The placebo and nocebo effects on peak minute power during incremental arm crank ergometry

This investigation aimed to explore the effects of inert sugar-free drinks described as either ‘performance enhancing’ (placebo) or ‘fatigue inducing’ (nocebo) on peak minute power (PMP;W) during incremental arm crank ergometry (ACE). Twelve healthy, non-specifically trained individuals volunteered to take part. A single-blind randomised controlled trial with repeated measures was used to assess for differences in PMP;W, oxygen uptake, heart rate (HR), minute ventilation, respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and subjective reports of local ratings of perceived exertion (LRPE) and central ratings of perceived exertion (CRPE), between three separate, but identical ACE tests. Participants were required to drink either 500 ml of a ‘sports performance’ drink (placebo), a ‘fatigue-inducing’ drink (nocebo) or water prior to exercise. The placebo caused a significant increase in PMP;W, and a significant decrease in LRPE compared to the nocebo (p=0.01; p=0.001) and water trials (p=0.01). No significant differences in PMP;W between the nocebo and water were found. However, the nocebo drink did cause a significant increase in LRPE (p=0.01). These results suggest that the time has come to broaden our understanding of the placebo and nocebo effects and their potential to impact sports performance.

Biocaumulação de alumínio em rebentos micropropagados de Plantago sp.

Dissertação de Mestrado, Engenharia Biológica, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2009

“An Absurdly Quiet Spot”: The Spatial Justice of WW1 Fraternizations

Recent research on WW1 shows that incidents of fraternization across enemy lines took place regularly. However, fraternization remains a taboo in many contexts. The fact that the 2005 film Joyeux Noel by Christian Caron, which explicitly deals with the subject, encountered resistance from the authorities, is an indication of the kind of difficulty associated with the issue. I am drawing my inspiration from the way fraternizations are depicted in the film and in the literature in order to explore the concept of spatial justice. I define spatial justice as the question that emerges when a body desires to occupy the same space at the same time as another body. Defined like this, the question of spatial justice opens up in the dread of No Man’s Land and in particular the exchange of affects, objects and narratives that went on during fraternizations. I trace the movement of spatial justice as one of withdrawal from the asphyxiating atmosphere of the war and the propaganda machine. This withdrawal is not one of unpatriotic stance but of a courageous and difficult detachment from the supposed legality of the war that could only function on the basis of hate and demonization. While fraternizations did not end the war, they allowed for the possibility of spatial justice to emerge, as an opportunity to reorient the space and the bodies within.

O contrato de mútuo: os juros moratórios e os juros remuneratórios

Dissertação de Mestrado em Solicitadoria

Effect of C282Y Genotype on Self-Reported Musculoskeletal Complications in Hereditary Hemochromatosis

OBJECTIVE: Arthropathy that mimics osteoarthritis (OA) and osteoporosis (OP) is considered a complication of hereditary hemochromatosis (HH). We have limited data comparing OA and OP prevalence among HH patients with different hemochromatosis type 1 (HFE) genotypes. We investigated the prevalence of OA and OP in patients with HH by C282Y homozygosity and compound heterozygosity (C282Y/H63D) genotype. METHODS: A total of 306 patients with HH completed a questionnaire. Clinical and demographic characteristics and presence of OA, OP and related complications were compared by genotype, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), current smoking and menopausal status. RESULTS: In total, 266 of the 306 patients (87%) were homozygous for C282Y, and 40 (13%) were compound heterozygous. The 2 groups did not differ by median age [60 (interquartile range [IQR] 53 to 68) vs. 61 (55 to 67) years, P=0.8], sex (female: 48.8% vs. 37.5%, P=0.18) or current smoking habits (12.4% vs. 10%, P=0.3). As compared with compound heterozygous patients, C282Y homozygous patients had higher median serum ferritin concentration at diagnosis [1090 (IQR 610 to 2210) vs. 603 (362 to 950) µg/L, P<0.001], higher median transferrin saturation [80% (IQR 66 to 91%) vs. 63% (55 to 72%), P<0.001]) and lower median BMI [24.8 (22.1 to 26.9) vs. 26.2 (23.5 to 30.3) kg/m2, P<0.003]. The overall prevalence of self-reported OA was significantly higher with C282Y homozygosity than compound heterozygosity (53.4% vs. 32.5%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.4 [95% confidence interval 1.2-5.0]), as was self-reported OP (25.6% vs. 7.5%; aOR 3.5 [1.1-12.1]). CONCLUSION: Patients with C282Y homozygosity may be at increased risk of musculoskeletal complications of HH.

Physiotherapy practice in the private sector: organizational characteristics and models.

BACKGROUND: Even if a large proportion of physiotherapists work in the private sector worldwide, very little is known of the organizations within which they practice. Such knowledge is important to help understand contexts of practice and how they influence the quality of services and patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to: 1) describe characteristics of organizations where physiotherapists practice in the private sector, and 2) explore the existence of a taxonomy of organizational models. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional quantitative survey of 236 randomly-selected physiotherapists. Participants completed a purpose-designed questionnaire online or by telephone, covering organizational vision, resources, structures and practices. Organizational characteristics were analyzed descriptively, while organizational models were identified by multiple correspondence analyses. RESULTS: Most organizations were for-profit (93.2%), located in urban areas (91.5%), and within buildings containing multiple businesses/organizations (76.7%). The majority included multiple providers (89.8%) from diverse professions, mainly physiotherapy assistants (68.7%), massage therapists (67.3%) and osteopaths (50.2%). Four organizational models were identified: 1) solo practice, 2) middle-scale multiprovider, 3) large-scale multiprovider and 4) mixed. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide a detailed description of the organizations where physiotherapists practice, and highlight the importance of human resources in differentiating organizational models. Further research examining the influences of these organizational characteristics and models on outcomes such as physiotherapists' professional practices and patient outcomes are needed.

Troubles de l'humeur et VIH: épidémiologie, clinique et prise en charge thérapeutique [Mood disorders in HIV patients: a challenge for liaison psychiatry consultation].

Mood disorders represent the most prevalent psychiatric condition in patients infected by HIV virus. Screening and treatment of depression as well as the evaluation of the risk suicide is of the utmost importance. When psychopharmacological treatment is required, interaction with antiretroviral treatment must be carefully considered. More generally a close collaboration between the physician and the psychiatrist is recommended.

Comparative study of human erythrocytes by digital holographic microscopy, confocal microscopy, and impedance volume analyzer.

Red blood cell (RBC) parameters such as morphology, volume, refractive index, and hemoglobin content are of great importance for diagnostic purposes. Existing approaches require complicated calibration procedures and robust cell perturbation. As a result, reference values for normal RBC differ depending on the method used. We present a way for measuring parameters of intact individual RBCs by using digital holographic microscopy (DHM), a new interferometric and label-free technique with nanometric axial sensitivity. The results are compared with values achieved by conventional techniques for RBC of the same donor and previously published figures. A DHM equipped with a laser diode (lambda = 663 nm) was used to record holograms in an off-axis geometry. Measurements of both RBC refractive indices and volumes were achieved via monitoring the quantitative phase map of RBC by means of a sequential perfusion of two isotonic solutions with different refractive indices obtained by the use of Nycodenz (decoupling procedure). Volume of RBCs labeled by membrane dye Dil was analyzed by confocal microscopy. The mean cell volume (MCV), red blood cell distribution width (RDW), and mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were also measured with an impedance volume analyzer. DHM yielded RBC refractive index n = 1.418 +/- 0.012, volume 83 +/- 14 fl, MCH = 29.9 pg, and MCHC 362 +/- 40 g/l. Erythrocyte MCV, MCH, and MCHC achieved by an impedance volume analyzer were 82 fl, 28.6 pg, and 349 g/l, respectively. Confocal microscopy yielded 91 +/- 17 fl for RBC volume. In conclusion, DHM in combination with a decoupling procedure allows measuring noninvasively volume, refractive index, and hemoglobin content of single-living RBCs with a high accuracy.

Kalajoen vesistöalueen tulvariskien hallintasuunnitelma

Laki tulvariskien hallinnasta (620/2010) tuli voimaan vuonna 2010, jonka jälkeen Pohjois-Pohjanmaalla tehtiin kaikille vesistöille tulvariskien alustava arviointi. Näiden arviointien perusteella Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö nimesi Pohjois-Pohjanmaalle kaksi merkittävää tulvariskialuetta (Kalajoen vesistöalueella Alavieskan ja Ylivieskan väli sekä Iijoen vesistöalueella Pudasjärven keskusta) yhdessä 19 muun alueen kanssa. Merkittäville tulvariskialueille laadittiin tulvavaara- ja tulvariskikartat sekä tulvariskien hallintasuunnitelmat. Näiden lisäksi Pohjois-Pohjanmaan ELY-keskus nimesi 15 muuta tulvariskialuetta, joista Pyhäjoen, Siikajoen ja Kiiminkijoen vesistöalueille ollaan tekemässä myös tulvariskien hallintasuunnitelmat. Tämä hallintasuunnitelma on laadittu Pohjois-Pohjanmaan elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskuksen ympäristö- ja luonnonvarat vastuualueella Kalajoen vesistöalueen tulvaryhmän ohjauksessa vuosille 2016–2021. Tulvaryhmä nimesi hallintasuunnitelman tavoitteet sekä toimenpiteet, joilla tavoitteet tullaan saavuttamaan. Suurin osa toimenpiteistä on jo nykyisin tehtäviä toimenpiteitä, joita kunnat, ELY-keskus, pelastuslaitokset ym. tekevät ennen ja jälkeen tulvan sekä tulvan aikana. Esimerkiksi tällaisia toimenpiteitä ovat vesistön säännöstely, erilaiset valmiustoimet sekä tulvatilannetyö. Muita toimenpiteitä ovat esimerkiksi asukkaiden tulvatietoisuuden lisääminen, millä tarkoitetaan sitä, että asukkaat ovat tietoisia tulvavaarasta ja osaavat suojata omaisuuttaan sekä sitä, että asukkaita tiedotetaan vahinkoa aiheuttavasta tulvasta mahdollisimman varhain. Tähän liittyy myös se, että asutusta suojaavia penkereitä pidetään kunnossa. Kalajoen varrella sijaitseville pelloille voisi mahdollisesti johtaa tulvavesiä, jos harvinainen tulva uhkaa asutuksia. Toimenpiteiden vastuutahot vastaavat ensisijaisesti toimenpiteiden toteuttamisen käynnistämisestä. ELY-keskuksen tehtävänä on omalta osaltaan huolehtia siitä, että vastuutahot pysyvät suunnitellussa aikataulussa. Lisäksi ELY-keskus yhdessä tulvaryhmän kanssa huolehtii toimenpiteiden seurannasta sekä niiden päivittämisestä. Tulvaryhmän tehtävänä on vuosien 2016–2021 aikana jakaa ja välittää tietoa siitä, mitä vesistössä ja sen varrella tapahtuu, sekä ylläpitää tulvariskien hallinnan kannalta keskeisten toimijoiden välistä yhteistyötä.

L'Écho de Paris

1885/03/08 (Numéro 362).

L'Écho de Paris

1894/05/03 (Numéro 362).

Mélanges de littérature. 1 / Stendhal ; établissement du texte et préfaces par Henri Martineau

Collection : Le Livre du divan ; 1-3

Mélanges de littérature. 2 / Stendhal ; établissement du texte et préfaces par Henri Martineau

Collection : Le Livre du divan ; 1-3

Mélanges de littérature. 3 / Stendhal ; établissement du texte et préfaces par Henri Martineau

Collection : Le Livre du divan ; 1-3