Quantitative trait loci associated with kernel weight and test weight in durum wheat

Tese de doutoramento em História, em Altos Estudos, apresentada à Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de CoimbraEntre 1943 e 1986, as relações diplomáticas luso-italianas caracterizaram-se por uma progressiva aproximação. Finda a II Guerra Mundial, a Itália, membro do Eixo até 1943, assinava, em 1947, o Tratado de Paz como país vencido. Em Portugal, os governantes portugueses temiam que a vitória dos Aliados levasse ao fim do Estado Novo, um regime antidemocrático e autoritário com características fascizantes. As incertezas e as expectativas internas e externas eram, pois, vividas em Lisboa e em Roma com nervosismo até ao final dos anos 40, quando os instrumentos principais das relações internacionais no Ocidente – como a ONU, a OECE, a NATO e a CECA – ficam delineados, permitindo aos dois países integrarem-se numa esfera de interacção comum e no âmbito da qual as relações luso-italianas ficavam reforçadas. Contudo, se a Itália garantia o seu lugar nos projectos de cooperação europeia, Portugal direccionava-se para o Ultramar. Também aqui as relações luso-italianas poderiam encontrar um ponto de reforço se ao anticolonialismo professado pelo Governo de Roma não se opusesse o acérrimo colonialismo do Governo de Lisboa, com a desconfiança do Governo português a acentuar-se com o início das guerras coloniais, a partir de 1961. Condenado na ONU, pressionado na NATO, Portugal buscava o apoio da Itália, cedido apenas dentro dos limites da solidariedade devida a um aliado no quadro da Aliança Atlântica. Caído o Estado Novo em Abril de 1974, Roma e Lisboa encetavam um período de maior identificação em termos de princípios políticos e de objectivos, com a primeira a ceder os seus préstimos para garantir o sucesso da transição democrática e para acelerar o processo da negociação da independência das colónias. Ao fazê-lo, pretendia não só solidificar as relações diplomáticas com Lisboa, mas também com os novos países surgidos do Ultramar, considerados altamente rentáveis para investir e alargar a presença da Itália na África. A Democracia de Abril veio também permitir o estreitamento das relações luso-italianas no campo multilateral, com a Itália a ter um papel de destaque no processo de adesão de Portugal à CEE não só ao impor um número de reformas a executar a nível comunitário para optimizar o funcionamento institucional e salvaguardar a economia italiana, produtora de produtos similares à portuguesa e com necessidades símiles em termos de financiamentos europeus, mas também ao acelerar a conclusão das negociações, em 1985.Between 1943 and 1986, a growing closeness characterizes the Portuguese – Italian diplomatic relations. After the World War II, while the Portuguese leaders feared the ruin of the Estado Novo, an antidemocratic and authoritarian regime with fascist characteristics, the Italian Government signed, in 1947, the Peace Treaty as a defeated ally of the Nazi Germany. The uncertainties and the expectations were, therefore, nervously felt in Lisbon and Rome till the end of the 40´s, when the two countries join the OEEC and the OTAN and assure their acceptance by the western partners. At the same time, the diplomatic relations between them were strengthened. However, while the Italians focused on the development of the European communities, the Portuguese focused on their Colonial Empire. By this time, the anti-colonialism of the Italian government, as opposed to the colonialism of the Portuguese government, created some difficulties in the relations between the two. The situation got worse with the beginning of the Portuguese colonial wars, in 1961. Condemned by the UN and pressured by the NATO, Portugal searched for Italy's support, which was given only sparingly. Simultaneously, the African nationalists and the political opposition to the Estado Novo enlarged their support base in Italy, mainly in the political sectors of the left, which had negative consequences in the relations between Lisbon and Rome. With the revolution of April 25th 1974, the Estado Novo disappeared without resistance. With the new democratic and anti-colonialist regime, the relations between Rome and Lisbon entered a new phase of greater cooperation. The Italian Government helped the new government with the democratic transition, the decolonization and the negotiation of the Portuguese entrance into the European Economic Community. By doing so, Italy attempted not only to strengthen the diplomatic relations with Portugal and with the new African countries, very appealing to the Italian capital, but also to fortify the role and influence of her own and that of the southern Europe in the European communities

Concentric left ventricular remodeling and aortic stiffness: A comparison of obesity and hypertension

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Bimodal polarons as a function of morphology in high efficiency polymer/acceptor blends for organic photovoltaics

The polymer PffBT4T-C9C13 (poly[(5,6-difluoro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-4,7-diyl)[3,3′′′-bis (2-decyltetradecyl)[2,2′:5′,2′′:5′′,2′′ -quaterthiophene]-5,5′′′-diyl]]) produces organic solar cells of >11% efficiency with both fullerenes and non-fullerenes. We present a comprehensive morphology and spectroscopy study of this polymer and its blends, focusing on atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and transient absorption spectroscopy on microsecond timescales. Unusually, fullerene-induced ordering is observed, with the polymer/fullerene blend displaying a greater crystallinity compared to the pristine polymer. This was correlated with the appearance of bimodal polarons: fast-decaying polarons in the pristine amorphous polymer domains and trapped polarons localised in the fullerene-induced ordering (crystallline) domains. The lifetime of the trapped polaron was significantly enhanced upon thermal annealing, and the complex relationship observed between lifetime and film crystallinity suggest a contribution from trap states at the interfaces between ordered and disordered domains that lead to inhibited recombination. In contrast, blends incorporating the well-known analogue PffBT4T-2OD (with a shorter alkyl chain length) exhibit neither fullerene-induced ordering nor bimodal polarons. However, both PffBT4T-C9C13 and PffBT4T-2OD polymer blends show clear evidence of polymer triplet formation, which is the first time triplets have been identified in PffBT4T-based blends. In this study, we remark upon the complex relationship between morphology and the photophysics. This relationship will open the door to the synthesis of new molecules to control the blend morphology and thus optimise organic photovoltaic performance

The International Crop Information System manages geneological; phenotypic and genotypic data in a wheat breeding program

Lysyl hydroxylase 2b (LH2b) is known to increase pyridinoline cross-links, making collagen less susceptible to enzymatic degradation. Previously, we observed a relationship between LH2b and osteoarthritis-related fibrosis in murine knee joint. For this study, we investigate if transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) regulate procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 2 (PLOD2) (gene encoding LH2b) and LH2b expression differently in osteoarthritic human synovial fibroblasts (hSF). Furthermore, we investigate via which TGF- route (Smad2/3P or Smad1/5/8P) LH2b is regulated, to explore options to inhibit LH2b during fibrosis. To answer these questions, fibroblasts were isolated from knee joints of osteoarthritis patients. The hSF were stimulated with TGF- with or without a kinase inhibitor of ALK4/5/7 (SB-505124) or ALK1/2/3/6 (dorsomorphin). TGF-, CTGF, constitutively active (ca)ALK1 and caALK5 were adenovirally overexpressed in hSF. The gene expression levels of PLOD1/2/3, CTGF and COL1A1 were analyzed with Q-PCR. LH2 protein levels were determined with western blot. As expected, TGF- induced PLOD2/LH2 expression in hSF, whereas CTGF did not. PLOD1 and PLOD3 were not affected by either TGF- or CTGF. SB-505124 prevented the induction of TGF--induced PLOD2, CTGF and COL1A1. Surprisingly, dorsomorphin completely blocked the induction of CTGF and COL1A1, whereas TGF--induced PLOD2 was only slightly reduced. Overexpression of caALK5 in osteoarthritic hSF significantly induced PLOD2/LH2 expression, whereas caALK1 had no effect. We showed, in osteoarthritic hSF, that TGF- induced PLOD2/LH2 via ALK5 Smad2/3P. This elevation of LH2b in osteoarthritic hSF makes LH2b an interesting target to interfere with osteoarthritis-related persistent fibrosis

Bisensorial: A brain-computer interface hack using tactile and auditory stimuli

Bisensorial is a prototype that was developed at Hack the Brain 2016 (www.hackthebrain.nl), a three-day hackathon in Amsterdam based on the theme of ‘hacking one's self better (or worse)’. BISENSORIAL was a fully working proof-of-concept of a technology for inducing desired mental states using touch and sound that evolved in response to EEG readings. A genetic algorithm generated patterns of auditory stimuli and tactile stimuli down a user’s back, based on readings provided by an EEG headset. The result is intended to be a personalised soundscape and ‘touchscape’ that adjusts to the user to construct the most efficient bisensorial stimuli for inducing a desired mental state. In order to both structurally encourage skin contact and freedom of motion we produced a spine structure cast in platinum prosthetic silicone that would provide a casing for the electronic components. This electronic spine is skin-like to touch and sculpturally mimics the anatomy of the vertebrae, giving the structure a visual reference regarding its function: as a sensorial device for the spinal column. The spine was integrated into a bespoke dress designed to maximise skin contact as well as provide torso support in order to relax the extensor muscles and make the tactile stimuli more perceptible

Does cognitive impairment influence outcomes from cataract surgery? Results from a 1-year follow-up cohort study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To assess the impact of impaired cognition on visual outcomes 1 year following cataract surgery in a cohort of older people.METHODS: Participants aged 75 years or more with bilateral cataract and scheduled for cataract surgery were recruited consecutively. Cognition was assessed using the revised Addenbrooke\u27s cognitive examination (ACE-R). Participants were divided into two groups: normal (ACE-R ≥88) and impaired cognition (ACE-R <88). Visual quality of life (VQOL) and logarithm of minimum angle of resolution visual acuity (VA) were assessed at baseline and 1 year following cataract surgery.RESULTS: Of 112 participants, 48 (43%) had normal cognition and 64 (57%) had impaired cognition. One year following cataract surgery participants in both groups had significant improvements in VQOL and VA. Visual outcomes at 1 year were significantly better in participants with normal cognition than in those with impaired cognition (95% CIs for difference 0.4-7.0 and 0.02-0.1, for VQOL and VA, respectively). Regression analyses correcting for potential confounders showed a relationship between baseline cognition and VA at 1 year (R2=0.30, p=0.001) and a possible relationship between baseline cognition and VQOL at 1 year (R2=0.41, p=0.01, this became insignificant after removal of outliers).CONCLUSIONS: Patients with impaired cognition benefit from cataract surgery, but not to the same extent as patients with normal cognitio