Voting and Peer Effects: Experimental Evidence from Mozambique*

Voter education campaigns often aim to increase voter particpation and political accountability. We follow randomized interventions implemented nationwide during the 2009 Mozambican elections using a free newspaper, leaflets, and text messaging. We investigate whether treatment effects were transmitted through social networks (kinship and chatting) and geographical proximity. For individuals personally targeted by the campaign, we estimate the reinforcement effect of proximity to other targeted individuals. For untargeted individuals, we estimate the diffusion of the campaign depending on a proximity to targeted individuals. We find evidence for both effects, similar across the different treatments and across the different connectedness measures. We observe that the treatments worked through the networks by raising the levels of information and interest about the election, in line with the average treatment effects of voter education on voter participation. We interpret this result as a free riding effect, likely to occur for costly actionsInternational Growth Centre, Foundation Open Society Institut

experimental evidence from Mozambique

Voter education campaigns often aim to increase voter participation and political accountability. Randomized interventions were implemented nationwide during the 2009 Mozambican elections using leaáets, text messaging, and a free newspaper. We study the local peer e§ecs triggered by the campaign. We investigate whether treatment e§ects are transmitted through social networks and geographical proximity at the village level. For individuals personally targeted by the campaign, we estimate the reinforcement e§ect of proximity to other individuals in our sample. For untargeted individuals, we estimate how the campaign di§uses as a function of proximity to others in the sample. We Önd evidence for both e§ects, similar across treatments and proximity measures. The campaign raises the level of interest in the election through networks, in line with the average treatment e§ect. However, we Önd a negative network e§ect of the treatment on voter participation, implying that the positive e§ect of treatment on more central individuals is smaller. We interpret this result as consistent with free-riding through pivotal reasoning and we provide additional evidence to support this claim.authorsversionpublishe

Detection methods for aflatoxin M1 in dairy products

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced mainly by fungi of the genera Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium. In the food chain, the original mycotoxin may be transformed in other toxic compounds, reaching the consumer. A good example is the occurrence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in dairy products, which is due to the presence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in the animal feed. Thus, milk-based foods, such as cheese and yogurts, may be contaminated with this toxin, which, although less toxic than AFB1, also exhibits hepatotoxic and carcinogenic effects and is relatively stable during pasteurization, storage and processing. For this reason, the establishment of allowed maximum limits in dairy products and the development of methodologies for its detection and quantification are of extreme importance. There are several methods for the detection of AFM1 in dairy products. Usually, the analytical procedures go through the following stages: sampling, extraction, clean-up, determination and quantification. For the extraction stage, the use of organic solvents (as acetonitrile and methanol) is still the most common, but recent advances include the use of the Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe method (QuEChERS) and proteolytic enzymes, which have been demonstrated to be good alternatives. For the clean-up stage, the high selectivity of immunoaffinity columns is still a good option, but alternative and cheaper techniques are becoming more competitive. Regarding quantification of the toxin, screening strategies include the use of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to select presumptive positive samples from a wider range of samples, and more reliable methods—high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection or mass spectroscopy—for the separation, identification and quantification of the toxin.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. PR is grateful to FCT and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019). We would like to thank the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for the Ph.D. scholarship given to Andreia Vaz (SFRH/BD/129775/2017).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Automedicação numa cidade do norte de Portugal

A automedicação é definida como o consumo de um medicamento sem orientação ou prescrição de profissionais competentes, no qual o próprio paciente decide o produto que será utilizado, podendo ser realizada com produtos industrializados ou remédios caseiros. Objetivos: Determinar a prevalência e a frequência da automedicação; caracterizar a terapêutica usada, motivos, averiguar a comunicação ao médico, a ocorrência de efeitos indesejáveis e o conhecimento sobre os riscos; bem como determinar fatores associados à automedicação. Métodos: O estudo realizado foi do tipo transversal e descritivo-correlacional. Nele participaram 330 indivíduos, 57,0% do sexo feminino e 43,0% do sexo masculino, com idades compreendidas entre os 18 e os 88 anos (média 41,3). A recolha de dados foi realizada através de um questionário de autopreenchimento. Na análise estatística aplicaram-se medidas de tendência central e de dispersão, e o teste do qui-quadrado considerando o nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: Verificou-se que a prevalência da automedicação foi de 87,6%, dos quais 78,2% afirmam tê-lo feito no último ano; a maioria (81,2%) afirma automedicar-se apenas algumas vezes por ano, havendo uma minoria que o faz diariamente (0,9%). Recorrem com mais frequência ao Paracetamol e ao Ibuprofeno, sendo as cefaleias e constipações os principais motivos. Dos indivíduos que se automedicam, 52,1% admitem informar o seu médico dos medicamentos não prescritos que utilizam e 83,0% afirmaram não ter notado a ocorrência de efeitos indesejáveis. Da totalidade dos indivíduos inquiridos, 88,2% afirmam que a automedicação constitui algum tipo de risco para a saúde. O género e a escolaridade parecem estar associados à automedicação (p<0,001 e p=0,01, respetivamente). Conclusão: A automedicação é bastante prevalente, mas pouco frequente ao longo do ano. Os analgésicos e anti-inflamatórios são os medicamentos mais usados, devido a dores de cabeça e constipações. Apenas cerca de metade dos indivíduos que se automedicam informam o médico, e a maioria não sentiu efeitos indesejados. A automedicação é considerada como perigosa para a saúde e parece estar associada ao género e escolaridade

First experience of an undergraduate dental student with a reciprocating system in simulated root canals - a pilot study

Rotary instrumentation has been proposed in undergraduate teaching. The aim of this study was to evaluate student’s performance, through the obturation quality and treatment time, in a sequential range of L-simulated root canals. A senior undergraduate dental student sequentially prepared randomly numbered canals from 1 to 40, with the WaveOne Gold glider and primary file, according to the manufacturer instructions. A gutta-percha cone matched with the finishing instrument and epoxy resin-based sealer (AH Plus) was selected for the obturation. Three independent observers evaluated the obturation quality according to both density and length. Active, total instrumentation and obturation times were also measured. Statistical analysis was obtained by Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests with a significance level of p < 0.05. The quality of the obturation was independent of the number of prepared canals with adequate length and density in 87.5% of the prepared canals. Both active and total instrumentation, as well as obturation times, reduced significantly as the number of the prepared canals by the student increased (p < 0.05). The use of WaveOne Gold instrumentation and matched cone obturation by an inexperienced operator provided an adequate obturation quality in most of the curved simulated canals. The working time was significantly reduced through a short learning curve

Self-Medication in a Northern Town of Portugal

Self-medication is defined as the consumption of a drug without guidance or prescription of competent professionals, in which the patient decides that the product will be used. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and frequency of self-medication; characterize the therapy used, reasons, verify the occurrence of undesirable effects and knowledge about the risks; and to determine associated factors. Methods: This cross-sectional and correlational study, had a sample of 330 individuals, 57.0% females and 43.0% males, aged between 18 and 88 years (mean 41.3). Data collection was carried out through a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical analyses were applied measures of central tendency and dispersion, and the chi-square considering a significance level of 5%. Results: The prevalence of self-medication was 87.6%, of which 78.2% self-medicated in the last year, the majority only a few times per year (81.2%), with a minority that makes daily (0.9%). The drugs most frequently used are Paracetamol (75.8%) and Ibuprofen (61.2%), headaches (67.0%) and colds (65.2%) being the main reasons. Among individuals who self-medicate, 52.1% admit to inform physician of non-prescribed drugs used and 83.0% reported not having notied the occurrence of undesirable effects. Of all individuals surveyed, 88.2% claim that self-medication is dangerous for health. Gender and educational level appear to be associated with self-medication (p<0.001 and p=0.01, respectively). Conclusions: Self-medication is highly prevalent, but infrequent over the year. The analgesics and anti-inflammatorys are the most used due to headaches and colds. Self-medication is considered risky to health and appears to be linked to gender and education levelinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Paludibacterium

Curved rods, non-spore forming and Gram-negative. Motile by means of a single polar flagellum. Facultative anaerobe. Reacts positively for the catalase and cytochrome c oxidase tests. Nitrate reduction is variable among genus members and indole is not produced. The major respiratory quinone is ubiquinone 8 (Q-8). Fatty acid composition is variable within the genus, although summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c and/or C16:1 ω6c) and C16:0 are predominant in all species. The polar lipid profile consists of phosphatidylglycerol (PG), diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), among other unidentified aminophospholipids, phospholipids, and polar lipids.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Catalytic performance of bulk and colloidal Co/Al layered double hydroxide with Au nanoparticles in aerobic olefin oxidation

A Co/Al layered double hydroxide material was synthesized in both bulk and exfoliated (colloidal) forms. Anion exchange with methionine allowed immobilization of Au nanoparticles previously prepared by a biomimetic method using an anti-oxidant tea aqueous extract to reduce the Au salt solution. The catalytic performance of bulk and exfoliated clays Au-hybrid materials was assessed in aerobic olefin epoxidation. Both catalysts were very active towards the epoxide products and with very interesting substrate conversion levels after 80 h reaction time. The Au-exfoliated material, where the nanosheets work as large ligands, yielded higher product stereoselectivity in the case of limonene epoxidation. This arises from a confined environment around the Au nanoparticles wrapped by the clay nanosheets modulating access to the catalytic active centres by reagents. Mechanistic assessment was also accomplished for styrene oxidation by DFT methodspublishe

Optical properties of titanium oxycarbide thin films

The optical properties of TiC x O y thin films, deposited by reactive dc magnetron sputtering at different oxygen flow, were investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the energy range of 0.75–4.5 eV. The dielectric functions measured in the energy range of intraband transitions were analyzed using the classical Drude theory. These results show that free plasma energy and the damping constant of the films depend strongly on film stoichiometry and on their oxygen content. The interband contribution to the optical conductivity of these films is in good agreement with the optical conductivity obtained from first principles calculations based on density functional theory. Both the experimental and the calculated results show that it is possible to significantly modify the optical properties of titanium oxycarbide by adjusting the oxygen content.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) – Programa Operacional “Ciência , Tecnologia, Inovação” – CONC-REEQ/443/EEI/2005, PTDC/CTM/69362 e SFRH/BD/27569/200

The impact of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots in cells of Medicago sativa in suspension culture

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Nanotechnology has the potential to provide agriculture with new tools that may be used in the rapid detection and molecular treatment of diseases and enhancement of plant ability to absorb nutrients, among others. Data on nanoparticle toxicity in plants is largely heterogeneous with a diversity of physicochemical parameters reported, which difficult generalizations. Here a cell biology approach was used to evaluate the impact of Quantum Dots (QDs) nanocrystals on plant cells, including their effect on cell growth, cell viability, oxidative stress and ROS accumulation, besides their cytomobility.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A plant cell suspension culture of <it>Medicago sativa </it>was settled for the assessment of the impact of the addition of mercaptopropanoic acid coated CdSe/ZnS QDs. Cell growth was significantly reduced when 100 mM of mercaptopropanoic acid -QDs was added during the exponential growth phase, with less than 50% of the cells viable 72 hours after mercaptopropanoic acid -QDs addition. They were up taken by <it>Medicago sativa </it>cells and accumulated in the cytoplasm and nucleus as revealed by optical thin confocal imaging. As part of the cellular response to internalization, <it>Medicago sativa </it>cells were found to increase the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in a dose and time dependent manner. Using the fluorescent dye H₂DCFDA it was observable that mercaptopropanoic acid-QDs concentrations between 5-180 nM led to a progressive and linear increase of ROS accumulation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results showed that the extent of mercaptopropanoic acid coated CdSe/ZnS QDs cytotoxicity in plant cells is dependent upon a number of factors including QDs properties, dose and the environmental conditions of administration and that, for <it>Medicago sativa </it>cells, a safe range of 1-5 nM should not be exceeded for biological applications.</p