Agricultural development in the Mondego valley, Portugal

The various projects of the PIDRBM (Rural development of the Lower Mondego) are the most complete programme of rural development ever carried out in Portugal. For many years there have been numerous proposals for the development of the region, before the actual agricultural project was initiated by DGHEA in 1978 with the technical and financial support of the Federal Republic of Germany. The development of the agricultural project of the lower Mondego valley from Coimbra to Figueira da Foz is the most relevant factor for the success of the entire programme and therefore in this thesis special attention is given to the increase of agricultural production, which is essential to the economic development of the region. The project is described in some detail and also socio-economic factors are considered. Additionally, other potential resources are mentioned such as fishery, industry, tourism, i.e. those considered relevant for the development of the region (see Chapter 9.2.2)

Multidimensional continued fractions, dynamical renormalization and KAM theory

The disadvantage of `traditional' multidimensional continued fraction algorithms is that it is not known whether they provide simultaneous rational approximations for generic vectors. Following ideas of Dani, Lagarias and Kleinbock-Margulis we describe a simple algorithm based on the dynamics of flows on the homogeneous space SL(2,Z)\SL(2,R) (the space of lattices of covolume one) that indeed yields best possible approximations to any irrational vector. The algorithm is ideally suited for a number of dynamical applications that involve small divisor problems. We explicitely construct renormalization schemes for (a) the linearization of vector fields on tori of arbitrary dimension and (b) the construction of invariant tori for Hamiltonian systems.Comment: 51 page

Addition Of Chiral And Achiral Allyltrichlorostannanes To Chiral α-alkoxy Aldehydes

Achiral and chiral allyltrichlorostannanes reacted with chiral α-alkoxy aldehydes to give the corresponding homoallylic alcohols with moderate to good levels of 1,4-syn-diastereoselection.204802812Fleming, I., Barbero, A., Walter, D., (1997) Chem. Rev., 97, p. 2063Nishigaichi, Y., Takuwa, A., Naruta, Y., Maruyama, K., (1993) Tetrahedron, 49, p. 7395Panek, J.S., Xu, F., Rondon, A.C., (1998) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 120, p. 4113Zhu, B., Panek, J.S., (2001) Eur. J. Org. Chem., 9, p. 1701Huang, H.B., Spande, T.F., Panek, J.S., (2003) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 125, p. 626Keck, G.E., Abbott, D.E., (1984) Tetrahedron Lett, 25, p. 1883Maguire, R.J., Mulzer, J., Bats, J.W., (1996) J. Org. Chem., 61, p. 6936Denmark, S.E., Stavenger, R.A., (1998) J. Org. Chem., 63, p. 9524Trost, B.M., Urabe, H., (1990) J. Org. Chem., 55, p. 3982Nishigaishi, Y., Takuwa, A., Jodai, A., (1991) Tetrahedron Lett, 32, p. 2383Almendros, P., Gruttadauria, M., Helliwell, M., Thomas, E.J., (1997) J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. I, p. 2549Deka, D.C., Helliwell, M., Thomas, E.J., (2001) Tetrahedron, 57, p. 10017Martin, N., Thomas, E.J., (2001) Tetrahedron Lett, 42, p. 8373Kumar, P., Thomas, E.J., Tray, D.R., (2001) J. Braz. Chem. Soc., 12, p. 623Gruttadauria, M., Thomas, E.J., (1995) J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. I, p. 1469Nishigaichi, Y., Kuramoto, H., Takuwa, A., (1995) Tetrahedron Lett, 36, p. 3353Dias, L.C., Giacomini, R., (1998) J. Braz. Chem. Soc., 9, p. 357Dias, L.C., Giacomini, R., (1998) Tetrahedron Lett, 39, p. 5343Dias, L.C., Meira, P.R.R., Ferreira, E., Org. Lett., 1999, p. 1335. , See also: "NMR Spectra and Structures of Organotin Compounds," V. S. Petrosyan, Progr. in NMR Spectr. 1978, 11, 115Dias, L.C., Meira, P.R.R., (2000) Synlett, p. 37Dias, L.C., Ferreira, E., (2001) Tetrahedron Lett, 42, p. 7159Dias, L.C., Ferreira, A.A., Diaz, G., (2002) Synlett, p. 1845Dias, L.C., Diaz, G., Ferreira, A.A., Meira, P.R.R., Ferreira, E., (2003) Synthesis, p. 603Dias, L.C., Giacomini, R., Meira, P.R.R., Ferreira, E., Ferreira, A.A., Diaz, G., dos Santos, D.R., Steil, L.J., (2003) Arkivoc, 10, p. 240Dias, L.C., dos Santos, D.R., Steil, L.J., (2003) Tetrahedron Lett, 44, p. 6861(2002) Org. Lett., 4, p. 4325. , We have recently described a very efficient, synthetically useful 1, 4-anti-1, 5-anti boron-mediated aldol reaction of chiral α-methyl-β-alkoxy methyl ketone with achiral aldehydes: Dias, L.C., Baú, R.Z., de Sousa, M.A., Zukerman-Schpector, JDenmark, S.E., Wilson, T., Willson, T.M., (1988) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 110, p. 984Denmark, S.E., Weber, E.J., Wilson, T., Willson, T.M., (1989) Tetrahedron, 45, p. 1053Denmark, S.E., Almstead, N.G., (1992) Tetrahedron, 48, p. 5565Denmark, S.E., Almstead, N.G., (1993) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 115, p. 3133Dias, L.C., Fattori, J., Perez, C.C., (2008) Tetrahedron Lett, 49, p. 557Dias, L.C., Fattori, J., Perez, C.C., Oliveira, V.M., Aguilar, A.M., (2008) Tetrahedron, 64, p. 5891Kim, D., Lee, J., Shim, P.J., Lim, J.I., Doi, T., Kim, S., (2002) J. Org. Chem., 67, p. 772noteShambayati, S., Schreiber, S.L., Blake, J.F., Wierschke, S.G., Jorgensen, W.L., (1990) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 112, p. 697noteChérest, M., Felkin, H., Prudent, N., (1968) Tetrahedron Lett, 18, p. 2199Anh, N.T., Eisenstein, O., (1977) Nouv. J. Chem., 1, p. 61noteBatey, R.A., Thadani, A.N., Smil, D.V., Lough, A.J., (2000) Synthesis, 7, p. 990Heathcock, C.H., Pirrung, M.C., Sohn, J.E., (1979) J. Org. Chem., 44, p. 4294Landmann, B., Hoffmann, R.W., (1987) Chem. Ber., 120, p. 331Dias, L.C., Ferreira, M.A.B., Tormena, C.F., (2008) J. Phys. Chem. A, 112, p. 232Sames, D., Liu, Y., De Young, L., Polt, R., (1995) J. Org. Chem., 60, p. 2153Lombardo, M., Morganti, S., Trombini, C., (2003) J. Org. Chem., 68, p. 997notenotenot

