Equity in the City: On Measuring Urban (Ine)Quality of Life

We merge contributions from the New Urban Economics and inequality measurement to assess quality of life (QOL) in a given city. We take the point of view of a city planner in favor of an even accessibility to amenities within the city. Instead of the average value of amenities computed in the Roback (1982) QOL index, our index captures the value of its multidimensional "certainty equivalent". We apply this methodology to derive a QOL index for the city of Milan.Urban quality of life, amenities, hedonic prices, inequality index, just city.

A remark on 'Decomposition of bivariate inequality indices by attributes' by Abul Naga and Geoffard, Economics Letters 90 (2006), pp. 362-367

We correct the generalized version of the decomposition of multivariate inequality indices by attributes proposed by Abul Naga and Geoffard "Abul Naga, R. H. and Geoffard, P. Y., 2006. Decomposition of bivariate inequality indices by attributes. Economic Letters 90, pp. 362-367."Multidimensional inequality; Correlation increasing transfers

Avaliação da disciplina de psiquiatria clínica na graduação médica: confiabilidade de questionários

INTRODUÇÃO: Discussões sobre qualidade de ensino têm se tornado cada vez mais freqüentes em nosso meio e métodos variados de avaliação têm sido pesquisados. O uso de questionários, preenchidos por alunos, avaliando a qualidade de aulas ministradas está entre os métodos mais utilizados em nosso meio, no entanto sua confiabilidade não tem sido testada. Os autores apresentam a avaliação da confiabilidade de um destes questionários, o qual foi desenvolvido para um curso de psiquiatria clínica ministrada no quarto ano de graduação em medicina. MÉTODO: Os 81 alunos avaliados receberam o questionário no início do curso com a orientação de preenchê-lo após cada aula, no entanto 34 alunos (41,9%) não o devolveram no último dia de aula. Receberam então um novo formulário (idêntico ao primeiro) para que o preenchessem retrospectivamente. Foi comparada, entre os dois grupos, a distribuição das notas para cada aula e a quantidade de alunos que deram nota para a aula não realizada por ausência de professor. A análise estatística utilizou-se do teste de Qui-quadrado (nível de significância p < 0.05) para comparar os dois grupos. RESULTADOS: Entre os questionários preenchidos retrospectivamente a aula não realizada foi avaliada (com se tivesse ocorrido) por 18 dos 34 alunos (52,9%), enquanto, entre os preenchidos ao longo do curso, 5 dos 47 alunos fizeram o mesmo (10,6%). Esta diferença é estatisticamente significativa. Para as aulas efetivamente realizadas não houve diferença significativa entre as avaliações dos dois grupos. DISCUSSÃO: Os autores concluem que a baixa confiabilidade das avaliações feitas respectivamente apontam para a necessidade de um sistema continuado de avaliação ao longo do curso.INTRODUCTION: Debates about the quality of medical education have become more evident in the recent past, and as a result several different assessment methods have been refined for that purpose. The use of questionnaires filled out by medical students to assess the quality of lectures is one of the most common methods employed in our milieu. However, the reliability of this investigation method has not yet been systematically tested. The authors present the reliability of a specific form applied to the fourth grade medical students during the clinical psychiatry course. METHOD: Eighty-one fourth grade medical students were instructed to complete a form immediately after each clinical psychiatry lecture. Thirty-four students (42%) failed to turn in the forms after the final lecture. These students were given an identical form to assess the lectures in a retrospective fashion. The grades given by both groups of students for each performed lecture and the number of students who have graded an unperformed lecture were compared. Statistical significance for both groups was determined by means of the chi-square test (p< 0.05). RESULTS: Eighteen out of the 34 students who filled out the forms retrospectively (53%) rated the unperformed lecture, whereas only 5 out of the 47 students who filled out the forms during the course (11%) did so. This is statistically significant (p< 0.05). There was no statistical difference for the grades given to the lectures that were actually performed. DISCUSSION: The authors concluded the low reliability rate of the retrospective evaluation warrant a continuous assessment method during the course

Life-cycle carbon emissions and energy return on investment for 80% domestic renewable electricity with battery storage in California (U.S.A.)

This paper presents a detailed life-cycle assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions, cumulative demand for total and non-renewable primary energy, and energy return on investment (EROI) for the domestic electricity grid mix in the U.S. state of California, using hourly historical data for 2018, and future projections of increased solar photovoltaic (PV) installed capacity with lithium-ion battery energy storage, so as to achieve 80% net renewable electricity generation in 2030, while ensuring the hourly matching of the supply and demand profiles at all times. Specifically—in line with California’s plans that aim to increase the renewable energy share into the electric grid—in this study, PV installed capacity is assumed to reach 43.7 GW in 2030, resulting of 52% of the 2030 domestic electricity generation. In the modelled 2030 scenario, single-cycle gas turbines and nuclear plants are completely phased out, while combined-cycle gas turbine output is reduced by 30% compared to 2018. Results indicate that 25% of renewable electricity ends up being routed into storage, while 2.8% is curtailed. Results also show that such energy transition strategy would be effective at curbing California’s domestic electricity grid mix carbon emissions by 50%, and reducing demand for non-renewable primary energy by 66%, while also achieving a 10% increase in overall EROI (in terms of electricity output per unit of investment)

Sporting activity does not fully prevent bone demineralization at the impaired hip in athletes with amputation

There is lack of information about bone mineralization at the lumbar spine and bilateral hips of athletes with unilateral lower limb amputation. The present study assessed for the first time the areal bone mineral density at the lumbar spine and at the hip of the able and impaired leg by means of Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry using a large sample (N = 40) of male athletes. Results showed that bone demineralization in athletes with unilateral lower limb amputation is found at the impaired hip but not at the lumbar spine and may therefore be site-specific. The extent of hip demineralization was influenced by the level of amputation, with about 80% of athletes with above knee amputation and 10% of athletes with below knee amputation showing areal bone mineral density below the expected range for age. Nevertheless, a reduced percentage of fat mass and a lower fat-to-lean mass ratio in the residual impaired leg as well as a greater amount of weekly training was positively associated with bone mineralization at the impaired hip (partial correlation coefficients = 0.377-0.525, p = 0.040-0.003). Results showed that participation in adapted sport has a positive effect on bone health in athletes with unilateral lower limb amputation but is not sufficient to maintain adequate levels of bone mineralization at the impaired hip in athletes with above-knee amputation. Accordingly, physical conditioners should consider implementing sporting programs, according to the severity of the impairment, aimed at improving bone mineralization at the impaired hip and improve body composition in the residual impaired leg

Atividade física e saúde mental: a associação entre exercício e humor

A atividade física é, por seus efeitos no tratamento e na prevenção de várias patologias, um importante instrumento de saúde pública, sendo útil, inclusive, no tratamento de doenças psiquiátricas como transtornos depressivos e ansiosos. Todavia, além dos benefícios, a atividade física também está associada a prejuízos para a saúde mental, aparecendo ligada a quadros como "exercício excessivo" e "síndrome de 'overtraining'", segundo alguns estudos. Trabalhos sobre os efeitos de atividade física na saúde mental vêm se tornando mais comuns, no entanto ainda não permitem um conhecimento maior sobre os mecanismos implicados nos benefícios e malefícios associados a este tipo de atividade. Este artigo procura revisar os conhecimentos disponíveis sobre as relações entre atividade física e saúde mental, principalmente no que se refere à ligação existente entre exercício e humor.Physical activity is an important public health tool used in the treatment and prevention of various physical diseases, as well as in the treatment of some psychiatric diseases such as depressive and anxiety disorders. However, studies have shown that in addition to its beneficial effects, physical activity can also be associated with impaired mental health, being related to disturbances like "excessive exercise" and "overtraining syndrome". Although the number of reports of the effects of physical activity on mental health is steadily increasing, these studies have not yet identified the mechanisms involved in the benefits and dangers to mental health associated with exercise. This article reviews the information available regarding the relationship between physical activity and mental health, specifically addressing the association between exercise and mood

Body composition and bone mineral density in athletes with a physical impairment

Background: The impact of the type and the severity of disability on whole-body and regional body composition (BC), and bone mineral density (BMD) must be considered for dietary advice in athletes with a physical impairment (PI). This study aimed to investigate the impact of the type and the severity of disability on BC, the pattern of distribution of fat mass at the regional level, and BMD in athletes with a PI. Methods: Forty-two male athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI, n = 24; age = 40.04 \ub1 9.95 years, Body Mass Index [BMI] = 23.07 \ub1 4.01 kg/m2) or unilateral lower limb amputation (AMP, n = 18; age = 34.39 \ub1 9.19 years, BMI = 22.81 \ub1 2.63 kg/m2) underwent a Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry scan. Each athlete with a PI was matched by age with an able-bodied athlete (AB, n = 42; age = 37.81 \ub1 10.31 years, BMI = 23.94 \ub1 1.8 kg/m2). Results: One-Way Analysis of Variance showed significant differences between the SCI, AMP and AB groups for percentage fat mass (%FM) (P &lt; 0.001, eta squared = 0.440). Post-hoc analysis with Bonferroni's correction showed that athletes with SCI had significantly higher %FM vs. the AMP and AB groups (25.45 \ub1 5.99%, 21.45 \ub1 4.21% and 16.69 \ub1 2.56%, respectively; P = 0.008 vs. AMP and P &lt; 0.001 vs. AB). The %FM was also significantly higher in the AMP vs. the AB group (P &lt; 0.001). Whole-body BMD was negatively affected in SCI athletes, with about half of them showing osteopenia or osteoporosis. In fact, the mean BMD and T-score values in the SCI group (1.07 \ub1 0.09 g/cm2 and -1.25 \ub1 0.85, respectively) were significantly lower in comparison with the AB group (P = 0.001 for both) as well as the AMP group (P = 0.008 for both). The type of disability affected BC and BMD in the trunk, android, gynoid and leg regions in SCI athletes and the impaired leg only in AMP athletes. Conclusions: In conclusion, the type of disability and, partly, the severity of PI impact on BC and BMD in athletes with a PI. Nutritionists, sports medicine doctors, clinicians, coaches and physical conditioners should consider athletes with SCI or AMP separately. Athletes with a PI would benefit from specific nutrition and training programs taking into account the type of their disability

Oxidases activities and antioxidant capacity of minimally processed baby romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. duende) cultivated under different salinity conditions

[SPA] El pardeamiento enzimático es uno de los principales problemas implicados en el procesamiento mínimo y en la siguiente conservación de hortalizas de hoja, reduciendo la vida comercial del producto. Se han evaluado las variaciones de las dos principales oxidasas, polifenol oxidasa (PPO) y peroxidasa (POD), así como del contenido en fenoles, del color y de la capacidad antioxidante (metodo ORAC) durante 10 días de conservación a 4 °C de lechuga Baby Romaine (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Duende) mínimamente procesada, cultivada bajo 3 distintas condiciones de salinidad (2,8, 3,8, 4,8 dS/m), para determinar la condición más apta al siguiente procesamiento. Niveles crecientes de salinidad redujeron las dos actividades enzimáticas durante 7 días de conservación. En las muestras cultivadas en condición de elevada salinidad se observó también la menor variación de color, expresada como ΔE* [(ΔL*2+Δa*2+Δb*2)1/2], y la menor reducción de contenido en fenoles y de capacidad antioxidante en el día 3. [ENG] Enzymatic browning is a main problem involved in minimal processing and further storage of leafy vegetables, leading to shorter shelf-life of the product. Changes in the two oxidative activities, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD), as well as in total phenolic content, colour parameters and antioxidant capacity (assayed with ORAC method), were monitored during 10 days of storage at 4 °C of minimally processed Baby Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Duende) cultivated under 3 different salinity conditions (2,8, 3,8, 4,8 dS/m), in order to determine the most suitable condition for further processing. Increasing levels of salinity reduced both oxidases activities immediately after cutting and throughout 7 days of storage. Samples cultivated under high salinity had also the lowest change in colour, expressed as ΔE* [(ΔL*2+Δa*2+Δb*2)1/2], and showed the lowest reduction in total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity after 3 days of storage

Smoking, DNA Adducts and Number of Risk DNA Repair Alleles in Lung Cancer Cases, in Subjects with Benign Lung Diseases and in Controls

Smoke constituents can induce DNA adducts that cause mutations and lead to lung cancer. We have analyzed DNA adducts and polymorphisms in two DNA repair genes, for example, XRCC1 Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln genes and XRCC3 Thr241Met gene, in 34 lung cancer cases in respect to 30 subjects with benign lung cancer disease and 40 healthy controls. When the study population was categorized in base to the number of risk alleles, adducts were significantly increased in individuals bearing 3-4 risk alleles (OR = 4.1 95% C.I. 1.28–13.09, P = .009). A significant association with smoking was noticed in smokers for more than 40 years carrying 3-4 risk alleles (OR = 36.38, 95% C.I. 1.17–1132.84, P = .040). A not statistically significant increment of lung cancer risk was observed in the same group (OR = 4.54, 95% C.I. 0.33–62.93, P = .259). Our results suggest that the analysis of the number of risk alleles predicts the interindividual variation in DNA adducts of smokers and lung cancer cases