Relationship between landscape pattern and human disturbance in Serbia from 2000 to 2018

This study intends to verify how the alteration of the landscape configuration, represented by different metrics of configuration and diversity, is related to the intensity of human disturbance. The objectives of the study are: (1) to quantify the change in land use/land cover (LULC) patterns and the degree of human disturbance in Serbia between 2000 and 2018, and (2) to study the relationship between LULC configuration and the impact resulting from human disturbance under different levels of intensity, to understand how changing trends in landscape pattern can serve as indicators to estimate landscape changes resulting from human actions. The Hemeroby Index (HI) was calculated to quantify the impacts on ecosystems resulting from disturbance caused by human actions. Based on the analysis of the variation in the value corresponding to the HI for the period between 2000 and 2018, the level of naturalness increased by only 5% of the territory of Serbia, with this change being verified mainly in SE Serbia. The landscape pattern was quantified using a set of LULC metrics. We used the Spearman method to identify the existing statistical correlations between the geometric parameters of the landscape and the HIs values. At the landscape level, the Mean Shape Index, Edge Density, Mean Patch Fractal Dimension, and Shannon Diversity Index show a strong negative correlation with HI. This correlation suggests that landscapes with greater structural complexity are good indicators of low levels of hemeroby. At the class level, Edge Density and Mean Patch Size correlate significantly with the HI for artificial surfaces, agricultural areas, forests, and semi-natural areas.The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the National Funds provided by FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology to VALORIZA-Research Center for Endogenous Resource Valorization (project UIDB/05064/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Control tunning approach and digital filter application for competitive line follower robot

This research describes the development of a control strategy to optimize a competitive line follower robot for standard races. The innovative approach stems from the WolfBotz team at CEFET/RJ, presenting a thorough exploration of mathematical foundations, hardware design, control analysis, and how to implement this system in a microcontroller. This research complements a previous work that shows all the regulations used in Brazilian competitions and describes the controllers used in the system, such as angular and linear control. This research emphasizes all the changes between the two versions of Line Follower robots. The emphasis on mathematical foundations and integrating digital signal processing techniques like digital filters set the stage for robust sensor data interpretation. The tuning and optimization of dual controllers for track stability and linear velocity regulation represent a significant innovation, augmenting the robot’s overall performance.The authors would like to thank CEFET/RJ and the Brazilian research agencies CAPES, CNPq, and FAPERJ for supporting this work. Besides, the authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CeDRI (UIDB/05757/2020 and UIDP/05757/2020) and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2021).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

INDICADORES DEMOGRÁFICOS, DE MERCADO LABORAL E INFRAESTRUCTURAS. LÍNEAS DE DESARROLLO.

São apresentados indicadores desenvolvidos no âmbito do projeto OTALEX C, relativos à Sustentabilidade Territorial, mais concretamente com a acessibilidade espacial, designadamente indicadores de acesso em tempos mínimos a serviços básicos sanitários (centros de saúde, hospitais, residências de idosos e centros de dia) e educativos (escolas, estabelecimentos de ensino secundário e superior), bem como a núcleos de população de hierarquia superior (cidades com mais de 20000, 50000 e 200000 habitantes). Estes indicadores serão incorporados à bateria de indicadores de sustentabilidade do projeto OTALEX C

Nutrição mineral de hortaliças. XL. concentração e acúmulo de micronutrientes em alface (Lactuca sativa L.) Cv. Brasil 48 e Clause's Aurélia

This research was carried out in order to determine the concentration and the amount of micronutrients extracted by to varieties of lettuce plants during a life cycle. The lettuce plants were collected at the age of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 days old from a commercial field and separated into new and old leaves and stems; then the concentrations of B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were determined. There were differences in the nutrient concentrations between the two varieties, and the cultivar Brasil 48 has presentend the highest levels. The amount of Fe 6,800 µg, Mn 3,534 µg, Zn 4,462 µg; Clause's Aurélia: B 958 µg, Cu 165 µg, Fe 5,446 µg, Mn 1,025µg, Zn 2,425 µg.Com os objetivos de: - Determinar a concentração e acumulação de B, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn nos cultivares Brasil 48 e Clause's Aurélia em função da idade. Foi conduzido um ensaio de campo em Piracicaba, São Paulo sobre o solo Terra Roxa Estruturada, série "Luiz de Queiroz" que vem sendo cultivado com hortaliças há mais de 50 anos. Mudas com 20 dias foram transplantadas para um espaçamento de 0,30 x 0,25 m. A adubação constou em aplicação de 200 g por metro quadrado da fórmula 4-14-10. Aos 20 e 40 dias após o transplante foi aplicado 5 g de sulfato de amônio por planta. A cultura foi irrigada sempre que necessário. As amostragens foram feitas por ocasião do transplante e depois a intervalos de dez dias aproximadamente. As plantas foram cortadas rente ao solo, lavadas, secas e analisadas para B, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn de acordo com as instruções contidas em SARRUGE & HAAG (1974). Houve diferenças na concentração de nutrientes, mostrando-se o cultivar Brasil 48 mais exigente. Os cultivares Brasil 48 e Clause's Aurélia acumularam ao final do ciclo respectivamente, 896 g e 958 µg de B, 196µg e 168 µg de Cu, 6800 µg de Fe, 3534 µg e 1025 µg de Mn, 4462 µg e 2425 µg de Zn

