Health care costs of domestic violence against women – evidence from Portugal

Our main objective is to estimate the additional health care costs to the Portuguese National Health Service (NHS) due to domestic violence against women. We collected information through a survey addressed to health care centres’ female users. Both victims and non-victims of violence were inquired. We estimate costs according to five different groups – consultation costs, health care treatment and therapeutic costs, costs of complementary and diagnostic exams, drugs costs and transport costs. The estimations have been split into two perspectives – the NHS perspective (public perspective) and private perspective of inquired women (out of pocket payments). The timeframe of our calculations is one year, referring to all costs generated by domestic violence situations in the last twelve months. Essentially costs were estimated through the product of total number of episodes by the average estimated price per episode. Additionally, for the private costs, we also considered the costs originated by income losses, the opportunity cost of time spent on health care treatments and the work inability caused by sickness. The results suggest that the victims of domestic violence’s additional demand for health care is valued €140 per annum, that is about 22% higher than health care costs of non-victims. These results match those of similar studies for the United States, taking account of per capita differences in health care spending. A large proportion (90%) of the additional costs associated with domestic violence is supported by the NHS, where consultations and drugs are the most important contributors of such costs. Health consequences of domestic violence result from losses in quality of life and worst health status of victims and correspond to additional permanent economic costs of domestic violence episodes

Diet in the promotion or prevention of colorectal cancer

Tese de Doutoramento em Biologia Molecular e AmbientalColorectal cancer incidence is highly associated with one’s lifestyle, such as lack of physical activity, which leads to obesity, smoking habits, and most importantly, diet. Diet is an important risk factor for colon carcinogenesis and several studies have shown that high red meat and saturated fat intake increases the incidence of this disease significantly. On the other hand, a healthy balanced diet with intake of fruits and vegetables can decrease the risk of this disease. Dietary strategies for colon cancer chemoprevention, and even during treatment, are needed to help reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer. The aim of this work was to investigate dietary compounds that can be used in these dietary strategies for colon cancer prevention. Also, we initiated the development of new models to be used for compound screening processes. Initially, we focused on the effects of two bile acids, deoxycholic acid (DCA), with colon cancer promoting capacity, and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a chemopreventive compound, induced in Caco-2 cell line. We found that DCA in fact increase DNA damage and apoptosis in Caco-2 cell line. Also, activation of MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways was also observed. UDCA did not induce DNA damage, but did induce the same act ivation in the signaling pathways. So, it seems that DCA increase cell turnover by increasing apoptosis and also cell proliferation in the remaining cells. UDCA only increase cell proliferation. When UDCA was administered as a pretreatment before DCA treatment, apoptosis was increased and this increase was accompanied by a constant activation of the JNK signaling pathway. Also, pretreatment with UDCA significantly decreased expression of the repair proteins MGMT and MLH1. One of the aims of this work was to develop an in vitro model of the in vivo azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon cancer model. With the conditions tested we were able to induce a slight increase in cell proliferation in Caco-2 cells. This increase of cell proliferation could possibly be explained by the activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway, which was also activated with AOM treatment. Although we observed this increase in cell proliferation, we found no induction of O6-methylguanine lesions by our CoMeth assay or DNA damage observed by the comet assay. In the in vivo assays, the potential of an herbal tea, sage, and two isolated compounds found in foods from our diet, ursolic acid (UA) and EGCG, were evaluated for their chemopreventive effects against colorectal cancer. In the first study, sage tea was given to Fischer 344 rats before or after AOM treatment. Sage tea was able to reduce the number of pre-neoplastic lesions when given before AOM treatment, demonstrating chemopreventive potential. This reduction of pre-neoplastic lesions was accompanied by a reduction of the number of proliferating cells in colon crypts, as seen by Ki67 marker. Also, it conferred protection against DNA damage induced by AOM and by H2O2 ex vivo in colonocytes and lymphocytes. In the second study, UA and EGCG were added to the diet of healthy Fischer 344 rats. The potential of these compounds to protect against DNA damage was assessed. We found that both compounds protected against endogenous DNA damage in colonocytes and lymphocytes. The effects of the two compounds on protection against alkylating DNA damage induced ex vivo was also evaluated. UA and EGCG conferred protection against this type of damage in colonocytes, but not in lymphocytes. Finally, it has been shown that epigenetics has an important role in colon carcinogenesis, so we tried to develop a new, simple method to evaluate demethylating agents. We used the CoMeth assay developed in our group in a MMR-deficient cell line, in which one of the intervenients, MLH1, is epigenetically silenced by hypermethylation. Using 5-azacytidine, we were able to revert the hypermethylation and induce DNA damage in these cells. We further characterized the model, showing increase in apoptosis, and effects on reexpression of MLH1 protein levels by western blot. We also tested a few natural compounds with the model and found that EGCG, which is well-known that it has demethylating ability, induced similar levels of DNA damage as 5-azacitidine, suggesting that the model is functional. In conclusion, this work demonstrated the potential of sage tea as a chemopreventive agent and UA and EGCG as compounds with interest for chemopreventive strategies. The AOM in vitro model needs to be improved, but the adapted CoMeth assay for demethylating compounds is functional. Altogether, but with some additional studies, these natural compounds could be considered as chemopreventive agents and have possible interest in dietary strategies for cancer prevention.A incidência do cancro colorectal está altamente relacionada com o estilo de vida das pessoas. A falta de exercício, hábitos de tabagismo, obesidade e a dieta são alguns fatores de risco. A dieta assume um papel importante na carcinogénese do cólon. Vários estudos demonstraram que dietas ricas em carnes vermelhas e gorduras saturadas aumentam significativamente a incidência desta doença. No entanto, o seu risco de aparecimento pode ser reduzido com uma dieta saudável, rica em frutas e vegetais. Estratégias de quimioprevenção do cancro do cólon baseadas na dieta, assim como no decorrer do seu tratamento, são necessárias para ajudar na redução da sua incidência. Com este trabalho, pretendeu-se avaliar a capacidade preventiva de compostos presentes na dieta no aparecimento do cancro do cólon. Foi, também, desenvolvido trabalho no sentido de desenvolver novos modelos que possam ser usados no screening de outros compostos. Inicialmente, o trabalho focou-se no estudo da resposta da linha celular Caco-2 à presença de dois ácidos biliares, o ácido deoxicólico (DCA), um promotor do cancro do cólon, e o ácido ursodesoxicólico (UDCA), um composto quimiopreventivo. Descobriu-se que o DCA induz o aumento de danos no DNA, assim como promove a apoptose na linha celular. Verificou-se, também, a ativação das vias de sinalização MAPK/ERK e PI3K/AKT. No caso do UDCA, observou-se uma ativação das mesmas vias de sinalização, no entanto, não houve um aumento nos danos do DNA. Desta forma, o DCA aparenta ser capaz de aumentar a renovação celular, visto que promove a apoptose e também a proliferação celular. O UDCA é apenas capaz de aumentar a proliferação celular. Quando o UDCA foi administrado como prétratamento ao tratamento com DCA, verificou-se um aumento da apoptose, o qual foi acompanhado de uma ativação constante da via de sinalização JNK. O pré-tratamento com UDCA foi, também, responsável por uma redução significativa da expressão das enzimas de reparação MGMT e MLH1. Com este trabalho, também se pretendeu desenvolver um modelo in vitro do modelo in vivo de indução do cancro do cólon com azoximetano (AOM). As condições usadas permitiram induzir um ligeiro aumento da proliferação celular. Este aumento da proliferação pode ser explicado pela ativação da via de sinalização MAPK/ERK, a qual também foi ativada pelo tratamento com AOM. Apesar do aumento observado da proliferação celular, não se identificaram danos do tipo O6-metilguanina, recorrendo ao método CoMeth, nem danos no DNA, observados por comet assay. Nos estudos in vivo, avaliou-se o potencial quimiopreventivo do chá de Sálvia e de dois compostos isolados presentes na dieta, o ácido ursólico (UA) e o (-)-epigalocatequina-3-galato (EGCG), contra o cancro colorectal,. No primeiro estudo, ratos Fischer 344 consumiram chá de Sálvia antes ou após o tratamento com AOM. O chá foi capaz de reduzir o número de lesões pré-neoplásicas quando administrado antes do tratamento com AOM, demonstrando o seu potencial quimiopreventivo. Essa redução de lesões pré-neoplásicas foi acompanhada duma redução do número de células proliferativas nas criptas do cólon, observado com o marcador Ki67. Foi, também, observada proteção do DNA contra danos induzidos por AOM e por H2O2 em ensaios ex vivo com colonócitos e linfócitos. No segundo estudo, incluiu-se UA e EGCG na dieta de ratos Fischer 344 saudáveis, avaliando-se o seu potencial protetor contra danos de DNA. Os resultados mostraram que, em colonócitos e linfócitos, ambos os compostos conferem proteção contra danos endógenos do DNA. O seu potencial contra danos alquilantes induzidos no DNA foi, também, avaliado em ensaios ex vivo. Nos colonócitos, foi possível observar proteção conferida pelo UA e pelo EGCG contra este tipo de danos, ao contrário do observado no caso dos linfócitos. Por fim, uma vez que a epigenética assume um papel importante na carcinogénese do cólon, criou-se um método novo, e simples, para avaliação de agentes desmetilantes. O método CoMeth, desenvolvido do nosso grupo de investigação, foi usado numa linha celular deficiente no sistema de Mismatch repair (MMR), na qual o gene MLH1 se encontra epigeneticamente silenciado por hipermetilação. Usado a 5-azacitidina, foi possível reverter a hipermetilação e induzir danos no DNA nestas células. Foi, também, observado um aumento da apoptose e, pela técnica de western blot, percebeu-se que existe reexpressão da proteína MLH1. Vários compostos naturais foram usados para validar o método e, entre eles, o EGCG, que é conhecido pela sua capacidade de desmetilação, induziu níveis de danos no DNA semelhantes àqueles observados com a 5-azacitidina, validando a funcionalidade do método. Assim, este trabalho comprovou não só o potencial quimiopreventivo do chá de Sálvia mas também o potencial do UA e do EGCG como parte integrante duma estratégia quimiopreventiva. O método CoMeth provou ser funcional na avaliação de potenciais agentes desmetilantes, contudo, o modelo in vitro do AOM precisa de ser melhorado. No seu conjunto, apesar de ser necessário completar os estudos já realizados, os compostos naturais estudados podem ser considerados agentes quimiopreventivos, conferindo-lhes o potencial para aplicação em estratégicas de prevenção de cancro baseadas na dieta.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia bolsa SFRH/BD/64817/2009

Vegetação ruderal e de culturas

Nas memórias de viagem ficam as searas ponteadas de vermelho, os pomares de macieiras e de pereiras em flor com verdes tapetes, as vinhas alinhadas cheias de flores brancas, os campos coloridos com amarelos e azuis. Ficam as recordações de férias na aldeia, com as bordas de caminho cheias de funcho com caracóis. Ficam as calçadas da minha rua, pisadas vezes sem conta onde a erva teima em crescer. Todas estas plantas têm uma coisa em comum: a ação do Homem, com a consequente nitrofilia que esta proporciona. Formam um tipo de vegetação a que chamamos ruderal ou arvense. Sendo um tipo de vegetação azonal, a sua composição varia muito com o tipo de utilização que se dá aos campos, mas também com a textura do solo, com o seu pH, com a exposição, com o que designamos por condições edáficas e climáticas. A mobilização do solo favorece a vegetação anual, constituída por plantas que completam num ano o seu ciclo de vida (terófitos); reúnem-se na classe Stellarietea mediae (Figura 1). A ausência de mobilização favorece o desenvolvimento de hemicriptófitos, plantas que passam o inverno em forma de roseta de folhas, com as gemas à superfície da terra, e que se reúnem na classe Artemisietea vulgaris. Nos caminhos desenvolve-se uma vegetação rasteira, adaptada ao pisoteio, que se inclui na classe Polygono-Poetea annua (Espírito-Santo et al., 2017). Será principalmente sobre estas três classes de vegetação que falará este capítulo.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of ammonium and phosphate release from intertidal and subtidal sediments of a shallow coastal lagoon (Ria Formosa – Portugal): a modelling approach