Prediction of lamb body composition using in vivo bioimpedance analysis

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of in vivo bioimpedance analysis (BIA) as a method to estimate body composition in lambs. Thirty-one Texel x Ile de France crossbreed ram lambs were slaughtered at pre-determined intervals of average weights of 20, 26, 32, and 38 kg. Before the slaughter of the animals, their body weight (BW) and body length (BL) were measured. The values for resistance (Rs) and reactance (Xc) were collected using a single-frequency BIA equipment (Model RJL Quantum II Bioelectrical Body Composition Analyzer). The BIA main variables such as body bioelectrical volume (V), phase angle (PA), resistive density (RsD), and reactive density (XcD) were then calculated. The soft tissue mass of the right-half cold carcass was analyzed in order to determine its chemical composition. Multiple regression analyses were performed using the lamb body composition as dependent variables and the measurements related to bioimpedance as independent variables. The best regression models were evaluated by cross-validation. The predictive model of moisture mass, which was developed by using XcD and V, accounted for 84% of its variation. Resulting models of percentage moisture (R2 = 0.79), percentage lean mass (R2 = 0.79), percentage fat (R2 = 0.79), and fat mass (R2 = 0.87) were obtained using RsD and V. Furthermore, the values of RsD regarding V, and PA in the prediction models accounted for 91% and 89% of variation in protein mass and lean mass, respectively. Bioimpedance analysis proved to be an efficient method to estimate the body composition of lambs slaughtered at different body mass stages

Leguminous cover crops improve the profitability and the sustainability of rainfed olive (Olea europaea L.) orchards: from soil biology to physiology of yield determination

The olive sector has a crucial economic, social, cultural and ecological relevance in the Mediterranean region, where tillage and herbicides application still are generalized practices. However, these techniques oppose to the recommendations of UE policy. Thus, other methods are needed to reduce adverse environmental impacts and to improve biodiversity, soil carbon sink and fertility, to save fossil fuels and to increase yield and the safety and nutritional value of food products. Meanwhile, since Mediterranean basin is particularly vulnerable to climate change, including lower precipitation in summer, olive tree will experiment some hard changes, mainly under rainfed conditions. Therefore, we propose an adequate management of cover crops to shift tillage and herbicides, in order to minimize runoff and evaporation water losses, conserve soil moisture storage and promote the infiltration of water in soil. The experiment was carried out during 4 years on a commercial orchard (cv. Cobrançosa) in Northeast Portugal. The treatments laid out were: (1) ordinary tillage techniques (OT) used by local growers (two tillage trips per year); (2) cover crop with self-reseeding annual legume species (AL); (3) natural vegetation fertilized (NVF) with 60 kg N hm2 (as in OT); (4) natural vegetation (NV) left unfertilized. The results revealed that AL treatment is the best option, reaching 37, 53 and 95% higher cumulative yield than NVF, OT and NV, respectively, in a closely association with greater physiological performance during the summer, mainly evidenced by lower oxidative damage and by favourable changes in water status and net photosynthetic rate, due to lower stomatal and mesophyll limitations. Moreover, the AL covered soil presented considerable microbial diversity and enzymatic activities, which may contribute to promote and conserve soil quality and health, as well the stability of ecosystems. Thus, leguminous cover crops improve the profitability and the sustainability of rainfed olive orchards.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sleep during the third trimester of pregnancy: the role of depression and anxiety

Depression has been associated with sleep disturbances in pregnancy; however, no previous research has controlled the possible confounding effect of anxiety on this association. This study aims to analyze the effect of depression on sleep during the third trimester of pregnancy controlling for anxiety. The sample was composed by 143 depressed (n = 77) and non-depressed (n = 66) pregnant women who completed measures of depression, anxiety, and sleep. Differences between groups in sleep controlling for anxiety were found. Depressed pregnant women present higher number of nocturnal awakenings and spent more hours trying falling asleep during the night and the entire 24 h period. Present findings point out the effect of depression on sleep in late pregnancy, after controlling for anxiety.This research was supported by FEDER Funds through the Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade - COMPETE and by National Funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the project: PTDC/SAU/SAP/116738/2010

A Predictive Model of Postnatal Surgical Intervention in Children With Prenatally Detected Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract

The aim of this study was to identify predictive factors and develop a model to assess individualized risk of postnatal surgical intervention in patients with antenatal hydronephrosis. This is a retrospective cohort study of 694 infants with prenatally detected congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract with a median follow-up time of 37 months. The main event of interest was postnatal surgical intervention. A predictive model was developed using Cox model with internal validation by bootstrap technique. Of 694 patients, 164 (24%) infants underwent surgical intervention in a median age of 7.8 months. Predictors of the surgical intervention in the model were: baseline glomerular filtration rate, associated hydronephrosis, presence of renal damage and the severity of renal pelvic dilatation. The optimism corrected c statistic for the model was 0.84 (95%CI, 0.82–0.87). The predictive model may contribute to identify infants at high risk for surgical intervention. Further studies are necessary to validate the model in patients from other settings

Trophic niche overlap between native freshwater mussels (Order: Unionida) and the invasive Corbicula fluminea

Freshwater mussels (Order Unionida) are highly threatened. Interspecific competition for food sources with invasive alien species is considered to be one of the factors responsible for their decline because successful invaders are expected to have wider trophic niches and more flexible feeding strategies than their native counterparts. In this study, carbon (δ13C: 13C/12C) and nitrogen (δ15N: 15N/14N) stable isotopes were used to investigate the trophic niche overlap between the native freshwater mussel species, Anodonta anatina, Potomida littoralis, and Unio delphinus, and the invasive bivalve Corbicula fluminea living in sympatry in the Tua basin (south-west Europe). The species presenting the widest trophic niches were C. fluminea and A. anatina, which indicate that they have broader diets than U. delphinus and P. littoralis. Nonetheless, all the species assimilated microphytobenthos, sediment organic matter, and detritus derived from vascular plants, although with interspecific variability in the assimilated proportions of each source. The trophic niche of the invasive species overlapped with the trophic niche of all the native species, with the extent varying between sites and according to the species. From the three native species analysed, Potomida littoralis may be at a higher risk for competition for food with C. fluminea in the Tua basin, if food sources become limited, because this native mussel presented the narrowest trophic niche across sites and the highest probability of overlapping with the trophic niche of C. fluminea. Given the global widespread distribution of C. fluminea, the implementation of management measures devoted to the control or even eradication of this invasive alien species should be a conservation priority given its potential for competition with highly threatened native freshwater mussels.V.M. and P.C. were supported by doctoral grants SFRH/BD/108298/2015 and SFRH/BD/131814/2017, respectively, from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology—FCT through POPH/FSE funds. FCT also supported M.L.L. under contract (2020.03608.CEECIND). This study was conducted within the project FRESHCO – Multiple implications of invasive species on Freshwater Mussel coextinction processes, supported by FCT and COMPETE funds (contract: PTDC/AGRFOR/1627/2014). This study was also supported by national funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020. We thank Jacinto Cunha for providing Figure 1.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of 16 Weeks of Resistance Training on Fatigue Resistance in Men and Women

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hypertrophy-type resistance training (RT) on upper limb fatigue resistance in young adult men and women. Fifty-eight men (22.7±3.7 years, 70.6±9.3 kg, and 176.8±6.4 cm) and 65 women (21.6±3.7 years, 58.8±11.9 kg, and 162.6±6.2 cm) underwent RT for 16 weeks. Training consisted of 10–12 whole body exercises with 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions maximum performed 3 times per week. Before and after the RT intervention participants were submitted to 1RM testing, as well as a fatigue protocol consisting of 4 sets at 80% 1RM on bench press (BP) and arm curl (AC). The sum of the number of repetitions accomplished in the 4 sets in each exercise was used to indicate fatigue resistance. There was a significant (p\u3c0.05) time-by-group interaction in 1RM BP (men=+16%, women=+26%), however in 1RM AC no significant time-by-group interaction was observed (men=+14%, women=+23%). For the total number of repetitions, men and women showed a significant increase in BP (men=+16.3%, women=+10.5%) with no time-by-group interaction. The results suggest that the adaptation in maximal strength is influenced by sex in BP. On the other hand, for fatigue resistance, the individual’s sex does not seem to influence outcomes either in BP or AC