The Nubis of Kibera : a social history of the Nubians and Kibera slums

This thesis is based on research conducted in Kibera slums in Nairobi, Kenya, from 2004 to 2008; it focuses on the Nubi ‘tribe’, an ethnic group that developed from an Islamised mix of Sudanese, Ugandan and Congolese people, many of them former soldiers of the Egyptian army in southern Sudan. When in the early 1890s they were recruited by the British to serve in Uganda, they brought with them thousands of wives, children, servants and slaves. All these people ‘melted together’ to form a community with a collective military identity, and with their own distinct customs, language, food, and religion. The Nubi soldiers later formed the backbone of the British colonial armies in East Africa, also serving in Kenya, where they demobilised and settled down in various Nubi villages. One of these villages was near Nairobi, a place where the Nubis created a new ‘tribal land’, their village Kibera.This thesis is an account of the history of both the Nubis and Kibera, from the early days in southern Sudan, up to the third millennium, when Kibera has become one of the largest slums of Africa, and problems of poverty and ethnic violence are the order of the day.LEI Universiteit LeidenColonial and Global Histor

Mapping Chilean clinical research : A protocol for a scoping review and multiple evidence gap maps

Introduction Clinical research broadly aims to influence decision-making in order to promote appropriate healthcare. Funding agencies should prioritise research projects according to needed research topics, methodological and cost-effectiveness considerations, and expected social value. In Chile, there is no local diagnosis regarding recent clinical research that might inform prioritisation for future research funding. This research aims to comprehensively identify and classify Chilean health research studies, elaborating evidence gap maps for the most burdensome local conditions. Methods and analysis We will search in electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS and WoS) and perform hand searches to retrieve, identify and classify health research studies conducted in Chile or by authors whose affiliations are based in Chile, from 2000 onwards. We will elaborate evidence matrices for the 20 conditions with the highest burden in Chile (according to the Global Burden of Disease 2019) selected from those defined under the General Regime of the Health Guarantees Act. To elaborate the evidence gap maps, we will consider prioritised interventions and core outcome sets. To identify knowledge gaps and estimate redundant research, we will contrast these gap maps with the available international evidence of high or moderate certainty of evidence, for each specific clinical question. For this purpose, we will search systematic reviews using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Ethics and dissemination No ethical approval is required to conduct this project. We will submit our results in both peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. We will aim to disseminate our findings through different academic platforms, social media, local press, among others. The final results will be communicated to local funding agencies and government stakeholders. Discussion We aim to provide an accurate and up-to-date picture of the research gaps - to be filled by new future findings - and the identification of redundant research, which will constitute relevant information for local decision-makers

GEOMORFOLOGIA E ADEQUABILIDADE DO USO AGRÍCOLA DAS TERRAS NO SERTÃO CENTRAL DO CEARÁ

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo fazer uma avaliação do uso das terras do Sertão Central do Ceará, levando em consideração a adequabilidade agrícola e o relevo. Os resultados apresentados são fruto das análises dos mapas de adequabilidade e de geomorfologia da área. A maior parte da área de estudo encontra-se subutilizada ou com uso adequado, devido aos solos com maior capacidade de suporte utilizados com pastagem ou vegetação nativa e as áreas mais frágeis com vegetação nativa

Two-way attack on IAPP proteotoxicity with implications for diabetes

Funding Information: This study was supported by FCT–Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (grants UIDB/04567/2020 and UIDP/ 04567/2020 to CBIOS, PTDC/BIA-MOL/31104/2017, and PhD grants PD/BD/135504/2018 to AFR and UI/BD/151421/2021 to SF. RM is funded by FCT Scientific Employment Stimulus contract with the reference number CEEC/04567/ CBIOS/2020. Authors also acknowledge COFAC/ILIND – Cooperativa De Formação e Animação Cultural CRL/Instituto Lusófono de Investigação e Desenvolvimento (grant COFAC/ILIND/CBIOS/2/2021). iNOVA4Health Research Unit (LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-007344), which is cofunded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) / Ministério da Ciência e do Ensino Superior, through national funds, and by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement, is acknowledged (UIDB/04462/2020 and UIDP/04462/2020). CNS acknowledge the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 804229. JAB gratefully acknowledges FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. through MOSTMICRO-ITQB R&D Unit-UIDB/04612/2020 and LS4FUTURE Associated Laboratory-LA/P/0087/2020, and by the framework of Article 23 of Decree-Law No.57/2017 of August 29. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Raimundo, Ferreira, Pobre, Lopes-da-Silva, Brito, dos Santos, Saraiva, dos Santos and Menezes.Introduction: Diabetes is one of the major metabolic diseases worldwide. Despite being a complex systemic pathology, the aggregation and deposition of Islet Amyloid Polypeptide (IAPP), or amylin, is a recognized histopathological marker of the disease. Although IAPP proteotoxicity represents an important trigger of β-cell dysfunction and ultimately death, its exploitation as a therapeutic tool remains underdeveloped. The bioactivity of (poly)phenols towards inhibition of pathological protein aggregation is well known, however, most of the identified molecules have limited bioavailability. Methods: Using a strategy combining in silico, cell-free and cell studies, we scrutinized a unique in-house collection of (poly)phenol metabolites predicted to appear in the human circulation after (poly)phenols ingestion. Results: We identified urolithin B as a potent inhibitor of IAPP aggregation and a powerful modulator of cell homeostasis pathways. Urolithin B was shown to affect IAPP aggregation pattern, delaying the formation of amyloid fibrils and altering their size and morphology. The molecular mechanisms underlying urolithin B-mediated protection include protein clearance pathways, mitochondrial function, and cell cycle ultimately rescuing IAPP-mediated cell dysfunction and death. Discussion: In brief, our study uncovered urolithin B as a novel small molecule targeting IAPP pathological aggregation with potential to be exploited as a therapeutic tool for mitigating cellular dysfunction in diabetes. Resulting from the colonic metabolism of dietary ellagic acid in the human body, urolithin B bioactivity has the potential to be explored in nutritional, nutraceutical, and pharmacological perspectives.publishersversionpublishe

Functional and structural impact of 10 ACADM missense mutations on human medium chain acyl-Coa dehydrogenase

Funding Information: This work was supported by FEDER and Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia , I. P. through iMed.ULisboa (Projects UIDB/04138/2020 and UIDP/04138/2020 ), iNOVA4Health ( UIDB/04462/2020 , UIDP/04462/2020 ) and LS4FUTURE Associated Laboratory ( LA/P/0087/2020 ) and research project PTDC/BIA-BQM/29570/2017 . Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)Medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency (MCADD) is associated with ACADM gene mutations, leading to an impaired function and/or structure of MCAD. Importantly, after import into the mitochondria, MCAD must incorporate a molecule of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) per subunit and assemble into tetramers. However, the effect of MCAD amino acid substitutions on FAD incorporation has not been investigated. Herein, the commonest MCAD variant (p.K304E) and 11 additional rare variants (p.Y48C, p.R55G, p.A88P, p.Y133C, p.A140T, p.D143V, p.G224R, p.L238F, p.V264I, p.Y372N, and p.G377V) were functionally and structurally characterized. Half of the studied variants presented a FAD content <65 % compared to the wild-type. Most of them were recovered as tetramers, except the p.Y372N (mainly as dimers). No correlation was found between the levels of tetramers and FAD content. However, a correlation between FAD content and the cofactor's affinity, proteolytic stability, thermostability, and thermal inactivation was established. We showed that the studied amino acid changes in MCAD may alter the substrate chain-length dependence and the interaction with electron-transferring-flavoprotein (ETF) necessary for a proper functioning electron transfer thus adding additional layers of complexity to the pathological effect of ACADM missense mutations. Although the majority of the variant MCADs presented an impaired capacity to retain FAD during their synthesis, some of them were structurally rescued by cofactor supplementation, suggesting that in the mitochondrial environment the levels and activity of those variants may be dependent of FAD's availability thus contributing for the heterogeneity of the MCADD phenotype found in patients presenting the same genotype.publishersversionpublishe

Studies on the Development of Galleria mellonella Linnaeus (Lepidortera: Pyralidae) on Apis dorsata Honeycomb

The greater wax moth Galleria mellonella L. was reared successfully under laboratory conditions with the whole comb of A. dorsata at optimal temperature of 26 ± 2°C. All the developmental parameters from fecundity to longevity of adult moth were normal. The life cycle of males completed in 92.1 days while it took 83.3 days to complete in case of females

Thin film coatings for new generation infrared thermal picture synthesising devices

The usefulness of infrared imaging devices has been proved by the continuous marketing of such products for more than 10 years. The need to produce thermal images with high apparent temperature values (600-800 deg. C) in the 3-5 micron waveband, mean that the operating temperature of the device pixels must be high. Such high temperature operation compromises the lifetime and switching speed of the pixels. It is hence desired that the real temperature of the pixels is kept as low as possible to achieve the desired apparent temperature. This requires coating the pixels with a high emissivity coating in the infrared. Current devices have multi-layer double resonating cavity interference structures built on their top surface. These structures enhance the emissivity of the pixels to a value around 50%. However, the manufacturing of such structures on top of the delicate pixels is time intensive and involves many delicate processes, which increase the probability of device failure during manufacture. The work presented in this thesis aims at achieving a simple and quick process that will provide the pixels with a single high emissivity coating. The process is carried out using standard cleanroom equipment with the coating aimed at being than one micron thick, and being able to withstand the operating temperatures of the pixel under ambient atmospheres. The work concludes with an optimised sputter-deposition process of two coatings with a combined thickness of 7000A, followed by annealing at 700 deg. C. This process achieves a coating with an emissivity of 84%. The work also describes the deposition of a thermally stable SiC coating which is highly transparent in the infrared. (author)SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN041625 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Physico-​chemical analysis of honey of different honeybees, Apis cerana, Apis dorsata, Apis mellifera and Apis florea

In the present study phys. and chem. properties were analyzed to assess the compn. of honey and variations were found in the phys. and chem. properties of different honey. Surface tension ranged from 86.5 to 94.5 dynes​/ cm while pH varied from 4.0 to 4.8 and the water content of honey was 24.2 percent in Apis mellifera, 23.9 percent in Apis dorsata and lowest 20.0 percent in Apis florea. Considering the results obtained from the four different honeybee species, values of hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) were between 3.9 to 6.9 mg​/Kg, the reducing sugar content between 62.1 and 82.9 percent, the peroxide accumulation between 04.0 and 19.0 μg / g hr at 20°C, the levulose content varied between 36.6 and 39.9 percent and the dextrose between 29.4 and 31.2 percent