An exploration of family of origin violence, shaming, and insecure attachment styles in men who batter

This was an exploratory study designed to better understand the extent to which domestic batterers have experienced exposure to family of origin violence, shaming by a parent, and developed insecure attachment styles during childhood

New chromene-based drug candidates for cancer treatment

Dissertação de mestrado em Bioquímica AplicadaCancer is a devastating disease worldwide, with millions of diagnoses per year and many people living with this pathology. Breast cancer is one of the major causes of death in women while male breast cancer represents less than 1% of the total male diagnosed population. Due to this increasing cancer incidence, research in this area has been growing at the same rate. Thus, there is an urgency in discovering new drugs for cancer treatment. The chromene scaffold has been identified in several compounds with anticancer activity. The substitution pattern highly influences the activity and the mode of action and the synthesis of new derivatives is an important element in the search for improved drug candidates. The major aim of this Master thesis was the synthesis of new chromene derivatives with enhanced anticancer activity. Chalcone and chromene derivatives were isolated in good yield through clean reactions using innocuous solvents such as water and ethanol and highly effective aldol condensations. Generally, the reactions were performed at room temperature, leading to the isolation of highly pure compounds. Newly synthetized compounds were tested on cancer cells and a non-tumoral cell line. For the first screening, a range of 51 compounds was assessed for cell survival by SRB assay on MCF-7 cells. Then, only the 22 most active compounds were tested against another breast cancer cell line (HS578t) and cytotoxicity was evaluated for MCF-10 normal cells. Then, a selection of the eight most promising chalcones and chromenes had their IC50 determined for all three cell lines. Finally, some more specific assays were performed and it was found that a selected chromene acted as a cell migration inhibitory agent. Some preliminary results, with protein expression, also showed that this chromene might be causing its anticancer activity through induction of cell-apoptosis. For chalcones, the results suggest an anti-proliferative ability and reduction of membrane integrity. Generally, compounds with halogenated substituents presented enhanced activity comparing to methoxy or methyl groups. More specifically, the bromine atom was often present in the bioactive molecules that proceeded to the final assays and showed to be promising candidates for further studies.O cancro é uma doença devastadora que em todo o mundo apresenta milhões de diagnósticos por ano e muitas pessoas vivem com esta patologia. O cancro da mama é uma das maiores causas de morte entre a população feminina enquanto que, o cancro da mama masculino afeta menos de 1% de todos os diagnósticos oncológicos nos homens. Devido à crescente incidência de cancro, a investigação farmacológica nesta área tem vindo a crescer na mesma proporção. Assim, a descoberta de novas drogas para tratamento oncológico representa uma urgência. O núcleo de cromeno foi identificado em diversos compostos com atividade anticancerígena. O padrão de substituição demonstra afetar a atividade e o modo de ação e a síntese de novos derivados é um elemento importante em investigação para melhorar a ação do candidato. O principal objetivo desta tese de Mestrado era sintetizar novos derivados de cromeno com atividade anticancerígena melhorada. Vários derivados de calconas e cromenos foram isolados com bons rendimentos, através de reações limpas usando solventes inócuos tais como água e etanol, em condensações aldólicas altamente efetivas. Na generalidade, as reações foram realizadas à temperatura ambiente, levando ao isolamento de compostos altamente puros. Os recém-sintetizados compostos foram testados em linhas celulares de cancro e numa linha celular não-tumoral. Num primeiro screening, um lote de 51 compostos foi testado para a viabilidade celular por ensaio com sulforodamina em células MCF-7. Então, apenas os 22 compostos mais ativos foram testados para outra linha celular (HS578t) e a citotoxicidade foi avaliada em células normais MCF-10. Uma série dos oito compostos mais promissores para as três linhas celulares, foi selecionada e teve o IC50 determinado. Finalmente, alguns ensaios mais específicos foram elaborados e registou-se que o único cromeno selecionado apresentou poder para inibição da migração celular. Alguns resultados preliminares, para expressão proteica, clarificaram que este cromeno poderá estar a agir como agente anticancerígeno através da indução da apoptose. Para as calconas testadas, os resultados sugerem uma capacidade antiproliferativa e a redução da integridade membranar. Em geral, os compostos com substituintes halogenados exibiram melhor atividade em comparação com grupos metilo ou metoxilo. Mais especificamente, o átomo de bromo esteve por diversas vezes presente nas moléculas bioativas que procederam para os ensaios finais e demostraram ser candidatos promissores para estudos futuros

M&A : the case of Cimpor and InterCement

Mestrado em FinançasA indústria do cimento é caracterizada por grandes investimentos iniciais e também por elevadas escalas de produção com uma tendência estável entre os maiores produtores de cimento internacionais. Em junho de 2012, a InterCement Austria Holding GmbH, controlada pelo grupo brasileiro Camargo Corrêa, adquiriu o produtor de cimento Português Cimpor com um preço de oferta de 5,50 ?. O grupo já tinha uma participação no capital de Cimpor - 33% - e este acordo permitiu o controlo total da Cimpor - 94%. O acordo ocorreu quando ainda se faziam sentir os resultados da crise financeira de 2008, estando o ambiente macroeconómico europeu ainda a sofrer algumas consequências, especialmente na dívida soberana de Portugal e Espanha. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é analisar se o preço pago por ação é o mais adequado bem como o valor das sinergias geradas. Pode-se concluir que o preço pago se encontra acima do preço obtido com esta avaliação.The cement industry is characterized by large initial investments and also high production scales with a stable trend among the biggest international cement producers?. In June 2012, InterCement Austria Holding GmbH, controlled by the Brazilian Group Camargo Corrêa, acquired the Portuguese cement producer Cimpor with an offer price of 5,50€ per share. The group already had a participation on Cimpor capital - 33% - and this deal allowed the full control of Cimpor - 94%. The deal occurred in the upshot of the 2008 financial crisis when the European macroeconomic environment was still suffering some consequences, especially in the sovereign debt area of Portugal and Spain. The main purpose of this work is to analyze if the price paid per share in the deal was the fair one and the synergies created in the deal. With this is possible to conclude that the price paid was above the share price achieved.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Provenance and clinical benefit of medicines introduced to the French market, 2008 to 2018

IMPORTANCE Both the commercial sector and academia play a vital role in medicine development. Ongoing debates exist on their contribution and the value of medicinal products entering the market. OBJECTIVE To identify the provenance and clinical benefit of medicines that entered the French market between 2008 and 2018. DESIGN AND SETTING In this cross-sectional study, the provenance of each medicine in the French market was established via a review of multiple sources documenting at least 2 matching findings per product. The clinical benefit was assigned using the matched scale developed from the Prescrire and Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) gradings. The χ2 test was used to analyze the proportions and frequencies of medicines graded by Prescrire and HAS by origin, therapeutic category, and clinical benefit. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The origins and therapeutic categories of medicines. Clinical benefit based on Prescrire and HAS grading. Concordance of Prescrire and HAS grading. RESULTS Of the 632 medicines that entered the French market between 2008 and 2018, 464 originated (73%) in the commercial sector, and 168 originated (27%) in the academic setting or in collaboration with commercial enterprises. Prescrire graded psychotropic agents (13/14 [93%]), whereas HAS graded respiratory agents (24/25 [96%]) as the highest percentage of medicines that provided no added benefit. Prescrire graded 360 medicines (77.6%) that originated in the industry and 108 medicines (64.3%) that originated in the academic setting (P = .001) to have no added clinical benefit. HAS assigned such grading to 331 ([71.3%] industry) vs 104 ([61.9%] academia) (P = .02). Based on the Prescrire grading, academia invented more medicines delivering some added benefit 57 (33.9%) vs 98 (21.1%) invented by industry (P = .001). HAS grading on some added benefit 51 ([30.4%] academia) vs 121 ([26.1%] industry) did not reach statistical significance (P = .29). However, HAS grading on substantial added clinical benefit reached statistical significance in favor of academia (13 [7.7%] vs 12 [2.6%] in the industry; P = .003), whereas Prescrire grading did not (1.8% academia vs 1.3% industry; P = .64). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE More than 70% of medicines that entered the French market during the 10-year period originated in the commercial sector. Although most medicines were not graded as providing clinical benefit, medicines originating in the academic setting were more likely to be graded as conferring clinical benefit than those originating in the commercial setting

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with cognitive function in an older non- Mediterranean sample: findings from the Maine- Syracuse Longitudinal Study

Background: Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with higher cognitive function and reduced risk of dementia in Mediterranean populations. However, few studies have investigated the association between Mediterranean diet adherence and cognition in populations outside of the Mediterranean basin. Furthermore, it is currently unknown whether the association between Mediterranean diet adherence and cognitive function differs between middle-aged and older individuals. Methods: Cross-sectional (n = 894) and longitudinal (n = 530) multivariable analyses were undertaken using data from community-dwelling adults from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS). Mediterranean diet adherence was measured by applying a literature-based Mediterranean diet score to food frequency questionnaire data. Cognitive function was assessed with a battery of tests and composites scores were computed for global cognitive function, Visual-Spatial Organization and Memory, verbal memory, working memory, scanning, and tracking and abstract reasoning. Results: No cross-sectional associations between Mediterranean diet adherence and cognitive function were detected. Over a period of five years, higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with improvements in Global Cognitive Function, Visual-Spatial Organization and Memory and scanning and tracking in participants ≥70 years. No significant longitudinal associations were observed for participants \u3c70 years. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with better cognitive performance, and therefore less cognitive decline, in older but not middle-aged individuals

Proceso no contencioso y los desalojos con intervención notarial en el

Objetivo: Evaluar el grado de efectividad de los procesos no contenciosos en desalojos con intervención notarial acorde a las exigencias de la Ley en el Perú. Materiales y Métodos: es una investigación que observa los hechos jurídicos de la realidad ajenos a la voluntad del investigador (no experimental) sin manipulación de variables, de tipo básico – teórico - descriptivo, de visión cualitativa, análisis, síntesis, reflexión e interpretación. Resultados: 50 % no son efectivos los procesos no contenciosos en los desalojos con intervención notarial acorde a las exigencias de la Ley en el Perú, así como, de célere no tienen nada los juicios sumarios, el proceso va más allá de los tres años, afectando la economía del titular del predio, se deja de percibir el arriendo, pago al abogado que lleva su caso, y ejecución de sentencia es onerosa. Conclusiones: 50 % no son efectivos los procesos no contenciosos en los desalojos con intervención notarial acorde a las exigencias de la Ley 30933 en el Perú, del mismo modo, 80 % no se cumplen los plazos previstos en el juicio sumarísimo de desahucio acorde a las exigencias del Código Civil

Rankings baseados nas eficiências otimista e pessimista da DEA - Aplicação ao setor bancário

Mestrado em Contabilidade e Gestão das Instituições FinanceirasNa sua forma tradicional, a metodologia Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) permite avaliar a eficiência de um conjunto de entidades, usualmente denominadas de DMUs (Decision Making Units), segundo um ponto de vista otimista. Uma outra forma de avaliar tal eficiência é usar um ponto de vista pessimista. Estes dois pontos de vista correspondem a pontos de vista extremos, pelo que o uso isolado de cada um deles conduz a avaliações enviesadas e pouco realistas, assim como a classificação de várias DMUs como eficientes ou ineficientes. Contudo, quando usados conjuntamente, permitem obter avaliações mais realistas e estabelecer um ranking, em termos de performance entre as DMUs em avaliação. Este trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar um estudo sobre a obtenção de rankings baseados no uso conjunto daqueles dois pontos de vista e aplicá-lo a um caso prático, mais especificamente a um conjunto de 19 instituições bancárias que operavam em Portugal no ano de 2018.In its traditional form the methodology known as DEA allows for appraising the efficiency of a group of entities usually named as DMUs, from an optimistic perspective. Another way of assessing this efficiency is using a pessimistic point of view. These two perspectives are extreme, so that the individual use of them may lead to an unrealistic and biased appraisal, which in turn, could misclassify the DMUs in efficient or inefficient. However, when used together, they allow to obtain much more realistic appraisals and also to stablish a ranking of performance between DMUs being assessed. The objective of this paper is to present a study on obtaining rankings based in the use of both DMUs perspectives together and its application in one practical case, specifically on a group of 19 bank institutions operating in Portugal in 2018.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Higher yogurt intake is associated with lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals: Cross-sectional findings from the Maine–Syracuse longitudinal study

Associations between fermented dairy products and blood pressure are unclear. The current study therefore examined the association between yogurt and blood pressure in hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals. Cross-sectional analyses were undertaken on 915 community-dwelling adults from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. Habitual yogurt consumption was measured using a food frequency questionnaire. The primary outcomes were systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and pulse pressure. Secondary outcomes included BMI (kg m-2), total cholesterol (mg dL-1), glucose (mg dL-1), HDL (mg dL-1), LDL (mg dL-1), triglycerides (mg dL-1), and plasma homocysteine (μmol L-1). Multivariable regression analyses revealed significant inverse associations between yogurt and both SBP (p \u3c 0.05) and MAP (p \u3c 0.05) in hypertensive (n = 564) but not non-hypertensive participants (n = 351). Future observational and intervention studies should continue to focus on at-risk individuals to examine the potential benefits of yogurt

