Insulin resistance does not play a major role in lipid and apolipoprotein profile in obese women

Background: Obesity is associated with increased atherogenesis through alterations in lipids, among other potential factors. Some of those abnormalities might be mediated by insulin resistance (IR). Aims: To compare lipid and apolipoprotein profile between lean and obese women; to evaluate the influence of IR on lipid and apolipoprotein profile, in obese women. Methods: We studied 112 obese and 100 normal-weight premenopausal women without known cardiovascular disease. Both groups were characterized for anthropometrics and a fasting blood sample was collected for assessment of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, cholesterol (total, LDL and HDL), and apolipoproteins A-I, A-II, B, C-II, C-III, and E; IR was assessed by the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR). We compared lipids between obese and lean women; we looked for correlation of those levels with anthropometrics and IR (independently from anthropometrics) in obese women. Results: Obese women were characterized by mean age=34.6±8.3 years, BMI=43.6±7.9 kg/m2, waist circumference (Wc)=117.5±15.1 cm, and HOMA-IR=4.28±3.5. Lean women (age=34.2±8.3 years, BMI=21.4±1.7 kg/m2, Wc=71.7±5.8 cm, and HOMA-IR=1.21±0.76) presented with significantly lower levels of total cholesterol (P=0.001), LDL-cholesterol (P<0.001), and triglycerides (P<0.001); they presented higher levels of HDL-cholesterol (P<0.001), Apo A-I (P<0.001) and Apo A-II (P=0.037). HOMA-IR showed no significant association with apolipoproteins. HOMA-IR was inversely associated with HDL-cholesterol (P=0.048; r=−0.187) but that association disappeared when we adjusted for waist circumference. Only triglycerides were directly associated with HOMA-IR (P<0.001; r=0.343) independently from anthropometrics. Conclusion: We confirm that obese women present worst lipid and apolipoprotein profile. However, with the exception for triglycerides, insulin resistance per se does not play a major role in lipid and apolipoprotein abnormalities observed in obese women.

Functional role of macrobenthos in estuarine sediment dynamics

Thesis submitted to the Universidade Nova de Lisboa,Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Engineering

The role of teaching decision analysis for sustainability in engeneering schools

This paper addresses the role that decision analysis plays in helping engineers to gain a greater understanding of the problems they face. The need of structured decision analysis is highlighted as well as the use of multiple criteria decision analysis to tackle sustainability issues with emphasis in the use of MACBETH approach. Some insights from a Portuguese Summer Course on engineering for sustainable development are presented namely the students 'and teacher perceptions about the module of decision analysis for sustainability.

Evaluation of the role of glutathione in the lead-induced toxicity in saccharomyces cerevisiae

The effect of intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) in the lead stress response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Yeast cells exposed to Pb, for 3 h, lost the cell proliferation capacity (viability) and decreased intracellular GSH level. The Pb-induced loss of cell viability was compared among yeast cells deficient in GSH1 (∆gsh1) or GSH2 (∆gsh2) genes and wild-type (WT) cells. When exposed to Pb, ∆gsh1 and ∆gsh2 cells did not display an increased loss of viability, compared with WT cells. However, the depletion of cellular thiols, including GSH, by treatment of WT cells with iodoacetamide (an alkylating agent, which binds covalently to thiol group), increased the loss of viability in Pb-treated cells. In contrast, GSH enrichment, due to the incubation of WT cells with amino acids mixture constituting GSH (l-glutamic acid, l-cysteine and glycine), reduced the Pb-induced loss of proliferation capacity. The obtained results suggest that intracellular GSH is involved in the defence against the Pb-induced toxicity; however, at physiological concentration, GSH seems not to be sufficient to prevent the Pb-induced loss of cell viability.

Role of abrasive material on micro-abrasion wear tests

Micro-abrasion wear tests with ball-cratering configuration are widely used. Sources of variability are already studied by different authors and conditions for testing are parameterized by BS EN 1071-6: 2007 standard which refers silicon carbide as abrasive. However, the use of other abrasives is possible and allowed. In this work, ball-cratering wear tests were performed using four different abrasive particles of three dissimilar materials: diamond, alumina and silicon carbide. Tests were carried out under the same conditions on a steel plate provided with TiB2 hard coating. For each abrasive, five different test durations were used allowing understanding the initial wear phenomena. Composition and shape of abrasive particles were investigated by SEM and EDS. Scar areas were observed by optical and electronic microscopy in order to understand the wear effects caused by each of them. Scar geometry and grooves were analyzed and compared. Wear coefficient was calculated for each situation. It was observed that diamond particles produce well-defined and circular wear scars. Different silicon carbide particles presented dissimilar results as consequence of distinct particle shape and size distribution.

Desirable role in a price-setting international mixed duopoly

In this paper, we study the order of moves in a mixed international duopoly for differentiated goods, where firms choose whether to set prices sequentially or simultaneously. We discuss the desirable role of the public firm by comparing welfare among three games. We find that, in the three possible roles, the domestic public firm put a lower price, and then produces more than the foreign private firm.

Desirable role in an international duopoly model with tariffs

In this paper, we study an international market model in which the home government imposes a tariff on the imported goods. The model has two stages. In the first stage, the home government chooses an import tariff to maximize a function that cares about the home firm’s profit and the total revenue. Then, the firms engage in a Cournot or in a Stackelberg competition. We compare the results obtained in the three different ways of moving on the decision make of the firms.

Epidemiological role of humans, dogs and cats in the transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in a central area of Argentina

Trypanosoma cruzi prevalence rates of human, dog and cat populations from 47 households of 3 rural localities of the phytogeographical Chaqueña area of Argentina were determined both by serological and xenodiagnostic procedures. Human prevalence rates were uniform and ranged from 49.6 to 58.7%. Overall prevalence rate in dogs (75.0%) was significantly higher than in humans (51.0%). The overall proportion of parasitemic individuals assessed by xenodiagnosis was significantly higher in either dog (64.2%) or cat (63.6%) populations than among humans (12.5%). Although both the average number of resident as well as infected individuals per household was higher for people than for dogs (6.5 vs. 3.3, and 3.4 vs. 2.4, respectively), the reverse was recorded when parasitemic individuals were considered (1.0 vs. 2.1). Results are discussed in relation to dog between dogs and people, and dogs and bugs. In the light of present data, dogs must be considered as the major donors of parasites to vector bugs and thus, principal contributors to transmission in this region of Argentina.

Exposição de pequenos animais à hiperóxia: um modelo para estudo do papel do músculo liso na hiper reactividade brônquica = Hyperoxia - a model to syudy the role of airway smooth muscle on bronchial hyperresponsiveness

Revista Portuguesa de Pneumologia. VIII(3): 223-235.

Contributo dos músculos respiratórios para a fisiopatologia da hipercápnia na doença pulmonar crónica estabilizada: parte 1 = The role of the respiratory muscles in the pathophisiology of chronic hypercapnia in clinically stable chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases: part 1

Rev Port Pneumol. VII(2): 191-208, 2001

Contributo dos músculos respiratórios para a fisiopatologia da hipercápnia na doença pulmonar crónica estabilizada : parte 2 = The role of the respiratory muscles in the pathophisiology of chronic hypercapnia in clinically stable chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases: part 2

Rev Port Pneumol. VII(2): 210-233, 2001

Contributo dos músculos respiratórios para a fisiopatologia da hipercápnia na doença pulmonar crónica estabilizada : parte 3 = The role of the respiratory muscles in the pathophisiology of chronic hypercapnia in clinically stable chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases: part 3

Rev Port Pneumol. VII(2): 234-250, 2001

Contributo dos músculos respiratórios para a fisiopatologia da hipercápnia na doença pulmonar crónica estabilizada : parte 4 = The role of the respiratory muscles in the pathophisiology of chronic hypercapnia in clinically stable chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases: part 4

Rev Port Pneumol. VII(2): 251-263, 2001

Fucosyltransferase IX: characterization and biological role

α3/4-Fucosyltransferases (α3/4-FUTs) are glycosyltransferases (GTs) that catalyze the transfer of fucose in an α3/4-linkage onto the N-acetylglucosamine residue from acceptors containing the type II or type I (Galβ4/3GlcNAc, respectively) structures, thus synthesizing the fucosylated Lewis (Le) carbohydrate determinants. Fucosyltransferase IX (FUT9), the most recently identified member of the family, presents the higher divergence from the other FUTs and its sequence is the only highly conserved among species. FUT9 synthesizes the Lewisx (Lex) epitope (Galβ4(Fucα3)GlcNAc). Recent evidence has suggested that it is the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of Lex in the mouse brain. Lex expression has been described in glycoproteins, proteoglycans and glycolipids from the central nervous system (CNS) of diverse species, including rodents and humans.

The role of implicit contracts: Building public works in the 1840s in Portugal

Business History, Vol 50 No 2, p147-162