During an annual cycle, overlying water and sediment cores were collected simultaneously at three sites (Tavira, Culatra and Ramalhete) of Ria Formosa’s intertidal muddy and subtidal sandy sediments to determine ammonium, nitrates plus nitrites and phosphate. Organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were also determined in superficial sediments. Ammonium and phosphate dissolved in porewater were positively correlated with temperature (P < 0.01) in muddy and sandy sediments, while the nitrogen-oxidized forms had a negative correlation (P < 0.02) in muddy sediments probably because mineralization and nitrification/denitrification processes vary seasonally. Porewater ammonium profiles evidenced apeak in the top-most muddy sediment (380 lM) suggesting higher mineralization rate when oxygen is more available, while maximum phosphate concentration (113 lM) occurred in the sub-oxic layer probably due to phosphorus desorption under reduced conditions. In organically poor subtidal sandy sediments, nutrient porewater concentrations were always lower than in intertidal muddy sediments, ranging annually from 20 lMto 100 lM for ammonium and from 0.05 lM to 16 lM for phosphate. Nutrient diffusive fluxes predicted by a mathematical model were higher during summer, inbothmuddy (104 nmol cm–2d–1––NH4+; 8 nmol cm–2 d–1––HPO4–2) and sandy sediments (26 nmol cm–2 d–1––NH4+; 1 nmol cm–2 d–1––HPO4–2), while during lower temperature periods these fluxes were 3–4 times lower. Based on simulated nutrient effluxes, the estimated annual amount of ammonium and phosphate exported from intertidal areas was three times higher than that released from subtidal areas (22 ton year–1––NH4+; 2 ton year–1––HPO4–2), emphasizing the importance of tidal flats to maintain the high productivity of the lagoon. Global warming scenarios simulated with the model, revealed that an increase in lagoon water temperature only produces significant variations (P < 0.05) for NH4+ in porewater and consequent diffusive fluxes, what will probably affect the system productivity due to a N/P ratio unbalance

Evaluation of ammonium and phosphate release from intertidal and subtidal sediments of a shallow coastal lagoon (Ria Formosa – Portugal): a modelling approach

During an annual cycle, overlying water and sediment cores were collected simultaneously at three sites (Tavira, Culatra and Ramalhete) of Ria Formosa’s intertidal muddy and subtidal sandy sediments to determine ammonium, nitrates plus nitrites and phosphate. Organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were also determined in superficial sediments. Ammonium and phosphate dissolved in porewater were positively correlated with temperature (P < 0.01) in muddy and sandy sediments, while the nitrogen-oxidized forms had a negative correlation (P < 0.02) in muddy sediments probably because mineralization and nitrification/denitrification processes vary seasonally. Porewater ammonium profiles evidenced apeak in the top-most muddy sediment (380 lM) suggesting higher mineralization rate when oxygen is more available, while maximum phosphate concentration (113 lM) occurred in the sub-oxic layer probably due to phosphorus desorption under reduced conditions. In organically poor subtidal sandy sediments, nutrient porewater concentrations were always lower than in intertidal muddy sediments, ranging annually from 20 lMto 100 lM for ammonium and from 0.05 lM to 16 lM for phosphate. Nutrient diffusive fluxes predicted by a mathematical model were higher during summer, inbothmuddy (104 nmol cm–2d–1––NH4+; 8 nmol cm–2 d–1––HPO4–2) and sandy sediments (26 nmol cm–2 d–1––NH4+; 1 nmol cm–2 d–1––HPO4–2), while during lower temperature periods these fluxes were 3–4 times lower. Based on simulated nutrient effluxes, the estimated annual amount of ammonium and phosphate exported from intertidal areas was three times higher than that released from subtidal areas (22 ton year–1––NH4+; 2 ton year–1––HPO4–2), emphasizing the importance of tidal flats to maintain the high productivity of the lagoon. Global warming scenarios simulated with the model, revealed that an increase in lagoon water temperature only produces significant variations (P < 0.05) for NH4+ in porewater and consequent diffusive fluxes, what will probably affect the system productivity due to a N/P ratio unbalance

