Strain partitioning in transpressive shears zones in the southern branch of the Variscan Ibero-Armorican arc

The Torre de Moncorvo region (NE Portugal) is a key-sector of the Autochthon Domain of the Iberian Terrane. The region experienced Variscan deformation in the southern branch of the Ibero-Armorican Arc wherein the early structures (of Upper Devonian age—D1) denotes the establishment of a heterogeneous sinistral transpressive regime. This regime was also responsible for the development of large-scale left-lateral shear zones whose direction is subparallel to major folds. Finite strains analyses were carried out in the Torre de Moncorvo region using the normalised Fry method on different strain markers: (1) distribution of detrital quartz grains in quartzite rocks of Arenigian–Lanvirnian age; (2) arrangement of oolites in discontinuous Ordovician–Silurian ironstone horizons; (3) the rotation experienced by Skolithos preserved in Lower Ordovician metasedimentary clastic rocks. The results obtained indicate the predominance of slightly prolate strain ellipsoids. Nevertheless, the variation of their orientation around mesoscopic folds emphasises the role of strain partitioning in a transpressive regime, suggesting that different folding mechanisms were active in the course of the same deformation phase. For the studied cases, tangential longitudinal strain and flexural shear combined with regional sinistral shear seem to be the most common mechanisms of folding. Some of these three-dimensional theoretical models for strain patterns in folds could be used in other regions, where a transpressive regime is inferred.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Interplate versus intraplate strike-slip deformed belts: examples from SW Iberia

A complete transition in tectonic style between pure thrust belts and pure strike-slip beltscan be envisaged, both in interplate and intraplate settings, by a combination of thrust and strike-slipcomponents of displacement. The accommodation of shortening components in strike-slip deforma-tion belts has been discussed recently on the basis of two alternative perspectives: (1) the “sub-horizon-tal attachment model”, where discrete strike-slip faulting of rigid blocks in the schiszosphere evolves tocontinuous movement in plastosphere through a bottom-up driving mechanism controlled by verticalcoupling across the lithosphere, and (2) the “accommodation model” that considers decoupling with-in a heterogeneous and anisotropic plastosphere. Two examples of variable shortening componentaccommodation in strike-slip deformation belts of the SW Iberia Variscides are reported and discussed.In the Tomar-Badajoz-Córdoba shear zone, an important shortening component is accommodated inflat-lying bends around the horizontal axis within a WNW-ESE flower-structure with sinistral strike-slip component; the geodynamic evolution points to an intraplate setting for this structure. In the N-S, Porto-Tomar-Ferreira do Alentejo, dextral shear zone, the shortening component is restricted torestraining bends around the vertical axis; the geodynamic evolution allows inferring a transformnature for this structure, thus indicating an interplate setting. For these examples, the “accommodationmodel” is preferred to the “sub-horizontal attachment model”info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Transthyretin Amyloidosis: Chaperone Concentration Changes and Increased Proteolysis in the Pathway to Disease

Transthyretin amyloidosis is a conformational pathology characterized by the extracellular formation of amyloid deposits and the progressive impairment of the peripheral nervous system. Point mutations in this tetrameric plasma protein decrease its stability and are linked to disease onset and progression. Since non-mutated transthyretin also forms amyloid in systemic senile amyloidosis and some mutation bearers are asymptomatic throughout their lives, non-genetic factors must also be involved in transthyretin amyloidosis. We discovered, using a differential proteomics approach, that extracellular chaperones such as fibrinogen, clusterin, haptoglobin, alpha-1-anti-trypsin and 2-macroglobulin are overrepresented in transthyretin amyloidosis. Our data shows that a complex network of extracellular chaperones are over represented in human plasma and we speculate that they act synergistically to cope with amyloid prone proteins. Proteostasis may thus be as important as point mutations in transthyretin amyloidosis

A Preliminary Investigation of Salmonella Populations in Indigenous Portuguese Layer Hen Breeds

The sustainability of agroecological systems, biodiversity protection, animal welfare, and consumer demand for higher quality products from alternative and extensive farming methods have reinforced interest in local breeds that are well adapted to low-input environments. However, food safety needs to be safeguarded to reinforce consumer confidence. The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation on the occurrence of Salmonella spp. in eggshells, hen’s cloaca, and litter materials from autochthonous Portuguese laying hens raised in a semi-extensive system for small-scale production. A total of 279 samples from 31 flocks belonging to 12 farms were obtained, with 63 samples from the “Preta Lusitânica” breed, and 72 samples each from the remaining autochthonous breeds, namely, “Branca”, “Amarela”, and “Pedrês Portuguesa”. None (0%) of the samples analyzed were positive for Salmonella spp. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first results of Salmonella evaluation from hen’s cloaca, eggshells, and litter materials in autochthonous Portuguese chickens, suggesting that a semi-extensive production system can contribute to better food security and a lower risk to public health and the environment. © 2023 by the authors.This research was funded by CESPU-Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário, under the SALMYTH_GI2-CESPU_2022 project, entitled “Small scale autochthonous chicken productions-the salmonella myth”. This work was financed by National Funds through FCT/MCTES–Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of the projects UIDB/50006/2020, UIDP/50006/2020, UIDB/05937/2020 and UIDP/05937/2020. The participation of M.V.P. was supported by the projects UIDB/CVT/00772/2020 and LA/P/0059/2020 funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). The participation of S.B. was supported by the project NORTE-06-3559-FSE-000204 (NUTRIR) funded by the NORTE 2020-FSE

Potencialidades hídricas superficiais de Fernando de Noronha, PE, e alternativas para incremento da oferta.