Vasopressors and Inotropes in Acute Myocardial Infarction Related Cardiogenic Shock: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Vasopressors and inotropes are routinely used in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) related cardiogenic shock (CS) to improve hemodynamics. We aimed to investigate the effect of routinely used vasopressor and inotropes on mortality in AMI related CS. A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL was performed up to 20 February 2019. Randomized and observational studies reporting mortality of AMI related CS patients were included. At least one group should have received the vasopressor/inotrope compared with a control group not exposed to the vasopressor/inotrope. Exclusion criteria were case reports, correspondence and studies including only post-cardiac surgery patients. In total, 19 studies (6 RCTs) were included, comprising 2478 CS patients. The overall quality of evidence was graded low. Treatment with adrenaline, noradrenaline, vasopressin, milrinone, levosimendan, dobutamine or dopamine was not associated with a difference in mortality between therapy and control group. We found a trend toward better outcome with levosimendan, compared with control (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.47–1.00). In conclusion, we found insufficient evidence that routinely used vasopressors and inotropes are associated with reduced mortality in patients with AMI related CS. Considering the limited evidence, this study emphasizes the need for randomized trials with appropriate endpoints and methodology

IDE ‑OTALEX C: A Primeira Infraestrutura de Dados Espaciais transfronteiriça entre Portugal e Espanha

Em 2007 criou ‑se a primeira Infraestrutura de Dados Espaciais transfronteiriça entre Portugal e Espanha (IDE ‑OTALEX – www.ideotalex.eu), que constituiu o Observatório Territorial e Ambiental Alentejo e Extremadura, ao qual se incorporou, em 2011, a região Centro de Portugal, que no total abrange uma superfície de 92.500 km2. Assim, surgiu o Observatório Territorial Alentejo ‑Extremadura ‑Centro (OTALEX C), possibilitando a integração da informação produzida pelas diversas instituições que desenvolvem as suas competências de planeamento e gestão territorial, nestas três regiões. Tendo como objetivo a monitorização e análise de alterações decorrentes de fenómenos naturais e da atividade humana sobre o território, bem como a disponibilização de dados e indicadores aos agentes que atuam neste território, foi desenvolvido um sistema de indicadores comuns, distribuídos por cinco vetores (territorial, ambiental, social, económico e de sustentabilidade). Os dados sofreram trabalhos de homogeneização e estandardização antes de serem integrados tendo em vista facilitar a visualização de mapas, consulta de topónimos e de catálogo, no âmbito da Diretiva INSPIRE. A IDE ‑OTALEX C é o resultado do esforço, do compromisso e da colaboração entre instituições da fronteira, com implicação aos três níveis administrativos: Nacional, Regional e Local. Concede uma visão sobre a situação real do território, ao mesmo tempo que faculta instrumentos adequados para as políticas de ação, que contribuem para apoiar o planeamento e ordenamento do território, a fim de alcançar um desenvolvimento sustentável.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Oxidized cholesteryl ester induces exocytosis of dysfunctional lysosomes in lipidotic macrophages

Funding Information: This work was financially supported by FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology of the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Higher Education) through national funds and co‐funded by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership (Ref. PTDC/MED‐PAT/29395/2017, 2022.01305.PTDC and 2022.03249.PTDC). The Coimbra Chemistry Center (CQC) is supported by the FCT through Project UID/QUI/00313/2019. MSCA‐RISE: “Genetic and Small Molecule Modifiers of Lysosomal Function” (LysoMod), financed by Horizon 2020. Ref 734825. Twinning on “Excel in Rare Diseases' Research: Focus on LYSOsomal Disorders and CILiopathies”, Ref (H2020‐TWINN‐2017: GA 81108). Neuza Domingues was a holder of PhD fellowship from the FCT (Ref. No: SFRH/BD/51877/2012), attributed by Inter‐University Doctoral Programme in Ageing and Chronic Disease (PhDOC). André R.A. Marques was funded by the FCT Stimulus of Scientific Employment Individual Support Call 2017 (CEECIND/01006/2017). Rosa Puertollano was funded by the NHLBI Division of Intramural Research (ZIA HL006151‐10). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.A key event in atherogenesis is the formation of lipid-loaded macrophages, lipidotic cells, which exhibit irreversible accumulation of undigested modified low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in lysosomes. This event culminates in the loss of cell homeostasis, inflammation, and cell death. Nevertheless, the exact chemical etiology of atherogenesis and the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for the impairment of lysosome function in plaque macrophages are still unknown. Here, we demonstrate that macrophages exposed to cholesteryl hemiazelate (ChA), one of the most prevalent products of LDL-derived cholesteryl ester oxidation, exhibit enlarged peripheral dysfunctional lysosomes full of undigested ChA and neutral lipids. Both lysosome area and accumulation of neutral lipids are partially irreversible. Interestingly, the dysfunctional peripheral lysosomes are more prone to fuse with the plasma membrane, secreting their undigested luminal content into the extracellular milieu with potential consequences for the pathology. We further demonstrate that this phenotype is mechanistically linked to the nuclear translocation of the MiT/TFE family of transcription factors. The induction of lysosome biogenesis by ChA appears to partially protect macrophages from lipid-induced cytotoxicity. In sum, our data show that ChA is involved in the etiology of lysosome dysfunction and promotes the exocytosis of these organelles. This latter event is a new mechanism that may be important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.publishersversionpublishe