Marine 5-thiohistidines as protective molecules from skin damage

Introduction Marine environment is a great source of bioactive molecules, whose biological properties and applications are often used especially to prevent skin diseases and aging caused by UVA­exposure. Ovothiols are methyl­5­thiohistidines from marine invertebrates, bacteria, and microalgae, which protect cells from environmental stressors. Recently, we have shown that, ovothiol, isolated from sea urchin eggs, exerts anti­inflammatory and antioxidant activities on human endothelial cells, and exhibits antifibrotic effect in an in vivo model of liver fibrosis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Clinical Dilemma in the Treatment of a Patient with Microangiopathic Haemolytic Anaemia, Thrombocytopaenia and Severe Hypertension

While haemolytic uraemic syndrome in children is predominantly associated with Shiga toxin -producing Escherichia coli (typically 0157:H7), some cases occur without associated diarrhoea, or as the manifestation of an underlying disorder other than infection. Haemolytic uraemic syndrome is characterised by microangiopathic anaemia, thrombocytopaenia and renal failure, on occasion accompanied by severe hypertension. Malignant hypertension is a syndrome that sometimes exhibits the same laboratory abnormalities as haemolytic uraemic syndrome as it may share the same pathological findings: thrombotic microangiopathy. As clinical features of both entities overlap, the distinction between them can be very difficult. However, differentiation is essential for the treatment decision, since early plasma exchange dramatically reduces mortality in haemolytic uraemic syndrome not associated with diarrhoea. An increasing number of genetic causes of this pathology have been described and may be very useful in differentiating it from thrombotic microangiopathy due to other aetiologies. Despite advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of haemolytic uraemic syndrome not associated with diarrhoea, the management often remains empirical. We describe a patient with simultaneous microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopaenia and severe hypertension managed in the acute period of illness with plasma exchange

The optical-ultraviolet continuum of Seyfert 2 galaxies

This paper aims to understand the continuum of Seyfert 2 galaxies. By fitting the single galaxies in the sample of Heckman et al. (1995) with composite models (shock+ photoionization from the active center), we show that five main components characterize the SED of the continuum. Shocks play an important role since they produce a high temperature zone where soft X-rays are emitted. We show that in the optical-UV range, the slope of the NLR emission reproduces the observed values, and may be the main component of the featureless continuum. The presence of star forming regions cannot be excluded in the circumnuclear region of various Seyfert galaxies. An attempt is made to find their fingerprints in the observed AGN spectra. Finally, it is demonstrated that multi-cloud models are necessary to interpret the spectra of single objects, even in the global investigation of a sample of galaxies.Comment: 26 pages, LaTeX (including 5 Tables) + 17 PostScript figures. To appear in "The Astrophysical Journal

Calagem e parcelamento da adubação fosfatada em porta-enxertos de seringueira.

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Efeito da adubação mineral na produção de matéria seca de pimenta longa (Piper hispidinervium).

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Dental pathology of the wild Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus): The study of a 20th century Portuguese museum collection

For some wild canids, such as the Iberian wolf, there is a lack of in-depth knowledge about dental pathology. We aimed to evaluate it, in a standardized manner, in specimens from a Portuguese museum collection. Sixty-five deceased specimens of wild Iberian wolves, 61 complete skulls and 4 mandibles, collected in Portugal between 1977 and 1995, were analyzed. Sample comprised 18 females, 24 males and 23 individuals of undetermined sex. Teeth were evaluated by visual observation and dental radiography for tooth wear, periodontitis, fractures and other dental lesions. We have found several causes for teeth absence: artefactual, secondary to periodontitis and agenesia. About 30% of the teeth showed signs of wear. Only a small (<13%) fraction of maxillary and mandibular teeth did not show periodontitis. The tooth 308 showed periodontitis in all males (p = 0.017) and the tooth 104 was significantly affected by this condition in females (p = 0.020). A significant relationship was found between females and tooth wear in three teeth. Periodontitis showed a significant association with tooth wear (p < 0.001) and fractures (p = 0.027). Tooth fractures were more frequent in the maxilla than in the mandible. Seven periapical lesions, seven root fusions and three specimens with malocclusion were identified in the collection. Results are discussed integrating information from diet, habitat, genetic and spatial behavior. Dental radiography is here proposed as an approach for the age estimation in archaeological canids. This research contributes to the knowledge of the dental disease in the largest wolf population in Western Europe, a target subspecies of multiple conservation measures.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Modelling the long term effect of changes in fire frequency on the total area burnt

Wildfires are one of the major problems in Mediterranean countries, and much effort is done by the governments to dissuade people from starting fires. Public campaigns often promote the idea that the more ignitions the larger the surface burnt will be. This reasoning is, however, not so straightforward. This paper addresses the question of how fire frequency relates to the total area burnt by using a model of fire regime that includes variables such as the number of ignitions, fire fighting capacity, fuel accumulation rates, existence of prescribed burning and meteorological variability. This question was addressed by performing three experimental simulations: effect of the number of potential ignitions, the combined effect of the number of ignitions and extinction capacity, and the non random spatial pattern of fire ignitions. Results showed that a larger number ignitions did not have a great effect on the total area burnt but had an effect in the occurrence of large fires, independently of the extinction capacity and of the spatial distribution of ignitions. An explanation for these findings is provided and management implications of these results are briefly discussed