A disponibilidade de recursos hídricos para usos múltiplos, com ênfase no abastecimento público, é questão da mais alta relevância e depende de aspectos edáficos, hidrológicos, ambientais e de gestão. Avaliou-se o potencial hídrico de bacias hidrográficas da Ilha de Fernando de Noronha, com vistas a dar suporte à gestão da água no arquipélago; para isto se delimitaram e caracterizaram cinco bacias representativas e se estimou a precipitação efetiva através do método da Curva Número. Adicionalmente, foram investigadas as características de infiltração dos principais solos do arquipélago. Verifica-se que, em geral, as bacias hidrográficas têm limitada infiltrabilidade e elevado potencial de escoamento, constatando-se o potencial de incremento de oferta de água superficial superior a 90%, desde que se contemple a utilização racional das principais bacias existentes. Dentre os solos analisados, os Cambissolos Háplicos Vertissólicos e os Vertissolos são os solos de menor infiltrabilidade e, portanto, de maior contribuição à macrodrenagem do arquipélago. Sugere-se a utilização das bacias estudadas no abastecimento doméstico da Ilha, de modo a incrementar a disponibilidade de água no local

Doença Hepática Crónica Agudizada: Revisão da Experiência de um Centro Português de Referenciação

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome characterized by an acute deterioration of a patient with cirrhosis, frequently associated with multi-organ failure and a high short-term mortality rate. We present a retrospective study that aims to characterize the presentation, evolution, and outcome of patients diagnosed with ACLF at our center over the last 3 years, with a comparative analysis between the group of patients that had ACLF precipitated by infectious insults of bacterial origin and the group of those with ACLF triggered by a nonbacterial infectious insult; the incidence of acute kidney injury and its impact on the prognosis of ACLF was also analyzed. Twenty-nine patients were enrolled, the majority of them being male (89.6%), and the mean age was 53 years. Fourteen patients (48.3%) developed ACLF due to a bacterial infectious event, and 9 of them died (64.2%, overall mortality rate 31%); however, no statistical significance was found (p < 0.7). Of the remaining 15 patients (51.7%) with noninfectious triggers, 11 died (73.3%, overall mortality rate 37.9%); again there was no statistical significance (p < 0.7). Twenty-four patients (83%) developed acute kidney injury (overall mortality rate 65.5%; p < 0.022) at the 28-day and 90-day follow-up. Twelve patients had acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy (41.37%; overall mortality rate 37.9%; p < 0.043). Hepatic transplant was performed in 3 patients, with a 100% survival at the 28-day and 90-day follow-up (p < 0.023). Higher grades of ACLF were associated with increased mortality (p < 0.02; overall mortality 69%). CONCLUSIONS: ACLF is a heterogeneous syndrome with a variety of precipitant factors and different grades of extrahepatic involvement. Most cases will have some degree of renal dysfunction, with an increased risk of mortality. Hepatic transplant is an efficient form of therapy for this syndrome.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fish larval performance fed with copepods (Acartia grani) and the dinoflagellate (Oxyrrhis marina) as supplement: the case of dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus)

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Impact of Donor Risk Index, Recipients’ and Operative Characteristics on Post Liver Transplant One-Year Graft Failure: A Cohort Analysis

Background and Aims: The donor risk index (DRI) quantifies donor-related characteristics potentially associated with increased risk of early graft failure. We aimed to assess the impact of the DRI, recipient and perioperative factors on post liver transplant (LT) outcomes. Methods: This was a singlecenter retrospective cohort study including all adult (≥18 years) patients who underwent LT from 01/2019 to 12/2019 at Curry Cabral Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal. Primary endpoint was 1-year graft failure post LT. Associations were studied with logistic regression. Results: A total of 131 cadaveric donor LT procedures were performed in 116 recipients. Recipients’ median (IQR) age was 57 (47–64) years and 101/131 (77.1%) were males. Cirrhosis was the underlying etiology in 95/131 (81.2%) transplants. Based on 8 predefined donors’ characteristics, median (IQR) DRI was 1.96 (1.67–2.16). Following adjustment for MELDNa score pre LT and SOFA score (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.91 [0.56–1.47]) or lactate (aOR [95% CI] = 2.76 [0.71–10.7]) upon intensive care unit (ICU) admission post LT, DRI was not associated with 1-year graft failure. However, higher SOFA score (aOR [95% CI] = 1.20 [1.05–1.37]) or lactate (aOR [95% CI] = 1.27 [1.10–1.46]) upon ICU admission post LT were independently associated with higher odds of 1-year graft failure. Conclusions: In a recent cohort of patients who underwent LT, DRI, despite being high, was not associated with 1-year graft failure, but SOFA score or lactate upon ICU admission post LT were.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

O cultivo do arroz e a resposta do agrossistema às alterações ambientais de temperatura e dióxido de carbono

A cultivar de arroz Ariete apresentou uma eficiência máxima de uso do N de 64% e uma produção de 8,5 t ha-1, após aplicação de 120 kg N ha-1, metade em fundo e metade ao afilhamento. Os fatores de emissão de GEEs medidos no campo foram de 136 kg CH4 ha-1 e 1,5% para o N2O. As emissões de COVs (especialmente na forma de terpenos) e NH3 foram reduzidas, mas atingiram 8 kg N-NH3 ha-1 dia-1 após a adubação de cobertura.FCT - projeto PTDC/AGR-AAM/102529/2008