas diversas aplicações no âmbito da cosmética. Ao longo deste trabalho, foram identificados ingredientes cosméticos à base de algas disponíveis no mercado e analisada a documentação disponibilizada pelos fornecedores quanto à sua aplicação, alegações cosméticas e estudos de sustentação realizados. No total foram estudados 21 ingredientes, sendo que no que diz respeito à tipologia de algas usadas verificou-se que 15 são microalgas e as restantes 6 são macroalgas, tendo-se identificado 10 alegações cosméticas. Conclui-se que estão comercialmente disponíveis ingredientes que permitem a formulação de cosméticos à base de algas com aplicações em cuidados de rosto, corporal e capilar. A segunda parte é relativa às atividades desenvolvidas no decorrer do estágio em Farmácia Comunitária, na Figueira da Foz, sob orientação da Dr.ª Paula Alhinho.This report, carried out within the scope of the curricular unit “Internship” of the Integrated Masters in Pharmaceutical Sciences, is divided into two parts: the research aspect and the Community Pharmacy experience. The first part addresses the theme “Applications of Algae as Cosmetic Ingredients”. Nowadays, due to consumers preference for natural ingredients, the cosmetics industry has shown a strong interest in algae extracts and their bioactive metabolites. Thus, in recent years, numerous studies have been performed to discover and corroborate the benefits of these ingredients at the skin level. Its application in cosmetic products in the European market depends on the commercial availability of cosmetic ingredients that meet the quality and safety requirements described in Regulation 1223/2009. This report addresses some of the challenges of using algae in cosmetics, the leading metabolites responsible for the effects of algae on the skin and their various applications in cosmetics. Throughout this work, seaweed-based cosmetic ingredients available on the market were identified and the documentation provided by suppliers was analyzed regarding their application, cosmetic claims and support studies carried out. In total, 21 ingredients were studied, and concerning the type of algae used, 15 are microalgae and the remaining 6 are macroalgae, having identified 10 cosmetic claims. It is concluded that are available commercially ingredients which allow the formulation of algae-based cosmetics with applications in face, body and hair care. The second part concerns the activities developed during the internship in a community pharmacy in Figueira da Foz, under the guidance of Dr. Paula Alhinho

Arquitectura de integração. Reversivel e transitório

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Arquitetura com especialização de Arquitetura de Interiores, apresentada na Universidade de Lisboa - Faculdade de Arquitetura

Peritumoural, but not intratumoural, lymphatic vessel density and invasion correlate with colorectal carcinoma poor-outcome markers

To evaluate whether lymphatic vessel density (LVD) and lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) are useful markers of worse outcome in colorectal carcinoma and if LVD and LVI correlate to the classical clinical-pathological parameters, we analysed 120 cases of colorectal carcinomas selected from the files of Division of Pathology, Hospital das Clinicas, São Paulo University, Brazil. Assessment of LVD and LVI was performed by immunohistochemical detection of lymphatic vessels, using the monoclonal antibody D2-40. Higher LVD was found in the intratumoural area, when comparing with normal and peritumoural areas (p < 0.001). However, peritumoural LVD, but not intratumoural, correlated with both colonic-wall-invasion depth (p = 0.037) and liver metastasis (p = 0.012). Remarkably, LVI was found associated with local invasion (p = 0.016), nodal metastasis (p = 0.022) and hepatic metastasis (p < 0.001). Peritumoural LVD and LVI are directly related to histopathological variables indicative of poor outcome such as lymph-node status and liver metastasis

Characterization of monocarboxylate transporter activity in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To assess the immunoexpression of hypoxia-related markers in samples from cirrhosis and primary and metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: From a total of 5836 autopsies performed at the Pathology Department - University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine Hospital - from 2003 to 2009, 188 presented primary liver tumors. Immunohistochemical reactivity for monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs)-1, 2 and 4, CD147 and glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1) was assessed in necropsies from 80 cases of HCC. Data were stored and analyzed using the IBM SPSS statistical software (version 19, IBM Company, Armonk, NY). All comparisons were examined for statistical significance using Pearson's ? (2) test and Fisher's exact test (when n < 5). The threshold for significant P values was established as P < 0.05. RESULTS: Plasma membrane expression of MCT4 and overall expression of GLUT1 showed progressively higher expression from non-neoplastic to primary HCC and to metastases. In contrast, overall expression of MCT2 was progressively decreased from non-neoplastic to primary HCC and to metastases. MCT1 (overall and plasma membrane expression), MCT2 and CD147 plasma membrane expression were associated with absence of cirrhosis, while plasma membrane expression of CD147 was also associated with absence of HBV infection. MCT2 overall expression was associated with lower liver weight, absence of metastasis and absence of abdominal dissemination. Additionally, MCT4 plasma membrane positivity was strongly associated with Ki-67 expression. CONCLUSION: MCT4 and GLUT1 appear to play a role in HCC progression, while MCT2 is lost during progression and associated with better prognosis

Effects of type of physical exercise and leisure activities on the depression scores of obese Brazilian adolescent girls

Several studies have indicated that depressive states may lead to hypokinesia with diminished metabolic rate and energy use. Hypokinesia associated with certain eating behaviors may lead to an unfavorable energy balance that can contribute to the emergence and prevalence of obesity among children and adults. The purpose of the present study was to examine the possibility of reducing depression inventory scores in female adolescents with third-degree obesity while testing the effectiveness of different exercise programs in reducing anxiety and depression scores. The sample consisted of 40 female subjects (mean age 16 ± 1.56 years) divided into 4 groups (aerobic training, anaerobic training, leisure activities, and control). Subjects had a body mass index of 95% or more in relation to the 50th percentile. The aerobic program consisted of three ergometric bicycle sessions per week over a 3-month period (12 weeks) and the activities were prescribed after determining the anaerobic ventilatory threshold (VO2 threshold). Anaerobic training was based on the Wingate anaerobic power test. The leisure program consisted of a varied range of activities (games, exercises, etc.). A nutritionist interviewed the members of these two groups and the control group every week in order to adapt them to the nutritional guidelines proposed for the study. The study showed that all three programs (aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise and leisure activities) were effective in reducing body mass. However, we found a significant reduction when analyzing the depression scores only for aerobic exercise (18.9 ± 9.33 to 10.6 ± 9.56 or 43.9%) but no significant alterations for anaerobic exercise (11.36 ± 5.23 to 9.63 ± 4.78 or 15.22%) and leisure (17.28 ± 7.55 to 15.07 ± 7.54 or 12.78%), thus indicating that in principle this type of activity could be included to improve emotional well-being of obese adolescent girls.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Programa de Pós-Graduação em NutriçãoUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de PsicobiologiaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de PediatriaFaculdades Integradas Faculdade de Educação Física de Santo AndréInstituto do Sono Associação Fundo de Incentivo à PsicofarmacologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Programa de Pós-Graduação em NutriçãoUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de PsicobiologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de PediatriaSciEL

Glucose metabolism reprogramming in bladder cancer: hexokinase 2 (HK2) as prognostic biomarker and target for bladder cancer therapy

Proliferating cancer cells are able to reprogram their energy metabolism, favouring glycolysis even in the presence of oxygen and fully functioning mitochondria. Research is needed to validate the glycolysis-related proteins as prognostic/predictive biomarkers in urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC), a malignancy tagged by high recurrence rates and poor response to chemotherapy. Here, we assessed GLUT1, HK2, PFKL, PKM2, phospho-PDH, and LDHA immunoexpression in 76 UBC samples, differentiating among urothelial, fibroblast, and endothelial cells and among normoxic versus hypoxic areas. We additionally studied the functional effects of the HK2 inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) in “in vitro” and “in vivo” preclinical UBC models. We showed that the expression of the glycolysis-related proteins is associated with UBC aggressiveness and poor prognosis. HK2 remained as an independent prognostic factor for disease-free and overall survival. 2DG decreased the UBC cell’s viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion; the inhibition of cell cycle progression and apoptosis occurrence was also verified. A significant reduction in tumour growth and blood vessel formation upon 2DG treatment was observed in the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. 2DG potentiated the cisplatin-induced inhibition of cell viability in a cisplatin-resistant subline. This study highlights HK2 as a prognostic biomarker for UBC patients and demonstrates the potential benefits of using 2DG as a glycolysis inhibitor. Future studies should focus on integrating 2DG into chemotherapy design, as an attempt to overcome cisplatin resistance.The work presented herein was performed at the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho. Financial support was provided by the Scientific Microscopy Platform of ICVS, member of the national infrastructure PPBI—Portuguese Platform of Bioimaging (PPBI-POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022122), by National funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)—project UIDB/50026/2020 and UIDP/50026/2020, and by the projects NORTE 01-0145-FEDER-000039 and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000055, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). J.A. was supported by FCT (fellowship ref. SFRH/BPD/116784/2016). C.G. was supported by Programme NORTE 2020 [CTTI-117/21-ICVS(1)] and FCT (contract ref. 2021.02600.CEECIND). D.F. was supported by “Liga Portuguesa contra o Cancro—Núcleo Regional do Norte” (fellowship ref. LPCC-NRN).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nutritional strategies for correcting low glucose values in patients with postbariatric hypoglycaemia: A randomized controlled three-arm crossover trial.

AIM To evaluate the efficacy of nutritional hypoglycaemia correction strategies in postbariatric hypoglycaemia (PBH) after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). MATERIALS AND METHODS In a randomized, controlled, three-arm crossover trial, eight post-RYGB adults (mean [SD] 7.0 [1.4] years since surgery) with PBH ingested a solid mixed meal (584 kcal, 85 g carbohydrates, 21 g fat, 12 g protein) to induce hypoglycaemia on three separate days. Upon reaching plasma glucose of less than 3.0 mmol/L, hypoglycaemia was corrected with 15 g of glucose (G15), 5 g of glucose (G5) or a protein bar (P10, 10 g of protein) in random order. The primary outcome was percentage of time spent in the target plasma glucose range (3.9-5.5 mmol/L) during 40 minutes after correction. RESULTS Postcorrection time spent in the target glucose range did not differ significantly between the interventions (P = .161). However, postcorrection time with glucose less than 3.9 mmol/L was lower after G15 than P10 (P = .007), whereas time spent with glucose more than 5.5 mmol/L, peak glucose and insulin 15 minutes postcorrection were higher after G15 than G5 and P10 (P < .001). Glucagon 15 minutes postcorrection was higher after P10 than after G15 and G5 (P = .002 and P = .003, respectively). G15 resulted in rebound hypoglycaemia (< 3.0 mmol/L) in three of eight cases (38%), while no rebound hypoglycaemia occurred with G5 and P10. CONCLUSIONS Correcting hypoglycaemia with 15 g of glucose should be reconsidered in post-RYGB PBH. A lower dose appears to sufficiently increase glucose levels outside the critical range in most cases, and complementary nutrients (e.g. proteins) may provide glycaemia-stabilizing benefits. REGISTRATION NUMBER OF CLINICAL TRIAL NTC05250271 (ClinicalTrials.gov)

Nutritional strategies for correcting low glucose values in patients with postbariatric hypoglycaemia: A randomized controlled three‐arm crossover trial

AimTo evaluate the efficacy of nutritional hypoglycaemia correction strategies in postbariatric hypoglycaemia (PBH) after Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB).Materials and methodsIn a randomized, controlled, three‐arm crossover trial, eight post‐RYGB adults (mean [SD] 7.0 [1.4] years since surgery) with PBH ingested a solid mixed meal (584 kcal, 85 g carbohydrates, 21 g fat, 12 g protein) to induce hypoglycaemia on three separate days. Upon reaching plasma glucose of less than 3.0 mmol/L, hypoglycaemia was corrected with 15 g of glucose (G15), 5 g of glucose (G5) or a protein bar (P10, 10 g of protein) in random order. The primary outcome was percentage of time spent in the target plasma glucose range (3.9‐5.5 mmol/L) during 40 minutes after correction.ResultsPostcorrection time spent in the target glucose range did not differ significantly between the interventions (P = .161). However, postcorrection time with glucose less than 3.9 mmol/L was lower after G15 than P10 (P = .007), whereas time spent with glucose more than 5.5 mmol/L, peak glucose and insulin 15 minutes postcorrection were higher after G15 than G5 and P10 (P < .001). Glucagon 15 minutes postcorrection was higher after P10 than after G15 and G5 (P = .002 and P = .003, respectively). G15 resulted in rebound hypoglycaemia (< 3.0 mmol/L) in three of eight cases (38%), while no rebound hypoglycaemia occurred with G5 and P10.ConclusionsCorrecting hypoglycaemia with 15 g of glucose should be reconsidered in post‐RYGB PBH. A lower dose appears to sufficiently increase glucose levels outside the critical range in most cases, and complementary nutrients (e.g. proteins) may provide glycaemia‐stabilizing benefits.Registration number of clinical trialNTC05250271 (ClinicalTrials.gov)

Synthesis of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia by sol–gel route: Influence of experimental parameters and large scale production

This paper develops an advance in the field of new synthesis techniques for functional materials like Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) used as sensors, thermal barriers or electrolytes for high-temperature fuel cells. In recent years, sol–gel routes were developed to prepare, by suitable chemical modifications, submicronic based materials with a controlled morphology, which conventional solid state chemistry paths are unable to provide. Wet chemistry methods provide interesting alternative routes because mixing of species occurs on the atomic scale. In this paper, ultrafine powders were prepared by a novel wet chemistry method based on the sol–gel process. One of the advantages of this method is to decrease the crystallization temperature in comparison to the conventional ones, allowing the synthesis of reactive powders with nanometric particles size. In this study, several processing parameters have been investigated (the hydrolysis ratio, the concentration of metallic precursors in the sol and the role of organic compounds and additives). Pure phases of YSZ were obtained and the characteristics of these powders investigated (crystallographic study, morphology, phase composition, etc.). Also, our optimised synthesis was applied to large scale elaboration by increasing the quantity of precursors. This study underlines the interest of the sol–gel process both to control the morphology of oxides and to prepare large amounts of high purity powders for an eventual industrialization process