Life course path analysis of total and central adiposity throughout adolescence on adult blood pressure and insulin resistance

Background and aim: We aimed to study whether the effect of adolescent adiposity on adult blood pressure and insulin resistance was mediated by adult adiposity. Methods and results: Data from the EPITeen cohort at 13, 17 and 21 years was used (n = 2211). Sex- and age-specific body mass index z-scores (BMIz) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were used as indicators of total and central adiposity, respectively. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), glucose and insulin were assessed at 21 years and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) was used as a marker of insulin resistance. Path analysis was applied to evaluate direct and indirect effects of adiposity (13, 17 and 21y) on adult SBP and HOMA-IR, separately for total and central adiposity and for each outcome. Results are presented as standardized regression coefficients [β (95%CI)]. The total effect of BMIz at 13 years on SBP at 21 years was 0.211 (0.178; 0.244), totally mediated by adult BMIz. Total effect of BMIz 13y on HOMA-IR was 0.248 (0.196; 0.299). Although this effect was mostly mediated by BMIz 21y, an additional direct effect from BMIz 17y was found [β = −0.240 (−0.315; −0.164)]. Central adiposity was also positively associated with SBP and HOMA-IR at 21 years, and the effect of adolescent WHR was totally mediated by adult WHR for both outcomes. Conclusions: The effect of adolescent adiposity on adult SBP and HOMA-IR was mostly mediated by adult adiposity. However, for HOMA-IR an additional direct effect from total adiposity at 17 years was found.This study was supported by national funding from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) within the Epidemiology Research Unit e Institute of Public Health, University of Porto (UID/DTP/047507/2013). Individual grants to JA (SFRH/BD/78153/2011) and to SS (SFRH/BD/81123/2011) by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology e FCT are gratefully acknowledged

Do reciprocal relationships between academic workload and self-regulated learning predict medical freshmen's achievement? A longitudinal study on the educational transition from secondary school to medical school

One of the most important factors that makes the transition from secondary school to medical school challenging is the inability to put in the study time that a medical school curriculum demands. The implementation of regulated learning is essential for students to cope with medical course environment and succeed. This study aimed to investigate the reciprocal relationships between self-regulated learning skills (SRLS) and academic workload (AW) across secondary school to medical school transition. Freshmen enrolled in medical school (N = 102) completed questionnaires at the beginning and at the end of their academic year, assessing AW (measured as study time hours and perceived workload), SRLS (planning and strategies for learning assessment, motivation and action to learning and self-directedness) and academic achievement. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a longitudinal path analysis were performed. According to the EFA, study time and perceived workload revealed two factors of AW: students who had a high perceived workload also demonstrated increased study time (tandem AW); and those who had a low perceived workload also demonstrated increased study time (inverse AW). Only a longitudinal relationship between SRLS and AW was found in the path analysis: prior self-directedness was related to later tandem AW. Moreover, success during the first year of medical school is dependent on exposure to motivation, self-directedness and high study time without overload during secondary school and medical school, and prior academic achievement. By better understanding these relationships, teachers can create conditions that support academic success during the first year medical school

Bacterial meningitis in an urban area: etiologic study and prognostic factors

Objectives: The study of clinical features, diagnostic methods and prognostic factors of bacterial meningitis, in an urban area. Patients and Methods: All patients admitted between June 2001 and July 2004 in the emergency departments of a few hospitals, with the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis were included. CSFand blood cultures were performed in every case. Phenotypic characterization of strains of 5treptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis identified by culture were performed. In order to detect the three most common agents it was done a PCRassay in culture negative CSFsamples. Results: Bacterial meningitis was diagnosed in 201 patients. Etiologic definition was based on culture in 142 patients (70.6%), done by CSFPCRassay in 33 (16.4%) other patients and exclusively by latex agglutination test results in two cases. Thus, an etiologic diagnosis was established in 177 (88%) cases. Antigenic characterization showed a slight prevalence of N. meningitidis phenotype C:2b:P1; the 5. pneumoniae serotype characterization showed that 43.8% of identified serotypes are not included in any of the available vaccines. Eighteen patients died (8.9%). The statistic analysis found that factors associated with an adverse outcome were age older than 50 years (aR 7.07; IC 95% 1.1-27.4), the presence of comorbidities (aR 3.3; IC 95% 1.1-9.6) and the occurrence of systemic complications (aR 5.8; IC 95% 2.1-16.0). Conclusions: This epidemiologic pattern is similar to that found in other countries after the introduction of Haemophilus influenzae b conjugated vaccine. The association of culture and noncultural methods of diagnosis had a better performance in defining the etiology. Comparing to other series, in-patients mortality rate was lower (8.9%) than usually referred to, being considered unfavourable prognostic factors the age more than 50 years, the presence of comorbidities and of systemic complications

Bubble transport by electro-magnetophoretic forces at anode bottom of aluminium cells

Electrically conducting and nonconducting particles and bubbles experience additional forcing in a liquid which carries electric current. These so called electro-magnetophoretic forces are well known in metallurgical applications, like metal purification in vacuum-arc remelting, electro-slag processes, impurity removal or concentration change in special castings. However, the effect of electro-magnetophoretic forces has never been considered for aluminium cells where the gas bubbles evolving in the liquid electrolyte are surrounded by an electric current and significant magnetic fields. We present models to estimate the effect of electric current flow in the vicinity of the bubbles and the additional pressure distribution resulting from the magnetic forces in the surrounding liquid electrolyte. According to the estimates, this force becomes important for bubbles exceeding 2 mm in size, and could be sufficient to overcome the typical drag force associated with electrolyte flow thereby opposing motion of the bubble along the base of the anode when it is inclined at a slight angle. The effect could explain certain features of the anode effect onset. Mathematical models and numerical results are presented and a further implementation in the general MHD code for the aluminium cell design is discussed

Scaling of spontaneous rotation with temperature and plasma current in tokamaks

Using theoretical arguments, a simple scaling law for the size of the intrinsic rotation observed in tokamaks in the absence of momentum injection is found: the velocity generated in the core of a tokamak must be proportional to the ion temperature difference in the core divided by the plasma current, independent of the size of the device. The constant of proportionality is of the order of $10\,\mathrm{km \cdot s^{-1} \cdot MA \cdot keV^{-1}}$. When the intrinsic rotation profile is hollow, i.e. it is counter-current in the core of the tokamak and co-current in the edge, the scaling law presented in this Letter fits the data remarkably well for several tokamaks of vastly different size and heated by different mechanisms.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Childhood asthma and land-use characteristics in school and residential neighborhoods: A decision tree learning approach

Authors gratefully acknowledge the Project EXALAR 21 funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), through the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Programme, and by national funding from the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the project info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/9471 - RIDTI/PTDC/GES-AMB/30193/2017/PT (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030193, 02/SAICT/2017—Project nº 30193). This study was also funded by FEDER through the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Internationalization and national funding from the Foundation for Science and Technology—FCT (Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education) under the Unidade de Investigação em Epidemiologia—Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto (EPIUnit) (info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB/04750/2020/PT). G21 was funded by Programa Operacional de Saúde—Saúde XXI, Quadro Comunitário de Apoio III and Administração Regional de Saúde Norte (Regional Department of Ministry of Health). Ana Isabel Ribeiro was supported by National Funds through FCT, under the program of “Stimulus of Scientific Employment—Individual Support” within the contract info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/CEEC IND 2018/CEECIND/02386/2018/CP1538/CT0001/PT. João Cavaleiro Rufo was supported by National Funds through FCT, under the program of “Stimulus of Scientific Employment—Individual Support” within the contract 2020.01350.CEECIND

Datos sobre la vegetación del centro del Perú

Datos sobre la vegetación del centro del Perú. El presente artículo trata de aportar algunas novedades fitosociológicas sobre los valles centrales del Departamento de Lima (Perú). Como resultado de los inventarios fitosociológicos levantados en los valles de Santa Eulalia, Rimac, Chillón y San Bartolomé, se describen 6 asociaciones (Baccharido salicifoliae-Gynerietum sagittati, Equiseto gigantei-Salicetum humboldtianae, Caricetum candicantis, Matucano haynei-Tillandsietum humilis, Aristeguietio discoloris-Baccharidetum latifoliae y Jungietum axillaris), 3 alianzas (Pityrogrammo trifoliatae-Baccharidion salicifoliae, Adiantion poiretii y Jungion axillaris) y 1 orden (Baccharidetalia salicifoliae). Además se comentan 5 nuevas subasociaciones, 5 comunidades y algunos aspectos fragmentarios de la vegetación (comunidades basales, BC y comunidades derivadas, DC). También se presenta un mapa preliminar de las series de vegetación en el centro del Perú (Departamento de Lima)

Estudo dos solos do município de Morro Redondo.

bitstream/item/41408/1/Morro-Redondo.pdf; bitstream/item/41409/1/mapa-geomorfologia-e-solos.pdf; bitstream/item/41410/1/mapa-solos.pdf; bitstream/item/41411/1/mapa-uso-das-terras.pd

Estudos de solos do município de Tiradentes do Sul - RS.

bitstream/item/30817/1/Circular-58.pdf; bitstream/item/41521/1/aptidao-agricola.pdf; bitstream/item/41522/1/capacidade-de-uso.pdf; bitstream/item/41523/1/formas-de-relevo.pdf; bitstream/item/41524/1/MAPA-TIRADENTES2.pdf; bitstream/item/41525/1/solos.pdf; bitstream/item/41526/1/tiradentes-altimetria.pd

Estudo de solos do município de Santo Augusto - RS.

bitstream/item/41476/1/Trab225-04CircularTec39-SantoAugusto.pdf; bitstream/item/41480/1/mapa-aptidao.pdf; bitstream/item/41482/1/mapa-capacidade.pdf; bitstream/item/41483/1/mapa-relevo.pdf; bitstream/item/41484/1/mapa-solos.pd