Avaliação da fertilidade no cio do poldro

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina VeterináriaExiste muita controvérsia em relação à fertilidade no cio do poldro e à tomada de decisão de iniciar ou não a reprodução nesse momento. O objectivo deste trabalho foi analisar alguns aspectos particulares do cio do poldro e avaliar a fertilidade da eguada Alter Real (AR) nesse período, bem como factores que pudessem afectá-la, comparativamente à fertilidade dos estros pós-parto (p.p.) subsequentes. Assim, foram avaliados o mês de parição, a duração do anestro p.p., o dia da primeira ovulação p.p., a existência de retenção placentária e acumulações de fluido intrauterino e seus tratamentos, a idade das éguas, o número de inseminações necessárias por gestação, e a influência destes factores nas taxas de gestação no cio do poldro. O estudo foi realizado na Unidade de Reprodução, Obstetrícia e Neonatologia (URON) da Coudelaria Alter Real (CAR), através do acompanhamento das éguas AR de Janeiro a Junho de 2008 e recorrendo aos registos das épocas reprodutivas de 2006 e 2007. Os animais foram mantidos em pastoreio e complementados com granulado uma vez ao dia. No ano de 2008 e 2007 foram analisadas as mesmas 45 éguas e no ano de 2006 foram analisadas 42 éguas, visto 3 daquelas 45 éguas terem sido postas à reprodução apenas em 2007. Para cada ano reprodutivo (2006, 2007 e 2008) foram analisadas a taxa de gestação no cio do poldro, a taxa de gestação em estros p.p. seguintes e a taxa de gestação nos estros p.p. seguintes após tentativa no cio do poldro. A receptividade das éguas ao garanhão foi testada em todas as éguas paridas, normalmente a partir do dia 5 p.p., a fim de detectar sinais de cio. Uma vez observado o cio do poldro, as éguas foram beneficiadas em dias alternados até se verificar, por exame ultrasonográfico, a ovulação. O diagnóstico ecográfico de gestação foi efectuado ao 15º dia após o dia da ovulação e confirmado ao 30º dia. Da análise global dos 3 anos, a taxa de gestação no cio do poldro foi de 66,7% e a taxa de gestação dos estros p.p. seguintes foi de 59,4%. Estes resultados permitem concluir que a fertilidade no cio do poldro foi superior à fertilidade em estros p.p. subsequentes. Para além disso, da análise dos 3 anos individualmente temos que a fertilidade no cio do poldro teve uma melhoria significativa entre o ano 2006 (33,3%) e os anos 2007 e 2008 (84,6% e 67,7%, respectivamente), tendo-se alcançado taxas de gestação no cio do poldro superiores às taxas de gestação nos estros p.p. subsequentes, em 2007 (84,6% vs 62,5%) e 2008 (67,7% vs 53,8%). Caso não se verifiquem problemas que denotem uma involução uterina alterada, como retenção placentária e grandes acumulações de líquido intrauterino, ou outros factores que desaconselhem o início da reprodução, na URON da CAR é viável iniciar a reprodução das éguas AR paridas, no cio do poldro.ABSTRACT - Title: Fertility Assessment on Foal Heat - A major controversy exists about foal heat fertility and making the decision to begin or not the reproduction at that moment. The aim of this work was to analyze some particular aspects of the foal heat and assess fertility of Alter Real (AR) herd at that time, as well as factors that may affect it, comparatively to the subsequent oestrous cycles. Therefore, were evaluated foaling month, post partum (p.p.) anoestrus, day of first p.p. ovulation, placental retention and uterine fluid accumulations and their treatments, mares’ age, necessary number of inseminations per gestation and the influence of these factors in gestation rates at foal heat. The study was carried out in the Unidade de Reprodução, Obstetrícia e Neonatologia (URON) of the Coudelaria Alter Real (CAR), following the AR mares from January to July of 2008 and using the records of the reproductive season from 2006 and 2007. Mares were maintained on pasture and were fed additional concentrate and hay once a day. In the year of 2008 and 2007 the same 45 mares were studied and in 2006 only 42, since 3 of those mares were just first bred in 2007. On each reproductive year (2006, 2007 and 2008) gestation rate in foal heat, gestation rate in subsequent oestrous cycles and gestation rate in subsequent oestrous cycles after attempt in foal heat were evaluated. The receptivity of mares to the stallion was tested in all foaling mares, usually beginning at the fifth day p.p. to detect heat signs. Once observed the foal heat, the mares were bred in alternate days until ovulation was identified by transrectal ultrasonography. The ultrasonographic pregnancy diagnosis was made on day 15 after the ovulation day and confirmed on day 30. From the global analysis of the 3 years, pregnancy rate in foal heat was 66,7% and the pregnancy rate in subsequent oestrous cycles was 59,4%. These results allow to conclude that the fertility in foal heat was superior than the fertility in subsequent oestrus periods. Furthermore, from the analysis of each one of the 3 years, the fertility in foal heat had an expressive improvement between the year 2006 (33,3%) and the years 2007 and 2008 (84,6% and 67,7%, respectively), reaching a superior gestation rate in foal heat than in later p.p. oestrous cycles, on 2007 (84,6% vs 62,5%) and 2008 (67,7% vs 53,8%). In the absence of problems that affect uterine involution, such as plancentary retention and major uterine fluid accumulations, or of other factors that advise against the beginning of reproduction, in the URON of the CAR it is feasible to begin reproduction of foaling AR mares in foal heat