Resistance to stem rust race TTKS in wheat relative Haynaldia villosa

Tese de doutoramento em Território, Risco e Políticas Públicas, apresentada ao Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar da Universidade de CoimbraFor several decades critical infrastructure management belonged to engineering domains; however a new paradigm has emerged - socio-technical paradigm - infrastructures are critical because they have value for society and for a culture. Thus, critical infrastructure operate not only according to technical specifications but also according to constraints imposed by the social environment. The problem is how to integrate in the same model the linkages between infrastructure and social systems. The main goal of this thesis is to propose a new model the Structural Functional Risk Model – SFRM- a model that identifies the roads more vulnerable to interruptions, based on an integrated approach of the structural and functional component of the road network- a critical infrastructure responsible for connecting people, assets and services separated in space. The model is applied to real road network in a multiscalar perspective, the regional context and the municipal context. The case studies are the Central Region of Portugal and Coimbra, a municipality located in this Region. The system used as example focus the road network as element of connection and access between the parishes and the nearest Hospital – a critical infrastructure of the health sector. The methodological approach is composed by three main phases: firstly, the road network is assessed in a structural perspective based on the application of a new approach of the biclustering technique; the following phase is focused on the evaluation of the road network in a functional perspective based on a modified gravity model; the last phase is focused on the integration of structural and functional perspective, which resulted the SFRM. Scenario- based approaches are also relevant in this work, focusing questions such: what can happen? If it does happen, what are the consequences? A scenario-based approach can be a useful support to a more informed, strategic action. Thus, through the work there will be simulated and analyzed road interruption scenarios. The results confirmed the importance of an integrated approach of the structural and functional components. In the assessment of the road network structural component the results pointed that the Biclusters with highest connectivity are mainly located in the II areas economically most dynamic, such the Coastal zone, and the Biclusters with lowest connectivity are mainly located in areas less dynamic, such Beira Transmontana. So, even when the analysis is focused on a network transformed into nodes and edges it is possible to identify relations with the territorial dynamics. The results of the road network functional component assessment point to a significant resources concentration in Coimbra municipality; in the regional context identified significant accessibility gaps across geographical areas and population groups; even in a normal scenario there are significant disparities in terms of accessibility to health care, which can get worse in a road network interruption scenario. From the integration of the structural and functional component of the road network resulted the SFRM, which is a step forward; quantifying the share of accountability of each of the components in the road level of vulnerability. The results demonstrate that territorial constraints play a fundamental role in critical infrastructure management; the strategies set in this domain should take into account the specificities of each territory and population characteristics. This thesis can be seen as step forward in the consolidation of the socio-technical paradigm as well as a tool for the definition of efficient of prevention measures and the definition of strategies aiming quick recovery of the system in case of a disruptive event.Durante várias décadas a gestão das infra-estruturas críticas pertenceu ao domínio da engenharia; contudo surgiu um novo paradigma – o paradigma socio-técnico – as infraestruturas são críticas pelo valor que representam para a sociedade e para a cultura. Neste sentido, o funcionamento das infra-estruturas críticas depende não só de especificidades técnicas, mas também é condicionado pelo meio social. O problema reside em saber como integrar no mesmo modelo as ligações existentes entre as infraestruturas e os sistemas sociais. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é propor um novo modelo - Modelo de Risco Estrutural e Funcional – MREF- que identifica as vias mais vulneráveis a interrupções, numa abordagem integrada da componente estrutural e funcional da rede viária – uma infra-estrutura crítica que tem como função ligar pessoas, bens e serviços separados no espaço. O MRFE é aplicado a uma rede viária real numa perspetiva multiescalar, os casos de estudo são a Região Centro de Portugal e Coimbra, um município localizado nesta Região. O sistema de análise, usado como exemplo, focase na rede viária como elemento de ligação e acesso entre as freguesias e os Hospitais – importantes infra-estruturas críticas do sector da saúde. A metodologia usada neste trabalho é constituída por três fases: numa primeira fase a rede viária é avaliada sob o ponto de vista estrutural com base numa nova abordagem da técnica de biclustering; a fase seguinte foca-se na avaliação da rede viária sob o ponto de vista funcional com base num modelo gravitacional adaptado aos objetivos do presente trabalho; a última fase foca-se na integração da avaliação estrutural com a funcional da qual resulta o MRFE. As abordagens com base em cenários também assumem relevância neste trabalho, focando questões como: O que pode acontecer? Caso aconteça, quais são as consequências? Os resultados desta abordagem contribuem para ação mais informada e estratégica. Neste sentido, ao longo do trabalho serão apresentados e avaliados vários cenários de interrupção de vias. Os resultados demonstram a importância de uma abordagem integrada da componente funcional e da estrutural. Aquando da avaliação da rede viária sob o ponto de vista estrutural os resultados indicaram que os biclusters com maior nível de conectividade se IV encontram essencialmente localizados nas áreas economicamente mais dinâmicas – como a zona costeira, enquanto os biclusters com menor nível de conectividade se encontram essencialmente localizados nas áreas economicamente mais deprimidas – como a Beira Transmontana. Conclui-se que mesmo quando a análise se foca na rede viária enquanto conjunto de nós e ligações é possível identificar relações com a dinâmica territorial. Os resultados da avaliação da rede viária sob o ponto de vista funcional indicam uma significativa polarização de recursos no município de Coimbra, no contexto regional foram identificadas expressivas diferenças em termos de áreas geográficas e grupos populacionais; estas significativas disparidades poderão ser agravadas num cenário de interrupção de vias. O MREF resulta de uma abordagem integrada das componentes estruturais e funcionais da rede viária, um modelo que pode ser visto como um passo em frente uma vez que são definidas e quantificadas as variáveis que influenciam a vulnerabilidade da rede viária. Os resultados demonstram que as condicionantes territoriais devem constituir uma componente fundamental na gestão das infra-estruturas críticas; as estratégias definidas neste âmbito devem ter em atenção as especificidades do território e as características da população. O presente trabalho pode ser visto como contributo para a consolidação do paradigma sociotécnico assim como um instrumento para a definição de medidas de prevenção eficientes e definição de estratégias que tenham em vista o rápido restabelecimento do funcionamento do sistema num cenário disruptivo.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - SFRH/BD/70952/201

