Análise e Acompanhamento da Execução de Soluções de Melhoria de Conforto Térmico na Reabilitação de Edifícios

O presente relatório inserido na Unidade Curricular de DIPRE do Mestrado em Engenharia Civil – Ramo de Construções, do Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto e desenvolvido no âmbito do estágio curricular realizado na empresa Porto Vivo, SRU, tem como objetivo descrever as atividades realizadas durante o período de estágio, no Núcleo de Gestão de Obras, tais como o acompanhamento das Operações de Reabilitação e Realojamento no Morro da Sé, participações em reuniões de obra com empreiteiros e projetistas, realização de vistorias para determinar o nível de conservação dos edifícios. Irá ainda ser abordado um caso de estudo relativo ao comportamento térmico da fração autónoma de um edifício em reabilitação, utilizando como base o Regulamento de Desempenho Energético dos Edifícios de Habitação (REH). Por último, as conclusões finais do estágio, a apreciação das atividades desenvolvidas, a sua importância para o estagiário a nível pessoal e profissional e ainda as ilações referentes ao caso de estudo.As part of DIPRE class of Civil Engineering’s – Construction Business - Master Course at Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, the present report was developed under the internship held at Porto Vivo – SRU, it aims to describe the activities performed under the internship period, at Núcleo de Gestão de Obras the tasks of the monitoring of the rehabilitation and resettlement operations of Morro da Sé, participation of site meetings with contractors and designer managers and undertaken of surveys to determine the building’s conservation level. It will also be discussed a study case, related with the thermal behavior of an autonomous fraction from a building undertaking rehabilitation works, based on Regulamento de Desempenho Energético dos Edifícios de Habitação (REH). At last, it will be presented the internship’s final conclusions, the assessments of developed activities and its importance for the trainee at a personal and professional level as well as the conclusions from the study case

Rs1888747 polymorphism in the FRMD3 gene, gene and protein expression: Role in diabetic kidney disease

© 2016 Buffon et al. Background: We carried out a case-control study in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to evaluate the association between seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously described to be linked to diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Additionally, we evaluated gene and protein expression related to the polymorphism associated with DKD. Methods: The association study included 1098 T2DM patients (718 with DKD and 380 without DKD). Out of the 13 polymorphisms associated with DKD in a previous study with T1DM, seven were chosen for evaluation in this sample: rs1888747, rs9521445, rs39075, rs451041, rs1041466, rs1411766 and rs6492208. The expression study included 91 patients who underwent nephrectomy. Gene expression was assessed by RT-qPCR and protein expression in kidney samples was quantified by western blot and it localization by immunohistochemistry. Results: The C/C genotype of rs1888747 SNP was associated with protection for DKD (OR = 0.6, 95 % CI 0.3-0.9; P = 0.022). None of the other SNPs were associated with DKD. rs1888747 is located near FRMD3 gene. Therefore, FRMD3 gene and protein expression were evaluated in human kidney tissue according to rs1888747 genotypes. Gene and protein expression were similar in subjects homozygous for the C allele and in those carrying the G allele. Conclusions: Replication of the association between rs1888747 SNP and DKD in a different population suggests that this link is not the result of chance. rs1888747 SNP is located at the FRMD3 gene, which is expressed in human kidney. Therefore, this gene is a candidate gene for DKD. However, in this study, no rs1888747 genotype or specific allele effect on gene and/or protein expression of the FRMD3 gene was demonstrated

K121Q polymorphism in the Ectonucleotide Pyrophosphatase/Phosphodiesterase 1 gene is associated with acute kidney rejection.

The identification of risk factors for acute rejection (AR) may lead to strategies to improve success of kidney transplantation. Ectonucleotidases are ectoenzymes that hydrolyze extracellular nucleotides into nucleosides, modulating the purinergic signaling. Some members of the Ectonucleotidase family have been linked to transplant rejection processes. However, the association of Ectonucleotide Pyrophosphatase / Phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) with AR has not yet been evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the K121Q polymorphism of ENPP1 gene and AR in kidney transplant patients. We analyzed 449 subjects without AR and 98 with AR from a retrospective cohort of kidney transplant patients from Southern Brazil. K121Q polymorphism was genotyped using allelic discrimination-real-time PCR. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate freedom of AR in kidney transplant patients according to genotypes. Q allele frequency was 17.6% in recipients without AR and 21.9% in those with AR (P = 0.209). Genotype frequencies of the K121Q polymorphism were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in non-AR patients (P = 0.70). The Q/Q genotype (recessive model) was associated with AR (HR = 2.83, 95% CI 1.08-7.45; P = 0.034) after adjusting for confounders factors. Our findings suggest a novel association between the ENPP1 121Q/Q genotype and AR in kidney transplant recipients

Associations between <em>UCP1</em> -3826A/G, <em>UCP2</em> -866G/A, Ala55Val and Ins/Del, and <em>UCP3</em> -55C/T Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Some studies have reported associations between five uncoupling protein (<em>UCP</em>) <em>1–3</em> polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, other studies have failed to confirm the associations. This paper describes a case-control study and a meta-analysis conducted to attempt to determine whether the following polymorphisms are associated with T2DM: -3826A/G (<em>UCP1</em>); -866G/A, Ala55Val and Ins/Del (<em>UCP2</em>) and -55C/T (<em>UCP3</em>).</p> <h3>Methods</h3><p>The case-control study enrolled 981 T2DM patients and 534 nondiabetic subjects, all of European ancestry. A literature search was run to identify all studies that investigated associations between <em>UCP1–3</em> polymorphisms and T2DM. Pooled odds ratios (OR) were calculated for allele contrast, additive, recessive, dominant and co-dominant inheritance models. Sensitivity analyses were performed after stratification by ethnicity.</p> <h3>Results</h3><p>In the case-control study the frequencies of the <em>UCP</em> polymorphisms did not differ significantly between T2DM and nondiabetic groups (P>0.05). Twenty-three studies were eligible for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis results showed that the Ala55Val polymorphism was associated with T2DM under a dominant model (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.03–1.57); while the -55C/T polymorphism was associated with this disease in almost all genetic models: allele contrast (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.02–1.34), additive (OR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.01–1.72) and dominant (OR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.02–1.37). However, after stratification by ethnicity, the <em>UCP2</em> 55Val and <em>UCP3</em> -55C/T alleles remained associated with T2DM only in Asians (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.02–1.51 and OR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.04–1.44, respectively; allele contrast model). No significant association of the -3826A/G, -866G/A and Ins/Del polymorphisms with T2DM was observed.</p> <h3>Conclusions</h3><p>In our case-control study of people with European ancestry we were not able to demonstrate any association between the <em>UCP</em> polymorphisms and T2DM; however, our meta-analysis detected a significant association between the <em>UCP2</em> Ala55Val and <em>UCP3</em> -55C/T polymorphisms and increased susceptibility for T2DM in Asians.</p> </div

Forest plots showing individual and pooled ORs (95% CI) for the associations between the <i>UCP1</i> -3826A/G and <i>UCP3</i> -55C/T polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus under an allele contrast inheritance model.

<p>The areas of the squares reflect the weight of each individual study and the diamonds illustrate the random-effects summary ORs (95% CI). ^a European population; ^b Asian population; ^c Mixed population.</p

Genotype and allele distributions of <i>UCP</i> polymorphisms in type 2 diabetes patients and non-diabetic subjects.

<p>Data are presented as number of carriers (%) or proportion of sample. The control group contained non-diabetic subjects and cases were type 2 diabetic patients.</p>*<p>P values were computed using χ² tests to compare case and control groups.</p>†<p>P values were computed using logistic regression analysis and are adjusted for age and gender.</p

Forest plots showing individual and pooled ORs (95% CI) for the associations between the <i>UCP2</i> -866G/A, Ala55Val and Ins/Del polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus under an allele contrast inheritance model.

<p>The areas of the squares reflect the weight of each individual study, and the diamonds illustrate the random-effects summary ORs (95% CI). ^a European population; ^b Asian population; ^c Mixed population.</p

Flowchart illustrating the search strategy used to identify association studies of <i>UCP1–3</i> polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus for the meta-analysis.

<p>Flowchart illustrating the search strategy used to identify association studies of <i>UCP1–3</i> polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus for the meta-analysis.</p

Endothelin-1 gene polymorphisms and diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background and aims: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end stage renal disease worldwide and is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. The endothelin system has been implicated in the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension and renal dysfunction. In the present study, the association of DKD with polymorphisms in ET-1 (EDN1) and ETRA (EDNRA) genes was analyzed in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A case–control study was conducted in 548 white T2DM patients. Patients with proteinuria or on dialysis were considered cases and patients with normoalbuminuria were considered controls. Two polymorphisms in the EDN1 gene (rs1800541 and rs57072783) and five in EDNRA gene (rs6842241; rs4835083; rs4639051; rs5333 and rs5343) were genotyped and haplotype analyses were performed. Results: The presence of rs57072783 T allele (TT/TG vs. GG) or rs1800541 G allele (GG/GT vs. TT) protected against DKD (OR = 0.69, 95 % CI 0.48–0.99, P = 0.049; and OR = 0.60, 95 % CI 0.41–0.88, P = 0.009, respectively). However in multivariate analyses, only the rs1800541 G allele remained independently associated with DKD (P = 0.046). Conclusions: The present study shows that ET-1 could be involved in the pathogenesis of DKD in patients with T2DM

Association between the ENPP1 K121Q Polymorphism and Risk of Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The potential association between the K121Q (A/C, rs1044498) polymorphism in the ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (ENPP1) gene and risk of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has been investigated. Nevertheless, the effect of this variant on DKD risk is still under debate, and conflicting results have been reported. To this date, no meta-analysis has evaluated the association of the K121Q polymorphism with DKD. This paper describes the first meta-analysis conducted to evaluate whether the ENPP1K121Q polymorphism is associated with DKD. A literature search was conducted to identify all case-control or cross-sectional studies that evaluated associations between the ENPP1K121Q polymorphism and DKD. Pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated for allele contrast, additive, dominant and recessive inheritance models. Seven studies were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis, providing data on 3571 type 1 or type 2 diabetic patients (1606 cases with DKD and 1965 diabetic controls without this complication). No significant heterogeneity was observed among the studies included in the meta-analysis when assuming different inheritance models (I² 0.10 for the entire sample and after stratification by ethnicity). Meta-analysis results revealed significant associations between the K121Q polymorphism and risk of DKD in Asians and Europeans when assuming the different inheritance models analyzed. The most powerful association was observed for the additive model (OR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.27-2.38 for the total sample). In conclusion, the present meta-analysis detected a significant association between the ENPP1K121Q polymorphism and increased susceptibility of DKD in European and Asian populations