Temporal and spatial expression patterns of pregnane X receptor and vitamin K epoxide reductase genes, two core molecular players on fish vitamin K homeostasis and skeletal development.

Vitamin K (VK) is a liposoluble vitamin known to be essential for bone metabolism by two different pathways: (i) by its role as a coenzyme in the gamma-carboxylation of some skeletal proteins (e.g. osteocalcin (OC) and matrix Gla protein (MGP); Price et al., 1998); and (ii) through its role in skeletal gene transcription via binding to the pregnane X receptor (PXR; Azuma et al., 2010)

Using Pre-Fire High Point Cloud Density LiDAR Data to Predict Fire Severity in Central Portugal

[EN], The wall-to-wall prediction of fuel structural characteristics conducive to high fire severity is essential to provide integrated insights for implementing pre-fire management strategies designed to mitigate the most harmful ecological effects of fire in fire-prone plant communities. Here, we evaluate the potential of high point cloud density LiDAR data from the Portuguese áGiLTerFoRus project to characterize pre-fire surface and canopy fuel structure and predict wildfire severity. The study area corresponds to a pilot LiDAR flight area of around 21,000 ha in central Portugal intersected by a mixed-severity wildfire that occurred one month after the LiDAR survey. Fire severity was assessed through the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) index computed from pre- and post-fire Sentinel-2A Level 2A scenes. In addition to continuous data, fire severity was also categorized (low or high) using appropriate dNBR thresholds for the plant communities in the study area. We computed several metrics related to the pre-fire distribution of surface and canopy fuels strata with a point cloud mean density of 10.9 m−2. The Random Forest (RF) algorithm was used to evaluate the capacity of the set of pre-fire LiDAR metrics to predict continuous and categorized fire severity. The accuracy of RF regression and classification model for continuous and categorized fire severity data, respectively, was remarkably high (pseudo-R2 = 0.57 and overall accuracy = 81%) considering that we only focused on variables related to fuel structure and loading. The pre-fire fuel metrics with the highest contribution to RF models were proxies for horizontal fuel continuity (fractional cover metric) and the distribution of fuel loads and canopy openness up to a 10 m height (density metrics), indicating increased fire severity with higher surface fuel load and higher horizontal and vertical fuel continuity. Results evidence that the technical specifications of LiDAR acquisitions framed within the áGiLTerFoRus project enable accurate fire severity predictions through point cloud data with high density.SIPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technolog

A tomada de decisão no guarda-redes de andebol

O presente estudo teve como objectivo verificar se os guarda-redes de andebol experientes antecipam a trajectória da bola de forma mais vezes e mais cedo que os não experientes e quais os indicadores utilizados para a tomada de decisão na antecipação. Foram colocados seis guarda-redes (três experientes e três não experientes) perante sequências de remates de 1ª linha, com paragens em quatro momentos prévios à saída da bola da mão do rematador. Pela comparação das taxas de frequência entre os dois grupos em análise verifica-se que os guarda-redes experientes conseguiram antecipar mais rápida e acertadamente que os não experientes a trajectória do remate. Os indicadores utilizados pelos experientes foram de carácter mais global (trajectória do rematador, orientação do tronco e acção dos defensores), o que lhes permite decidir mais cedo

Accurate calculation of the solutions to the Thomas-Fermi equations

We obtain highly accurate solutions to the Thomas-Fermi equations for atoms and atoms in very strong magnetic fields. We apply the Padé-Hankel method, numerical integration, power series with Padé and Hermite-Padé approximants and Chebyshev polynomials. Both the slope at origin and the location of the right boundary in the magnetic-field case are given with unprecedented accuracy.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Prescribed burning mitigates the severity of subsequent wildfires in Mediterranean shrublands

