Sr and Nd isotope composition of the Alcáçovas calc-alkaline rocks (Ossa-Morena Zone, Portugal)

The Alcáçovas area is located in the SW sector of the Ossa-Morena Zone (OMZ), close to a major fault that separates this geotectonic unit from the South Portuguese Zone (SPZ). Along this boundary, in the OMZ, testimonies of low-K tholeiitic and calc-alkaline magmatism are common and have been interpreted as being related to the operation of a subduction zone between OMZ and SPZ during the Variscan cycle [1]. Two main igneous lithologies, both displaying calc-alkaline compositions, can be found in the studied area: gabbro-diorites and dacitic-rhyolitic porphyries [2,3]. Outcrop conditions have not yet allowed to establish unequivocally the sequence of magma emplacement. In previous geochronological studies on the porphyries, whole-rock Rb-Sr dates and K-Ar ages cluster around 320 Ma [4,5,6]. According to field observations, sometimes felsic dykes cut mafic rocks, but there are also gradual transitions from gabbroic to tonalitic compositions, within bodies mapped as gabbro-diorite, revealing that different melts coexisted. In this study, rock samples of both gabbro-dioritic bodies and porphyries were analysed for Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopes. Considering the whole set of samples, no isochron was obtained, showing that they can not be simply related by crystal fractionation processes. Rb-Sr data of porphyries from a single quarry (at Lameira, 7 km to the SW of Alcáçovas) give 323±16 Ma (MSWD=1.9; initial 87Sr/86Sr=0.7097±0.0018). Taking into account that the rocks of the Lameira outcrop show strong hydrothermal alteration, this date must be viewed as a consequence of a very efficient redistribution of mobile elements during aqueous fluid circulation and, as such, it places a minimum limit to the actual magmatic age. The plot of compositions of the gabbro-dioritic bodies, including their transitions to tonalites and the associated felsic dykes, in the εNd-87Sr/86Sr diagram, define an almost perfect hyperbole (from εNd323 = +3.9 and 87Sr/86Sr323 = 0.7058 to εNd323 = -3.8 and 87Sr/86Sr323 = 0.7085), as expected in a mixture between mantle-derived melts and crustal materials. In the same diagram, samples from the Lameira quarry show an almost constant εNd323, between -2.4 and -2.9, and 87Sr/86Sr323 varying from 0.7092 to 0.7106. Therefore, the Lameira porphyries could represent a member of the same mixture, with the Sr signature modified by hydrothermal fluids with a stronger crustal component

Protocol-based verification of message-passing parallel programs

© 2015 ACM.We present ParTypes, a type-based methodology for the verification of Message Passing Interface (MPI) programs written in the C programming language. The aim is to statically verify programs against protocol specifications, enforcing properties such as fidelity and absence of deadlocks. We develop a protocol language based on a dependent type system for message-passing parallel programs, which includes various communication operators, such as point-to-point messages, broadcast, reduce, array scatter and gather. For the verification of a program against a given protocol, the protocol is first translated into a representation read by VCC, a software verifier for C. We successfully verified several MPI programs in a running time that is independent of the number of processes or other input parameters. This contrasts with alternative techniques, notably model checking and runtime verification, that suffer from the state-explosion problem or that otherwise depend on parameters to the program itself. We experimentally evaluated our approach against state-of-the-art tools for MPI to conclude that our approach offers a scalable solution

Relativistic correlation correction to the binding energies of the ground configuration of Beryllium-like, Neon-like, Magnesium-like and Argon-like ions

Total electronic correlation correction to the binding energies of the isoelectronic series of Beryllium, Neon, Magnesium and Argon, are calculated in the framework of relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock method. Convergence of the correlation energies is studied as the active set of orbitals is increased. The Breit interaction is treated fully self-consistently. The final results can be used in the accurately determination of atomic masses from highly charged ions data obtained in Penning-trap experiments.Comment: version soumise 3/08/200

Childhood obesity, thyroid function, and insulin resistance – is there a link? A longitudinal study

Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are frequently elevated in obese children and are most likely to be associated with insulin resistance. However, clinical relevance of this association remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of hyperthyrotropinemia; to analyze the relationship between TSH and homeostasis model assessment - insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); and to verify whether TSH levels and HOMA-IR vary with weight loss in obese children. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Retrospective longitudinal study with data from baseline and 1 year after lifestyle intervention in a pediatric obese group (344 children were recruited and 100 among them completed follow-up). For postintervention analysis, three groups were considered according to body mass index-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) variations: ≤-0.5 (significant weight loss); 0.5-0 (weight loss); and >0 (weight gain). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 19.0®. RESULTS: The prevalence of increased TSH levels was 9.3%. At baseline TSH (p=0.007), fT4 (p=0.006), and HOMA-IR (p<0.001) were positively correlated to BMI-SDS (n=344). Weight reduction was verified in 67 out of 100 cases but significant loss was present in only 21 cases. Decreases in both TSH and BMI-SDS were independently associated with decreases in HOMA-IR (p=0.005 and p=0.016, respectively). There was no correlation between TSH and BMI-SDS variation. Significant decreases in the HOMA-IR (p=0.006) were only achieved in the significant weight loss group. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hyperthyrotropinemia was lower than previously reported. However, cutoff values were adjusted to pubertal stage, suggesting an over report in other studies. Insulin resistance and TSH were positively correlated, independent of body status. Although weight loss was not associated with TSH variation, a decrease in TSH levels was independently associated with decreases in HOMA-IR.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Colorectal Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection in a Western Center: Analysis of Outcomes and Safety Profile

Introduction: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a well-established endoscopic technique for the treatment of gastrointestinal lesions. Colorectal ESD outcomes are less reported in the Western literature, and Portuguese data are still very scarce. Our aim was to describe our experience on colorectal ESD regarding its outcomes and safety profile. Methods: We conducted a retrospective evaluation of recorded data on ESDs performed between 2015 and 2020. Only ESDs performed on epithelial neoplastic lesions were selected for further analysis. Results: Of a total of 167 colorectal ESDs, 153 were included. Technical success was achieved in 147 procedures (96%). The lesions were located in the colon (n = 24) and rectum (n = 123). The en bloc resection rate was 92% and 97%, the R0 resection rate was 83% and 82%, and the curative resection rate was 79% and 78% for the colon and the rectum, respectively. The need for a hybrid technique was the only risk factor for piecemeal or R1 resection. We report a perforation rate of 3.4% and a 4.1% rate of delayed bleeding; all the adverse events were manageable endoscopically, without the need of blood transfusions or surgery. Most of the lesions were laterally spreading tumours of the granular mixed type (70%), and 20% of the lesions were malignant (12% submucosal and 8% intramucosal cancer). Conclusion: Our series on colorectal ESD reports a very good efficacy and safety profile. This technique can be applied by endoscopists experienced in ESD

Description of the complete larval development of Lysmata amboinensis (De Man) (Decapoda: Lysmatidae) reared under laboratory conditions

This work was done under the framework of the project PLANTROF (MAR-01.04.02-FEAMP-0001) co-financed by MAR2020, Portugal2020 and European Union. MARE-Polytechnic of Leiria was supported by the Integrated Programme of SR&TD “Smart Valorization of Endogenous Marine Biological Resources Under a Changing Climate”, Portugal (Centro-01-0145-FEDER-000018), co-funded by Centro 2020 programme, Portugal 2020, Portugal, European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. The authors wish to express their sincere thanks to Ricardo Calado for his corrections and suggestions that clearly improve the manuscript.Complete larval morphological descriptions are currently only known for three of the 48 species of genus Lysmata. The present study describes and illustrates the larval development of Lysmata amboinensis (De Man) reared under laboratory conditions. Lysmata amboinensis larval development is composed by a total of ten zoea and a decapodite stage. The first zoeal stage larvae presents sessile eyes, a carapace with a pterigostomial spine and anterio-ventral marginal denticles, a long, slender, and pointed rostrum, an antennal exopod terminally segmented, a pleon with five somites, the fifth one bearing a pair of dorso-lateral spines on the posterior margin, and a triangular shaped telson with 7+7 posterior processes. The decapodite resembles a smaller adult and has extremely long antennas (more than twice the total length of the decapodite), the first two pair of pereiopods with chela, first four pairs of pereiopods with reduced and unsegmented exopods, and fully developed pleopods. The morphological features of L. amboinensis are compared with those currently available for the larval stage of the genus Lysmata.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Methods to assess free-living physical activities intensity in COPD: a systematic review

Measuring physical activities-related intensity is fundamental to provide adequate recommendations for physical activity (PA) in people with COPD. This systematic review aimed to study which outcomes, outcome measures and instruments have been used to assess free-living PAs intensity in COPD. A systematic search was conducted in May 2020 on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and EBSCO and updated until January 2021. Original studies on stable COPD, assessing free-living PAs intensity (single types of leisure, occupation, home, or transport PAs performed at participants’ own pace) were included. Abstracts, case studies and studies on the intensity of pulmonary rehabilitation or breathing interventions were excluded. Thirty-nine studies, enrolling 1196 people with COPD (66 years, 64% men, 49%FEV1pp) were included. The most assessed free-living PA was activities of daily living. Twelve outcomes, forty-four outcome measures and twenty instruments were identified. Dyspnoea with the Borg scale 0-10; cardiac output, via heart rate (HR), measured with HR monitors; and pulmonary gas exchange, especially oxygen consumption, measured with portable gas analysers were the most frequently used methods. Several outcomes, outcome measures and instruments have been used to assess free-living PAs intensity. Future studies exploring the advantages/disadvantages of the different methods are warranted to provide worldwide recommendations on how to assess free-living PAs related intensity in COPD.publishe

Doddering but dear … even in the eyes of young children? Age stereotyping and prejudice in childhood and adolescence

This study aims to explore age prejudice, and to examine age stereotyping in children and adolescents by adopting the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) as a theoretical framework. It was hypothesised that children are socialised into adopting an ambivalent representation of old age (socialisation hypothesis) and that this cognitive bias becomes weaker in adolescence due to greater cognitive maturity (developmental hypothesis). By analysing representative data from Portugal (European Social Survey; N?=?2367), it was ascertained that the ambivalent age stereotype (higher evaluations of warmth than competence for older people) is indeed a shared social representation of older people in Portuguese society. A total of 103 Portuguese children (6–10 year olds) and adolescents (11–15 year olds) were then sampled from a local school and responded to age-appropriate measures assessing age prejudice as well as age stereotypes. Contrary to previous studies, the findings do not provide evidence for the existence of age prejudice because both children and adolescents reported positive feelings towards older people. However, the socialisation hypothesis was corroborated by showing that the ambivalent old age stereotype was already present in childhood. Contrary to the stipulated developmental hypothesis, the magnitude of this cognitive bias was very similar in adolescence.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio