European life project: a global strategy for the responsible use of a coastal lagoon: a case study from Portugal

Rin de Aveiro is a coastal lagoon located at the Central Region of Portugal subjected to the influence of the tides, resulting in a set of characteristic biotopes favouring anthropic and natural processes. Once managed and controlled correctly, each of these biotopes will allow simultaneously the biodiversity and integration in the making of the wetland landscape. In 1998, one of the final conclusions of the "MARIA" Demonstration Programme for the Integrated Management of Ria de Aveiro was that the poor current state of the environment area resulted from a set of interrelated factors. The Programme selected four (4) pilot-projects towards the integrated management of the lagoon biotopes as possible scenarios for an intervention. This selection was based in criteria related to environmental priorities and the maintenance of traditional economic activities in the region. The idea of choosing projects that would involve the whole geographic space of the Ria, without forgetting the other important themes interrelated with the Management Structure, emerged as a relevant aspect for their definition. Thus, and as a first test of this Management Structure functionality, the following task forces were put forward: Recovery and valorisation of the piers; Recovery of the former salt pans; Management of the agricultural fields of Baixo-Vouga; Implementation of measures for the classification of the Protected Landscape Area of the River Caster Mouth. This payer will report the main results of these pilot-projects attained during their first year period, especially the intervention strategies defined by the Partnership created for this aim

Surface and subsurface flow in eucalyptus plantations in north-central Portugal

In the Baixo Vouga region of north-central Portugal, forests occupy half of the territory, of which two thirds are Eucalypts plantations. The hydrological implications of this large-scale introduction of eucalypt are unknown and the aim of this exploratory study, realized in the Caramulo Mountains, was to describe overland flow (OLF), subsurface flow (SSF) and stream flow (Q) in a catchment dominated by Eucalyptus plantations. The main conclusions are that annual OLF rate is low, spatially heterogeneous between 0.1% and 6% and concentrated during the wet season as saturation excess, particularly as return flow. Infiltration-excess OLF due to the strong soil water repellence (SWR) is dominant during dry season, but produces residual runoff amount. SSF is the principal mechanism of runoff formation. It originates from matrix flow and pipe flow at the soil-bedrock interface, principally during the wet season. Matrix flow is correlated with soil moisture (SM) content, with a threshold of 25 %. Pipe flow starts with saturation of soil bottom but without saturation of the entire soil profile, due to a large network of macropores. Stream flow response is highly correlated with matrix flow behaviour in timing and intensity. SWR induces a very patchy moistening of the soil, concentrates the fluxes and accelerates them almost 100 times greater than normal percolation of the water in the matrix

Coadministration of the Three Antigenic Leishmania infantum Poly (A) Binding Proteins as a DNA Vaccine Induces Protection against Leishmania major Infection in BALB/c Mice

Highly conserved intracellular proteins from Leishmania have been described as antigens in natural and experimental infected mammals. The present study aimed to evaluate the antigenicity and prophylactic properties of the Leishmania infantum Poly (A) binding proteins (LiPABPs). Three different members of the LiPABP family have been described. Recombinant tools based on these proteins were constructed: recombinant proteins and DNA vaccines. The three recombinant proteins were employed for coating ELISA plates. Sera from human and canine patients of visceral leishmaniasis and human patients of mucosal leishmaniasis recognized the three LiPABPs. In addition, the protective efficacy of a DNA vaccine based on the combination of the three Leishmania PABPs has been tested in a model of progressive murine leishmaniasis: BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major. The induction of a Th1-like response against the LiPABP family by genetic vaccination was able to down-regulate the IL-10 predominant responses elicited by parasite LiPABPs after infection in this murine model. This modulation resulted in a partial protection against L. major infection. LiPABP vaccinated mice showed a reduction on the pathology that was accompanied by a decrease in parasite burdens, in antibody titers against Leishmania antigens and in the IL-4 and IL-10 parasite-specific mediated responses in comparison to control mice groups immunized with saline or with the non-recombinant plasmid. The results presented here demonstrate for the first time the prophylactic properties of a new family of Leishmania antigenic intracellular proteins, the LiPABPs. The redirection of the immune response elicited against the LiPABP family (from IL-10 towards IFN-γ mediated responses) by genetic vaccination was able to induce a partial protection against the development of the disease in a highly susceptible murine model of leishmaniasisThe study was supported in Spain by grants from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación FIS PI11/00095 and FISPI14/00366 from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III within the Network of TropicalDiseases Research (VI P I+D+I 2008-2011, ISCIII -Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa (RD12/0018/0009)). This work was also supported in Brazil by a grant from CNPq (Ciencia sem Fronteiras-PVE 300174/2014-4). A CBMSO institutional grant from Fundación Ramón Areces is also acknowledged. EAFC is a grant recipient of CNPq. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscrip

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation

Tourism crisis management in geoparks through geotourism development

The recent global financial crisis has negatively affected the tourism marketing as well as all sectors of the global economy. However, the crisis can create an opportunity for innovation in management and the emergence of new tourism products in tourism marketing. This study has two major purposes: 1) to introduce geotourism as a new niche tourism product for development of the local economy and 2) to investigate innovative strategies in geoparks, as geotourism destinations, for attracting more tourists to these territories. To this end, twenty five geopark strategies were analysed (20 in Europe and 3 in Asia – Malaysia, Japan and Iran, 1 in Australia and 1 in South America – Brazil). The results indicate that the authorities of geoparks try – on a small scale – to minimize the negative impacts of the crisis and develop the local economy by promoting geotourism and innovative strategies.A recente crise financeira mundial afetou negativamente a atividade turística do turismo, bem como todos os setores da economia global. No entanto, esta crise pode representar uma oportunidade para a inovação ao nível da gestão e para o surgimento de novos produtos turísticos. Este estudo tem dois objetivos principais: 1) introduzir o geoturismo como um novo nicho de mercado contribuindo para o desenvolvimento da economia local e 2) identificar estratégias inovadoras implementadas em geoparques, como destinos de geoturismo, com o objetivo para atrair mais turistas a esses territórios. Para este fim, foram analisadas as estratégias de vinte e cinco geoparques (20 na Europa e 3 na Ásia - Malásia, Japão e Irã, 1 na Austrália e 1 na América do Sul - Brasil). Os resultados indicam que os responsáveis pela gestão destes geoparques tentarm – em pequena escala - minimizar os impatos negativos da crise e desenvolver a economia local, atraés promoção do geoturismo e de estratégias inovadoras.publishe

Networks as an innovative approach in geoparks and geotourism

Geoparks as an innovation for the protection of natural and geological heritage play an important role in the development of geotourism and knowledge exchange. The European Geopark Network (EGN) and the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network (GGN) have introduced geotourism as a target for geopark creation, and they introduced the network concept to geotourism activities.Geoparks through network activities can encourage the small and medium-sized enterprises and local producers in geotourism. This paper aims at analysing network activity between geoparks and evaluating the connectivity rate of the Global Geoparks Network and the European Geoparks Network. To this end, nineteen geopark strategies were analysed (13 in Europe and 5 in Asia – China, Malaysia, Japan, and Iran- and 1 in Australia). It was concluded that UNESCO Global Geoparks Network and European Geoparks Network have concentrated their network activity on the area of meeting, conference, and exchange of knowledge. Moreover, authorities of geoparks attempt for development of tourism marketing in their territory

As mudanças no uso do solo e o risco de desertificação: O exemplo de Marrocos

The aim of this article is to analyse hydrological and erosive processes leading to soil degradation and desertification in the regions of Ksar El Kebir and Ben Slimane, Northern Morocco, regions that are suffering land use changes and important demographic pressures.Neste artigo analisam-se os processos hidrológicos e erosivos conducentes à degradação do solo e desertificação nas áreas de Ksar El Kebir (Alcácer Quibir) e Ben Slimane no Norte de Marrocos, áreas sujeitas a mudanças no uso do solo e a pressões demográficas significativas

Effectiveness of forest residue mulching in reducing post-fire runoff and erosion in a pine and a eucalypt plantation in north-central Portugal

Fire-enhanced runoff generation and erosion are an important concern in recently burnt areas worldwide but their mitigation has received little public and scientific attention in Portugal. The present study addressed this knowledge gap for the two principal fire-prone forest types in Portugal, testing the effectiveness of a type of mulch that is widely available in the study region but has been little utilized and poorly studied so far. For logistic reasons, two somewhat different forest residue mulches were tested in a eucalypt plantation (eucalypt chopped bark) and a nearby Maritime Pine stand (eucalypt logging slash). Arguably, however, more important differences between the two study sites were those in fire severity, resulting in an elevated litter cover prior to mulching at the pine site but not at the eucalypt site, and in experimental design, with eight bounded erosion plots of 16 m2 installed at the eucalypt site as opposed to only four at the pine site (due to its limited size). Mulching was applied four months after the wildfire and two months after installation of the plots. Rainfall, runoff and sediment and organic matter losses were measured on a 1- to 2-weekly basis. Mulching proved highly effective at the eucalypt site, on average reducing the runoff coefficient from 26 to 15% and sediment losses from 5.41 to 0.74 Mg ha− 1. This mulching effect was also statistically significant, albeit only for the more important runoff and erosion events, and corresponded to a significant role of litter cover in explaining the variation in runoff and erosion. At the pine site, by contrast, mulching had no obvious effect. In all probability, this was first and foremost due to the comparatively small amounts of runoff and sediments produced by the untreated pine plots (5% and 0.32 Mg ha− 1) and, as such, due to the extensive needle cast following a low severity fire.publishe