[EN] Background Prescribed burning (PB) is becoming relevant in fuel reduction and thus fire hazard abatement in fire‑prone ecosystems of southern Europe. Yet, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of this practice to mitigate wildfire severity in Mediterranean shrublands is non‑existent, despite being the focus of PB efforts in this region. Here, we intended to quantify the protective effect of PB treatment units (2005–2021) to subsequent wildfire severity in shrublands across mainland Portugal, as well as the relative contribution and complex interactions between drivers of wildfire severity in PB‑treated areas and untreated neighboring counterparts through Random Forest regression. We leveraged cloud‑computing remote sensing data processing in Google Earth Engine to estimate fire severity (PB and wildfire) as the Relativized Burn Ratio (RBR) using Landsat data catalog.Results PB treatment was particularly effective at mitigating wildfire severity at the first PB‑wildfire encounter in shrublands, with a mean reduction of around 24% in RBR units. Fuel age (i.e., time since prescribed burning) in PB‑wildfire intersection areas overwhelmed to a large extent the effect of fire weather, burning probability, and PB severity. The mitigating effect of PB on wildfire severity persisted for a fuel age of around 5 years. However, this effect decreased with increasingly adverse fire weather conditions, such that variation in wildfire severity was somewhat insensitive to fuel age under extreme fire weather. Similarly, the lowest wildfire severity experienced in sites with high burning probability, along with the interaction effect observed between burning probability and fuel age, suggest that repeated PB treatments may be useful in controlling fuel accumulation and mitigating wildfire severity. The relative contribution of fire weather in explaining wildfire severity was exceedingly high in untreated areas, doubling that of the other variables in the model in the absence of PB treatment variables.Conclusions Our results suggest that the implementation of PB treatments at intervals of less than 5 years is of para‑mount importance to control fuel build‑up and fire hazard under extreme fire weather in productive Mediterranean shrublands. Further research on this topic is warranted in other shrublands worldwide, namely in Mediterranean‑type climate regions[ES] Antecedentes: Las quemas prescritas (PB) se han tornado relevantes en la reducción de combustibles y por lo tanto en la disminución del riesgo de incendios en ecosistemas proclives al fuego. Así todo, la evidencia empírica sobre la efectividad de esta práctica para mitigar la severidad del fuego en matorrales de ecosistemas del Mediterráneo es inexistente, a pesar de ser el foco de los esfuerzos de las PB en la región. En este trabajo, intentamos cuantificar el efecto protector en unidades de tratamientos de PB (2005‑2021) sobre la severidad subsecuente de incendios en matorrales a lo largo del centro de Portugal, como así también, la contribución relativa e interacciones complejas entre los factores conducentes a la severidad del fuego en áreas tratadas con PB y aquellas vecinas sin tratar (PB y No tratadas), a través de regresión Random Forest. Utilizamos la capacidad de procesamiento de sensores remotos en Google Earth Engine para estimar tanto la severidad del fuego (en PB y áreas no tratadas ) como la Ratio Relativa de Quemado (Relativized Burn Ratio, RBR) usando los datos del catálogo de Landsat. Resultados: Los tratamientos de PB fueron efectivos para mitigar los efectos de severidad del fuego en las primeras interacciones de PB con áreas incendiadas no tratadas, con una reducción media de alrededor del 24% en unidades de RBR. La edad del combustible (i.e. el tiempo transcurrido desde la PB) en la intersección PB‑incendio superó en gran medida los efectos de la meteorología del incendio, la probabilidad de quema, y la severidad de la PB. El efecto mitigador de la PB en la severidad de los incendios persistió en el combustible por unos 5 años luego de la PB. Desde luego, este efecto decreció con el incremento de condiciones adversas en la meteorología del incendio, tal como que la variación en la severidad del incendio fue no sensible a la edad del combustible bajo condiciones meteorológicas extremas. Similarmente, las severidades más bajas experimentadas en sitios con alta probabilidad de quema, junto con los efectos de las interacciones observadas entre probabilidad de quema y la edad del combustible, sugiere que la repetición de los tratamientos de PB puede ser útil para controlar la acumulación de combustible y mitigar la severidad de los incendios. La contribución relativa de las condiciones meteorológicas en la severidad del fuego fue notablemente alta en áreas no tratadas, duplicando el efecto de otras variables del modelo en ausencia de las variables de las PB. Conclusiones: Nuestros Resultados sugieren que la implementación de tratamientos de PB a intervalos menores de 5 años es de una alta importancia para controlar la acumulación de combustible y reducir el riesgo de incendios bajo eventos meteorológicos extremos en matorrales de ecosistemas Mediterráneos. Más investigaciones en este tema deben garantizarse en otros matorrales del mundo, fundamentalmente en aquellos que se desarrollan bajo climas de tipo MediterráneoSIThis study was financially supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology in the frame of project UIDB/04033/2020. José Manuel Fernández-Guisuraga was supported by a Ramón Areces Foundation postdoctoral fellowshi

Structural analysis of a quasi-random masonry wall : geometry details, homogenization and application

In many countries, historical buildings were built with masonry walls constituted by random assemblages of blocks and stones of variable dimensions. The analysis of historic masonry structures requires often complex and expensive computational tools that in many cases are difficult to handle, given this condition of large variability of masonry. The present paper addresses a methodology for the characterization of the response of rubble masonry. First, a brief state of the art regarding homogenization is presented. Then, the characterization of the masonry and statistical analysis of the dimensions of the stone units from the walls of Guimarães castle are carried out. This is followed by the homogenized limit analysis of representative volume elements (RVEs) from the Alcaçova wall in the Guimarães castle, in order to obtain its in-plane an out-of-plane failure surfaces at different orientations of a load and increasing compressive loads considering the case of masonry with weak and strong mortar independently. Finally, a safety for seismic loading was carried out in two numerical models of the Alcaçova wall, being the first one built with a heterogeneous material and the second one with a homogeneous material that was obtained by means of homogenized limit analysis of representative volume elements. The purpose is to determinate the reliability of results, in terms of limit load and failure mechanism, from the homogenized model, compared to the heterogeneous model

Joyce’s heirs. Joyce’s imprint on recent global literatures

166 p.The figure of James Joyce is intangible, an almost all-encompassing figure whose height and breadth bypasses countries, continents and even time constraints and limitations. Many writers have confessed to their being indebted to his works and readings, as have many scholars over the years. However, not everything said about Joyce has always been praising; his contemporary D.H. Lawrence is known to have criticised him on the basis of his Biblical references or his journalistic-indebted narrative, which he defined as “old and hard-worked staleness, masquerading as the all-new”. Many more writers have, however, found inspiration in Joyce’s narratives and stories than not. Admirers and detractors aside, it is clear that Joyce’s figure is larger than life. Almost as a reversed parallelism to D.H. Lawrence’s criticism, Joyce can be pronounced a figure of almost Biblical proportions. One may like him or despise him; however, no one is left indifferent by it. This lofty, academic assertion has its more mundane mirror image in the widespread myth that all Dubliners, upon entering a conversation of literary dimensions, will firmly state their own opinions on the Dubliner’s work, even discuss some of his passages, only to later acknowledge (perhaps in the intimacy of one of those public houses Joyce himself so well depicted) that they have not read the book at all. This, rather than taking away literary value form Joyce’s work, proves how all-encompassing and ever-arching his work can be. Discussed alike by highranking academics and Dublin taxi drivers, Joyce’s oeuvre is an ever-continuing metaphor of life and its essence at the core of the city which he left but always inhabited

Expert handball goalkeepers’ perception concerning the determining factors for sporting success

El objetivo del presente estudio es conocer el proceso de formación llevado a cabo por los porteros expertos de balonmano y saber lo que entienden como importante en la formación de nuevos porteros. Para conseguir estos objetivos se recurrió al uso de una metodología cualitativa, y se entrevistó a ocho porteros expertos de reconocido prestigio a nivel mundial. Los principales resultados sugieren: (a) la importancia del entrenamiento de factores psicológicos como la confianza, el coraje, el instinto y la concentración; (b) el papel evidente de los entrenadores y de los compañeros con más experiencia en el proceso de formación; (c) la relevancia del entrenamiento de las capacidades físicas asociadas a los aspectos técnicos; (d) la necesidad de desarrollar las capacidades físicas destacando la importancia de la velocidad de reacción, la flexibilidad y la fuerza; (e) la necesidad de promover el entrenamiento técnico en una fase inicial, siendo esta técnica definida en función de las características individuales del deportista; (f) el entrenamiento táctico debe ser desarrollado tan pronto como se consoliden los factores técnicos, de condición física y después de la adquisición de alguna experiencia como portero.The aim of this study was to analyse the handball expert goalkeepers’ training process, and to identify what they understand as important concerning new goalkeepers’ training. To achieve these objectives a qualitative research methodology was applied. Thus, eight renowned worldwide expert goalkeepers were interviewed. The main findings suggest: (a) the importance of training psychological factors such as confidence, courage, instinct, and concentration; (b) the evident role of coaches and teammates, with more experience, in the training process; (c) the relevance of training physical skills, in association with technical aspects; (d) the need to develop physical abilities, highlighting the importance of reaction time, flexibility and strength; (e) the need to promote technical training at an early stage, with this technique being based on the athlete’s individual characteristics; (f) tactical skills training, which must be developed immediately after technical and physical consolidation, and also after acquiring some experience as a goalkeeper

Sistema de sensorização móvel e controlo baseado em ZigBee para bicicletas elétricas

Este artigo apresenta um sistema de monitorização e controlo centrado em dispositivos móveis concebido para aplicação em cenários que permitem tirar partido de uma bicicleta eléctrica. A bicicleta, para além de um meio de transporte, é uma excelente ferramenta para a promoção do exercício físico, podendo contribuir para melhorar a aptidão física de utilizadores de diversas faixas etárias. O sistema proposto, baseado numa rede ZigBee, permite recolher sinais fisiológicos dos utilizadores e controlar o motor elétrico da bicicleta de modo a possibilitar a implementação de diversos modos de utilização. Este trabalho descreve a solução utilizada para implementar a comunicação sem fios entre os sensores ZigBee e um smartphone Android, bem como os sensores para monitorização de sinais fisiológicos que foram desenvolvidos. De modo a ajudar a perceber onde este trabalho pode ser aplicado, são explicados alguns modos de utilização baseados no controlo do esforço físico, bem como as vantagens do sistema em relação às bicicletas convencionais e bicicletas estáticas.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT