Urban growth, regeneration and social inclusion in Porto Alegre: the City Entrance Integrated Programme case study

Since 1989 Porto Alegre has become an international reference for planning (UN Habitat, 1996) and regeneration practices associated also with the Participatory Budget process (Pacheco, 2001; Fedozzi, 1998), aiming at poverty reduction and social inclusiveness (Getúlio Vargas Foundation, 2004; UNDP, 2003; UN/UMP, 2003). Within the new city masterplan approved in 1999 the City Entrance Integrated Programme (henceforth PIEC) has been delivered since 2002 (Vargas, 2003; PMPA, 2014). The paper critically analyses the outcomes of the 4th District’s regeneration process and relate them to recent trends in terms of informal rapid urbanisation, social and ecological indicators. The findings highlight how, even though enjoying economic development and positive macro-economic trends, Porto Alegre is facing new or increasing challenges in terms of housing needs, informal urbanisation, social and environmental resilience. Unexpected internal people displacement, together with real estate speculation and the rise of new informal urbanization, provide a worrying picture of increasing inequalities across the city. The paper provides a reflection on the shortcomings and the fragility of the planning process, especially in terms of social and environmental impact, to draw some provisional conclusions and directions for further research activities

Wetting and interfacial reactions: experimental study of the Sb-Sn-X (X = Cu, Ni) systems

Experimental studies of the Cu-Sb-Sn and Ni-Sb-Sn systems have been carried out by the wetting tests, followed by the analysis of the microstructural evolution occurring at the interface between the liquid alloy and solid substrate. The wetting experiments on the Sb30Sn70 / (Cu, Ni) and Sb38.4 Sn61.6 / (Cu, Ni) systems have been performed by using a sessile drop apparatus. The wetting behaviour of the two alloys in contact with Cu-substrate differs from that observed in the case of Ni-substrate. The Sb-Sn alloy / substrate interface was characterised by SEM-EDS analyses. For each system, the solid-liquid interactions and the phases formed at the interface were studied with the help of the corresponding phase diagrams

On the variability of microbial populations and bacterial metabolites within the canine stool. An in-depth analysis

Canine faecal microbial populations and metabolome are being increasingly studied to understand the interplay between host and gut microbiome. However, the distribution of bacterial taxa and microbial metabolites throughout the canine stool is understudied and currently no guidelines for the collection, storage and preparation of canine faecal samples have been proposed. Here, we assessed the effects that different sampling points have on the abundance of selected microbial populations and bacterial metabolites within the canine stool. Whole fresh faecal samples were obtained from five healthy adult dogs. Stool subsamples were collected from the surface to the inner part and from three equally sized areas (cranial, central, caudal) along the length axis of the stool log. All samples were finally homogenised and compared before and after homogenisation. Firmic-utes, Bacteroidetes, Clostridium cluster I, Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp. and Enterococcus spp. populations were analysed, as well as pH, ammonia and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) concentra-tions. Compared to the surface of the stool, inner subsamples resulted in greater concentrations of SCFA and ammonia, and lower pH values. qPCR assay of microbial taxa did not show any differ-ences between subsamples. Homogenisation of faeces does not affect the variability of microbial and metabolome data. Although the distribution patterns of bacterial populations and metabolites are still unclear, we found that stool subsampling yielded contradictory result and biases that can affect the final outcome when investigating the canine microbiome. Complete homogenisation of the whole stool is therefore recommended

Assessment of the Effects of Edible Microalgae in a Canine Gut Model

Microalgae are a source of bioactive compounds having recently been studied for their possible application as health-promoting ingredients. The aim of the study was to evaluate in an in vitro canine gut model the effects of four microalgae, Arthrospira platensis (AP), Haematococcus pluvialis (HP), Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PT) and Chlorella vulgaris (CV), on some fecal microbial populations and metabolites. The four microalgae were subjected to an in vitro digestion procedure, and subsequently, the digested biomass underwent colonic in vitro fermentation. After 6 h of incubation, PT increased propionate (+36%) and butyrate (+24%), and decreased total BCFA (-47%), isobutyrate (-52%) and isovalerate (-43%) and C. hiranonis (-0.46 log10 copies/75 ng DNA). After 24 h, PT increased propionate (+21%) and isovalerate (+10%), and decreased the abundance of Turicibacter spp. (7.18 vs. 6.69 and 6.56 log10 copies/75 ng DNA for CTRL vs. PT, respectively); moreover, after 24 h, CV decreased C. coccoides (-1.12 log10 copies/75 ng DNA) and Enterococcus spp. (-0.37 log10 copies/75 ng DNA). In conclusion, the microbial saccharolytic activities and the shift in fecal bacterial composition were less pronounced than expected, based on current literature. This study should be considered as a preliminary assessment, and future investigations are required to better understand the role of microalgae in canine nutrition

Fecal microbiota and inflammatory and antioxidant status of obese and lean dogs, and the effect of caloric restriction

IntroductionObesity is the most common nutritional disease in dogs, and is generally managed by caloric restriction. Gut microbiota alteration could represent a predisposing factor for obesity development, which has been associated with a low-grade inflammatory condition and an impaired antioxidant status. Besides, weight loss has been shown to influence the gut microbiota composition and reduce the inflammatory response and oxidative stress. MethodHowever, these insights in canine obesity have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to assess the differences in serum and inflammatory parameters, antioxidant status, fecal microbiota and bacterial metabolites in 16 obese and 15 lean client-owned dogs and how these parameters in obese may be influenced by caloric restriction. First, for 30 days, all dogs received a high-protein, high-fiber diet in amounts to maintain their body weight; later, obese dogs were fed for 180 days the same diet in restricted amounts to promote weight loss. ResultsBefore the introduction of the experimental diet (T0), small differences in fecal microbial populations were detected between obese and lean dogs, but bacterial diversity and main bacterial metabolites did not differ. The fecal Dysbiosis Index (DI) was within the reference range (< 0) in most of dogs of both groups. Compared to lean dogs, obese dogs showed higher serum concentrations of acute-phase proteins, total thyroxine (TT4), and antioxidant capacity. Compared to T0, dietary treatment affected the fecal microbiota of obese dogs, decreasing the abundance of Firmicutes and increasing Bacteroides spp. However, these changes did not significantly affect the DI. The caloric restriction failed to exert significative changes on a large scale on bacterial populations. Consequently, the DI, bacterial diversity indices and metabolites were unaffected in obese dogs. Caloric restriction was not associated with a reduction of inflammatory markers or an improvement of the antioxidant status, while an increase of TT4 has been observed. DiscussionIn summary, the present results underline that canine obesity is associated with chronic inflammation. This study highlights that changes on fecal microbiota of obese dogs induced by the characteristics of the diet should be differentiated from those that are the consequence of the reduced energy intake

Reduced mortality in COVID-19 patients treated with colchicine: Results from a retrospective, observational study

Objectives Effective treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are urgently needed. We hypothesized that colchicine, by counteracting proinflammatory pathways implicated in the uncontrolled inflammatory response of COVID-19 patients, reduces pulmonary complications, and improves survival. Methods This retrospective study included 71 consecutive COVID-19 patients (hospitalized with pneumonia on CT scan or outpatients) who received colchicine and compared with 70 control patients who did not receive colchicine in two serial time periods at the same institution. We used inverse probability of treatment propensity-score weighting to examine differences in mortality, clinical improvement (using a 7-point ordinary scale), and inflammatory markers between the two groups. Results Amongst the 141 COVID-19 patients (118 [83.7%] hospitalized), 70 (50%) received colchicine. The 21-day crude cumulative mortality was 7.5% in the colchicine group and 28.5% in the control group (P = 0.006; adjusted hazard ratio: 0.24 [95%CI: 0.09 to 0.67]); 21-day clinical improvement occurred in 40.0% of the patients on colchicine and in 26.6% of control patients (adjusted relative improvement rate: 1.80 [95%CI: 1.00 to 3.22]). The strong association between the use of colchicine and reduced mortality was further supported by the diverging linear trends of percent daily change in lymphocyte count (P = 0.018), neutrophilto- lymphocyte ratio (P = 0.003), and in C-reactive protein levels (P = 0.009). Colchicine was stopped because of transient side effects (diarrhea or skin rashes) in 7% of patients. Conclusion In this retrospective cohort study colchicine was associated with reduced mortality and accelerated recovery in COVID-19 patients. This support the rationale for current larger randomized controlled trials testing the safety/efficacy profile of colchicine in COVID-19 patients. Copyright

Ramipril and Risk of Hyperkalemia in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors provide well known cardiorenal-protective benefits added to antihypertensive effects in chronic renal disease. These agents are underused in management of patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) because of common concern of hyperkalemia. However, few studies have investigated effect of renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade on serum potassium in hemodialysis patients. We assessed the safety of ramipril in patients on maintenance HD. We enrolled 28 adult end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients treated by maintenance HD and prescribed them ramipril in doses of 1.25 to 5 mg per day. They underwent serum potassium concentration measurements before ramipril introduction and in 1 to 3 months afterwards. No significant increase in kalemia was found. Results of our study encourage the use of ACE inhibitors in chronically hemodialyzed patients, but close potassium monitoring is mandatory

Thermochemical investigation of Sm-Mg alloys

The paper focuses on the thermochemical behaviour of the binary Sm-Mg alloys. The enthalpies of formation of the Sm-Mg intermetallic compounds have been determined at 300 K by high temperature direct synthesis calorimetry. The following results in kJ/mole of atoms are reported: -18.5\ub12 (SmMg), -16.0\ub12 (SmMg2), -12.0\ub12 (SmMg3), -8.5\ub12 (SmMg5) and -5.5\ub12 (Sm5Mg41). The results are compared with the earlier experimental value obtained by vapour pressure

Al-Ti-Zn System: thermochemistry of the Ti(Zn,Al)3 phases

Cubic cP4-AuCu3 trialuminides have long been of interest because of their possible use as low density, high-temperature structural materials. The inherent brittleness of trialuminides, however, has limited their use in such applications so, many of the efforts to increase the ductility of these alloys have focused on identifying alloying additions that can lead to the stability of the cubic cP4-AuCu3 phase, rather than the tetragonal (tI8-Al3Ti or tI16-Al11Ti5) structures that form in most binary trialumides. These phases are also of interest for their possible use as precipitates for high-temperature, creep-resistant Al-based alloys (i.e. Al3Sc precipitates have been successfully used to increase the creep resistance of Al alloys). The design of new alloys requires accurate knowledge of the thermodynamic stability of all relevant phases which may be integrated within CALPHAD formalism to calculate binary and ternary phase diagrams and phase transformation driving forces. A high temperature drop calorimeter has been employed to determine the standard entalpy of formation at 300K of the samples which consist in an appropriate amounts of Al, Ti and Zn powders weighed and mixed in a glove box and then pressed to obtain pellets. The compositions of the alloys were Ti(Zn,Al)3 with an Al content from 10 to 65 at% Al. After the measurements, composition and state of the samples were examined by means of microscopic analysis (optical and electron probe microanalysis) and powder X-ray diffraction methods. We faced some experimental problems due to intrinsic factors that may be unfavorable in finding an optimum condition for calorimetric runs (i.e. large difference in melting point between Ti, Al and Zn, high vapor pressure of Zn). The results obtained by calorimetry, X-ray diffraction analysis and electron probe microanalysis, are here presented and discussed