Arterial Stiffness and Cardiovascular Risk: The Role of Brachial Cuff-measured Index

Early detection of vascular disease is fundamental to the prevention and treatment of systemic vascular lesions. The timely identification of vascular damage can be achieved by comprehensively assessing the structural anomaly and/or functional degeneration of the vasculature. The assessment may to some extent indicate the long-term detrimental effects of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors on vascular health. A key aspect in the evaluation of vascular function is the measurement of arterial stiffness. In 2012, the arterial velocity-pulse index (AVI) and arterial pressure-volume index (API) were introduced, which are noninvasively measured with a brachial cuff, and can reflect the status of arterial stiffness in both the aorta and the brachial artery. A large number of relevant studies have demonstrated the strong associations between AVI/API and various CVD risk factors, underlining the substantial relevance of the indices in CVD risk assessment. In this review, we provide a systematic review of the progresses made in brachial cuff-based measurements of arterial stiffness. In addition, we summarize the results of the recent studies focused on exploring the associations of AVI/API with relevant risk factors as well as their roles in CVD assessment

Comparing oil based ointment versus standard practice for the treatment of moderate burns in Greece: a trial based cost effectiveness evaluation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The local treatment of burn wounds has long been a subject of debate. The objective of this study was to compare the cost and the effectiveness of Moist Exposed Burn Ointment -MEBO versus a combination of <it>povidone iodine </it>plus <it>bepanthenol </it>cream for partial thickness burns.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was carried out in the Burn Center of a state hospital in Athens, Greece. 211 patients needing conservative therapy were prospectively selected according to the depth of the burn wound. The treatment was allocated according to the Stratified Randomization Design. The outcomes measured were mean cost of in-hospital stay, rate of complications, time of 50% wound healing, pain scores, in hospital stay diminution. We have adopted a societal perspective.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the total groups MEBO presented lower cost, (although not significantly different: p = 0.10) and better effectiveness. The data suggest that MEBO is the dominant therapy for superficial partial burn wound with significantly lower costs and significantly higher effectiveness due to a lesser time of recovery and consequently lower time of hospitalization and follow-up. MEBO presented similar percentages of complications with the comparator, lower pain levels and smaller time of no healthy appearance of the burn limits for superficial partial thickness burns.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The data suggested that topical application of MEBO may be considered for further investigation as a potential first-line treatment modality for superficial partial thickness burns.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>The trial has been registered on the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register (ISRCTN) and given the registration number <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN74058791">ISRCTN74058791</a>.</p

HOIL-1L Interacting Protein (HOIP) as an NF-κB Regulating Component of the CD40 Signaling Complex

The tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily mediates signals critical for regulation of the immune system. One family member, CD40, is important for the efficient activation of antibody-producing B cells and other antigen-presenting cells. The molecules and mechanisms that mediate CD40 signaling are only partially characterized. Proteins known to interact with the cytoplasmic domain of CD40 include members of the TNF receptor-associated factor (TRAF) family, which regulate signaling and serve as links to other signaling molecules. To identify additional proteins important for CD40 signaling, we used a combined stimulation/immunoprecipitation procedure to isolate CD40 signaling complexes from B cells and characterized the associated proteins by mass spectrometry. In addition to known CD40-interacting proteins, we detected SMAC/DIABLO, HTRA2/Omi, and HOIP/RNF31/PAUL/ZIBRA. We found that these previously unknown CD40-interacting partners were recruited in a TRAF2-dependent manner. HOIP is a ubiquitin ligase capable of mediating NF-κB activation through the ubiquitin-dependent activation of IKKγ. We found that a mutant HOIP molecule engineered to lack ubiquitin ligase activity inhibited the CD40-mediated activation of NF-κB. Together, our results demonstrate a powerful approach for the identification of signaling molecules associated with cell surface receptors and indicate an important role for the ubiquitin ligase activity of HOIP in proximal CD40 signaling

Deep convolutional neural network with 2D spectral energy maps for fault diagnosis of gearboxes under variable speed.

For industrial safety, correct classification of gearbox fault conditions is necessary. One of the most crucial tasks in data-driven fault diagnosis is determining the best set of features by analyzing the statistical parameters of the signals. However, under variable speed conditions, these statistical parameters are incapable of uncovering the dynamic characteristics of different fault conditions of gearboxes. Later, several deep learning algorithms are used to improve the performance of the feature selection process, but domain knowledge expertise is still necessary. In this paper, a combination domain knowledge analysis and a deep neural network is proposed. By using the input acoustic emission (AE) signal, a two-dimensional spectrum energy map (2D AE-SEM) is created to form an identical fault pattern for various speed conditions of gearboxes. Then, a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) is proposed to investigate the detailed structure of the 2D input for final fault classification. This 2D AE-SEM offers a graphical depiction of acoustic emission spectral characteristics. Our proposed system offers vigorous and dynamic classification performance through the proposed DCNN with a high diagnostic fault classification accuracy of 96.37% in all considered scenarios

Influence of Exposure to Imidacloprid on Survivorship, Reproduction and Vitellin Content of the Carmine Spider Mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus

Occasional reports linking neonicotinoid insecticide applications to field population outbreaks of the spider mite have been a topic of concern for integrated pest management programs. To elucidate the impacts of a neonicotinoid insecticide on the carmine spider mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval (Acari: Tetranychidae), the survivorship, reproduction, and vitellin contents of the mite were investigated after exposure to various concentrations of imidacloprid on the V. unguiculata leaf discs at 25°C, 80% RH and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) in the laboratory. The results showed that the field-relevant dose of imidacloprid did not significantly affect the hatch rate of eggs or pre-imaginal survivorship of the mite, while sublethal doses of imidacloprid, previously determined for Myzus persicae, led to a significant increase in the hatch rate of eggs and pre-imaginal survivorship of the mite compared to the untreated control. Adult longevity and fecundity of T. cinnabarinus for imidacloprid-treated populations were slightly prolonged and increased, respectively, but the difference from the untreated control was not significant. The vitellin content in eggs increased significantly after exposure to imidacloprid. Imidacloprid may be one of the major reasons for the outbreak of T. cinnabarinus in the field

Small Polarons in Transition Metal Oxides

The formation of polarons is a pervasive phenomenon in transition metal oxide compounds, with a strong impact on the physical properties and functionalities of the hosting materials. In its original formulation the polaron problem considers a single charge carrier in a polar crystal interacting with its surrounding lattice. Depending on the spatial extension of the polaron quasiparticle, originating from the coupling between the excess charge and the phonon field, one speaks of small or large polarons. This chapter discusses the modeling of small polarons in real materials, with a particular focus on the archetypal polaron material TiO2. After an introductory part, surveying the fundamental theoretical and experimental aspects of the physics of polarons, the chapter examines how to model small polarons using first principles schemes in order to predict, understand and interpret a variety of polaron properties in bulk phases and surfaces. Following the spirit of this handbook, different types of computational procedures and prescriptions are presented with specific instructions on the setup required to model polaron effects.Comment: 36 pages, 12 figure