Ursolic acid, a dietary phytochemical, decreases KRAS signaling and modulates cell death pathways in resistant CRC cells

Publicado em "BMC Proceedings 2012, 6(Suppl 3)"KRAS mutations are frequent in colorectal cancer (CRC) and have the potential to activate proliferation and inhibit cell death through effects on MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. Because diet is one of the most important determinants of CRC incidence and progression, we studied the effects of the dietary triterpenoid ursolic acid (UA) on proliferation and cell death induction in human CRC derived KRAS mutated cell lines. Our results show that UA decreases cell proliferation and induces cell death while decreasing signaling through KRAS as indicated by a decrease in ERK and Akt phosphorylation (western blot). UA also induced cell death. TP53 mutated cells are known to be resistant to the chemotherapeutic drug 5-FU. Caspase independent apoptosis (Tunel assay), was increased 6 fold by co-incubation of UA with 5-FU. However, apoptosis was only a small percentage of the total cell death induced by UA. In order to explain these observations, we looked into effects on autophagy. Autophagy is emerging as a promising therapeutic target for drug resistant tumors. UA modulated autophagy by inducing the accumulation of LC3 II and p62 levels an effect dependent on JNK activation. In conclusion, this study shows UA’s anticancer potential as a modulator of KRAS signaling and cell death mechanisms increasing sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic drug 5-FU

Biogeochemical Modelling of Ria Formosa (South Coast of Portugal) with EcoDynamo - Model description

DITTY (Development of an information technology tool for the management of Southern European lagoons under the influence of river-basin runoff) (EESD Project EVK3-CT-2002-00084

Biogeochemical Modelling of Ria Formosa (South Coast of Portugal) with EcoDynamo - Model description

DITTY (Development of an information technology tool for the management of Southern European lagoons under the influence of river-basin runoff) (EESD Project EVK3-CT-2002-00084

In the search for sustainable vertical green systems: an innovative low-cost indirect green façade structure using Portuguese native ivies and cork

Green façades in the urban environment represent points of biodiversity value, contributing to species conservation, acting as urban wildlife corridors connecting elements, and also aiming at sustainability, when the materials and structure are thoughtfully chosen. Ivies (Hedera spp.) are perennial climbing evergreen plants that are easy to cultivate and demand little input, and their use in vertical green systems is much appreciated but may lead to damage to the constructions in the long term. Among the 14 species of Hedera currently recognized, a few have been bred into cultivars and are available in the market for cultivation, often as exotic species. Four Hedera spp. are native to Portugal, but most cultivated species in this territory are exotic and the suitability of native species for their use in green façades has not been documented. Thus, in the present work, we describe the installation of a low-cost indirect green façade structure supported on cork panels using plants belonging to the native H. iberica and H. hibernica. The structure is installed at the Ajuda Botanical Garden, under Mediterranean conditions, on a brick and cement wall, and will enable researchers and landscape architects to follow the development of this structure as a long-term experiment, prompting the use of native species toward increased biological and technical sustainability. The preliminary results indicate that the cork structure is able to provide adequate support for the plants and that these were able to climb and develop in this structure, avoiding direct contact with the wall and the possible subsequent damage. Therefore, the structure provides a viable solution to implementing sustainable green façades with native species, on brick-cement walls, able to be replicated in other urban locations under similar environmental conditions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio