Health and career risks surrounding consumption of dietary supplements

Trabalho Complementar apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Licenciado em Ciências da NutriçãoObjetivos: Este artigo tem como objetivo identificar a existência de substâncias dopantes ou quantidades perigosas de qualquer outro componente, no rótulo dos suplementos alimentares em questão, e fazer uma declaração sobre possíveis implicações de carreira ou saúde para o consumidor. Metodologia: Várias marcas que possuíam os suplementos divididos em pré-workout e pós-workout foram analisadas, tendo sido selecionados 40 suplementos alimentares com todos os constituintes descritos. Foi realizada uma análise detalhada dos constituintes dos suplementos alimentares baseando-se exclusivamente na descrição dos mesmos da marca Resultados: Relativamente à cafeína, o grupo pré-workout demonstrou uma maior média (241±86 mg) do que o grupo pós-workout (183±68 mg), e a dose média mínima foi 226±84 mg enquanto que a dose média máxima foi 242±88 mg. Relativamente à creatina, o grupo pré-workout demonstrou uma menor média (3106±1079 mg) do que o grupo pós-workout (4137±4177 mg), e a dose média mínima foi 3167±1728 mg enquanto que a dose média máxima foi 3917±3643 mg. Quanto ao conteúdo em sal, o grupo pós-workout demonstrou maior média (2155±4486 mg) do que o grupo pré-workout (464±605 mg) e a dose média mínima foi 1635±3930 mg enquanto que a dose média máxima foi 1708± 3926 mg. Extratos de Citrus aurantium, Yohimbe, Garcinia cambogia e raiz de Maca foram também encontrados em alguns suplementos. Conclusões: Vários suplementos alimentares continham ingredientes pouco estudados que quando consumidos em conjunto poderiam causar problemas de saúde graves. Apesar de algumas doses de alguns ingredientes não serem preocupantes, as recomendações de consumo no rótulo poderão conduzir em sobredose. Existe uma grande necessidade de um maior controlo e regulamentações mais estritas para produtores de suplementos alimentares.Aims: This article aims to find out if there are any doping substances, or dangerous amounts of any other component, stated on the labels of the analyzed dietary supplements, while also making a statement regarding possible career and health implications towards the consumer. Methodology: Several brands which possessed its supplements sorted in pre-workout and post-workout were analyzed, having been selected 40 dietary supplements with all of their ingredients described. Further analysis of the dietary supplements was made, based exclusively on each brands description of their supplement. Results: Regarding caffeine, the pre-workout group displayed higher mean caffeine (241±86 mg) than the post-workout group (183±68 mg), and the minimal mean dose was 226±84 mg meanwhile the maximal mean dose was 242±88 mg. Concerning creatine, the pre-workout group displayed lower mean creatine (3106±1079 mg) than the post-workout group (4137±4177 mg), and the minimal mean dose was 3167±1728 mg meanwhile the maximal mean dose was 3917±3643 mg. As for the salt content, the post-workout group displayed a much higher mean salt (2155±4486 mg) than the pre-workout group (464±605 mg) and the minimal mean dose was 1635±3930 mg meanwhile the maximal mean dose was 1708±3926 mg. Citrus aurantium extract, Yohimbe extract, Garcinia cambogia extract and Maca root extract were also found in some of the analyzed dietary supplements. Conclusions: Several dietary supplements had untested ingredients that when paired up could cause severe health issues. Although some ingredient doses were not concerning, consumption recommendations in the label could lead to dosage abuse. There is need for tighter control and regulations for dietary supplement producers.N/

Current status and new business models for electric vehicles demand response design in smart grids

Global electric vehicles sales increased about 10 times from 2011, reaching more than 1 million vehicles in roads by 2015. This number is very likely to increase at a steady pace as more models are made available and battery technology improves and costs decrease. It is recognized that the electric vehicles mass integration will imply more complexity to the operation and planning tasks of power systems, but also allow additional opportunities. Indeed, demand response can play a major role to integrate electric vehicles in the future smart grid. This paper discusses the current initiatives from the retailing business in Portugal, Spain and Germany to deal with electric vehicles integration and discusses some new demand response models shaped for the smart grid that can be the new business model of tomorrow energy providers. Currently, the electric vehicles demand response measures adopted by the industry are very limited, mostly offering time of use tariffs with a discount rate.This work has been supported by the European Commission H2020 MSCA-RISE-2014: Marie Skłodowska- Curie project DREAM-GO Enabling Demand Response for short and real- time Efficient And Market Based Smart Grid Operation -An intelligent and real-time simulation approach ref 641794.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimization to Solve Energy Scheduling with Vehicle-to-Grid in Office Buildings Considering Uncertainties

This paper presents a Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) methodology to solve the problem of energy resource management in buildings with a penetration of Distributed Generation (DG) and Electric Vehicles (EVs). The proposed methodology consists in a multi-objective function, in which it is intended to maximize the profit and minimize CO2 emissions. This methodology considers the uncertainties associated with the production of electricity by the photovoltaic and wind energy sources. This uncertainty is modeled with the use of a robust optimization approach in the metaheuristic. A case study is presented using a real building facility from Portugal, in order to verify the feasibility of the implemented robust MOPSO.This work has received funding from the Project NetEffiCity (ANI|P2020 18015), and from FEDER Funds through COMPETE program and from National Funds through FCT under the project UID/EEA/00760/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Metabolism of the Antituberculosis Drug Ethionamide

Ethionamide (ETH) is an important second-line antituberculosis drug used for the treatment of patients infected with multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium. Although ETH is a structural analogue of isoniazid (INH), both are pro-drugs that need to be activated by mycobacterial enzymes to exert their antimicrobial activity. ETH mechanism of action is thought to be identical to INH although the pathway of activation is distinct from that of INH. ETH is activated by an EthA enzyme, leading to the formation of an S-oxide metabolite that has considerably better activity than the parent drug. This review comprehensively examines the aspects related with the metabolism of ETH since its discovery up to today

VoIP@IPB - piloto de telefonia IP numa instituição de ensino superior

Durante os últimos anos tem-se assistido a uma convergência acelerada entre as redes de voz e as redes de dados, com especial “intromissão” das tecnologias do mundo Internet na transmissão de voz. O conjunto destas tecnologias deram origem aos termos Voz sobre IP (VoIP) e, com um significado mais abrangente, a Telefonia IP. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho pretende apresentar o projecto VoIP@IPB, desenvolvido no âmbito do Centro de Comunicações do Instituto Politécnico de Bragança com o objectivo de testar este tipo de serviços e avaliar o seu potencial interesse para a Instituição. O artigo começa por apresentar um breve resumo dos principais protocolos de suporte à Telefonia IP. Segue-se um breve enquadramento das principais características das redes de Voz e de Dados do IPB. Por fim, apresentam-se os objectivos, arquitectura, estado actual e passos futuros do projecto VoIP@IPB

O papel da farmacoterapia na modificação do estado neurológico de traumatizados vértebro‐medulares

ResumoO objetivo deste trabalho foi fazer uma revisão da literatura sobre a terapia farmacológica para a modificação do estado neurológico de traumatizados vértebro‐medulares. Foi feita uma na base de dados Pubmed por artigos com os termos “spinal cord injury AND methylprednisolone/GM1/apoptosis inhibitor/calpain inhibitor/naloxone/tempol/tirilazad”, em português ou em inglês, publicados nos últimos cinco anos. Trabalhos mais antigos foram incluídos pela sua importância histórica. Os grupos farmacológicos foram divididos em função da sua capacidade para interferir nos mecanismos fisiopatológicos da lesão secundária. O uso de metilprednisolona deve ser cuidadosamente ponderado. Outros anti‐inflamatórios mostraram benefícios em humanos ou em animais. O GM1 não aparenta ter maior eficácia do que a MP, mas estudos em mais longo prazo são necessários. Muitos inibidores da apoptose têm mostrado benefício em estudos in vitro ou em animais. A naloxona não deu mostras de benefício. O tempol inibe as principais consequências da oxidação no nível da medula e outros fármacos antioxidantes aparentam ter um efeito superior ao da metilprednisolona. É urgente encontrar novos tratamentos que melhorem o estado neurológico dos traumatizados vértebro‐medulares. Os benefícios do tratamento com metilprednisolona têm sido questionados, há preocupações em relação à sua segurança. Outros fármacos têm sido estudados, podem alguns deles ser opções promissoras. Estudos adicionais são necessários para tirar conclusões sobre o benefício desses agentes na prática clínica.AbstractThe aim here was to conduct a review of the literature on pharmacological therapies for modifying the neurological status of patients with spinal cord injuries. The PubMed database was searched for articles with the terms «spinal cord injury AND methylprednisolone / GM1 / apoptosis inhibitor / calpain inhibitor / naloxone / tempol / tirilazad», in Portuguese or in English, published over the last five years. Older studies were included because of their historical importance. The pharmacological groups were divided according to their capacity to interfere with the physiopathological mechanisms of secondary injuries. Use of methylprednisolone needs to be carefully weighed up: other anti‐inflammatory agents have shown benefits in humans or in animals. GM1 does not seem to have greater efficacy than methylprednisolone, but longer‐term studies are needed. Many inhibitors of apoptosis have shown benefits in in vitro studies or in animals. Naloxone has not shown benefits. Tempol inhibits the main consequences of oxidation at the level of the spinal cord and other antioxidant drugs seem to have an effect superior to that of methylprednisolone. There is an urgent need to find new treatments that improve the neurological status of patients with spinal cord injuries. The benefits from treatment with methylprednisolone have been questioned, with concerns regarding its safety. Other drugs have been studied, and some of these may provide promising alternatives. Additional studies are needed in order to reach conclusions regarding the benefits of these agents in clinical practice

Amino acids as selective acylating agents: regioselective N-1-acylation of imidazolidin-4-one derivatives of the antimalarial drug primaquine

The acylation of bioactive primaquine-based imidazolidin-4-ones was studied using N-chi-Boc-protected glycine as acylating agent. Two synthesis routes, eight different coupling methods and seven distinct solvents were compared. Mild carbodiimide-based couplings on high dielectric constant solvents such as DMF or MeCN increased acylation yields, whereas alcohols inhibited carbodiimide-mediated acylations to take place. Achievement of the synthetic goals was limited by the size of the imidazolidin-4-one ring substituents R-1, R-2 and R-3, but resort to MW-assisted synthesis allowed overcoming such obstacle, though with very modest reaction yields. All reactions involving a Boc-protected amino acid were regioselective, independent of reaction conditions employed. In contrast, regioselective acetylation of the imidazolidin-4-ones could only be achieved by resort to very mild coupling procedures

Permeability evaluation of gemcitabine-CPP6 conjugates in Caco-2 cells

Cancer is one of the most alarming diseases due to its high mortality and still increasing incidence rate. Currently available treatments for this condition present several shortcomings and new options are continuously being developed and evaluated, aiming at increasing the overall treatment efficiency and reducing associated adverse side effects. Gemcitabine has proven activity and is used in chemotherapy. However, its therapeutic efficiency is limited by its low bioavailability as a result of rapid enzymatic inactivation. Additionally, tumor cells often develop drug resistance after initial tumor regression related to transporter deficiency. We have previously developed three gemcitabine conjugates with cell-penetrating hexapeptides (CPP6) to facilitate intracellular delivery of this drug while also preventing enzymatic deamination. The bioactivity of these new prodrugs was evaluated in different cell lines and showed promising results. Here, we assessed the absorption and permeability across Caco-2 monolayers of these conjugates in comparison with gemcitabine and the respective isolated cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). CPP6-2 (KLPVMW) and respective Gem-CPP6-2 conjugate showed the highest permeability in Caco-2 cells