NEW SEISMIC SOURCE ZONE MODEL FOR PORTUGAL AND AZORES

The development of seismogenic source models is one of the first steps in seismic hazard assessment. In seismic hazard terminology, seismic source zones (SSZ) are polygons (or volumes) that delineate areas with homogeneous characteristics of seismicity. The importance of using knowledge on geology, seismicity and tectonics in the definition of source zones has been recognized for a long time [1]. However, the definition of SSZ tends to be subjective and controversial. Using SSZ based on broad geology, by spreading the seismicity clusters throughout the areal extent of a zone, provides a way to account for possible long-term non-stationary seismicity behavior [2,3]. This approach effectively increases seismicity rates in regions with no significant historical or instrumental seismicity, while decreasing seismicity rates in regions that display higher rates of seismicity. In contrast, the use of SSZ based on concentrations of seismicity or spatial smoothing results in stationary behavior [4]. In the FP7 Project SHARE (Seismic Hazard Harmonization in Europe), seismic hazard will be assessed with a logic tree approach that allows for three types of branches for seismicity models: a) smoothed seismicity, b) SSZ, c) SSZ and faults. In this context, a large-scale zonation model for use in the smoothed seismicity branch, and a new consensus SSZ model for Portugal and Azores have been developed. The new models were achieved with the participation of regional experts by combining and adapting existing models and incorporating new regional knowledge of the earthquake potential. The main criteria used for delineating the SSZ include distribution of seismicity, broad geological architecture, crustal characteristics (oceanic versus continental, tectonically active versus stable, etc.), historical catalogue completeness, and the characteristics of active or potentially-active faults. This model will be integrated into an Iberian model of SSZ to be used in the Project SHARE seismic hazard assessment

COMPILATION OF ACTIVE FAULT DATA IN PORTUGAL FOR USE IN SEISMIC HAZARD ANALYSIS

To estimate where future earthquakes are likely to occur, it is essential to combine information about past earthquakes with knowledge about the location and seismogenic properties of active faults. For this reason, robust probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) integrates seismicity and active fault data. Existing seismic hazard assessments for Portugal rely exclusively on seismicity data and do not incorporate data on active faults. Project SHARE (Seismic Hazard Harmonization in Europe) is an EC-funded initiative (FP7) that aims to evaluate European seismic hazards using an integrated, standardized approach. In the context of SHARE, we are developing a fully-parameterized active fault database for Portugal that incorporates existing compilations, updated according to the most recent publications. The seismogenic source model derived for SHARE will be the first model for Portugal to include fault data and follow an internationally standardized approach. This model can be used to improve both seismic hazard and risk analyses and will be combined with the Spanish database for use in Iberian- and European-scale assessments

Bone Flap Management In Neurosurgery

Bone flap removal procedure is growing in frequency in neurosurgical practice. Decompressive craniotomy has gained more scientifical evidences of its therapeutical value in post-traumatic brain swelling, in cerebrovascular diseases and in brain edema non - responding to clinical treatment after elective surgeries. Bone flap destination after craniotomy has many possible fates. We present a literature review of bone flap management in neurosurgical practice: technical preservation of bone flaps (under the scalp, in the abdominal wall, frozen), when to remove the bone flap and what to do when it is dropped during the craniotomy or is infected.172133137Movassaghi, K., Ver Halen, J., Ganchi, P., Amin-Hanjani, S., Mesa, J., Yaremchuk, M.J., Cranioplasty with subcutaneously preserved autologous bone grafts (2006) Plast Reconstr Surg, 117 (1), pp. 202-206Hauptli, J., Segantini, P., New tissue preservation method for bone flaps following decompressive craniotomy (1980) Helv Chir Acta, 47 (1-2), pp. 121-124Tybor, K., Fortuniak, J., Komunski, P., Papiez, T., Andrzejak, S., Jaskólski, D., Supplementation of cranial defects by an autologous bone flap stored in the abdominal wall (2005) Neurol Neurochir Pol, 39 (3), pp. 220-224Josan, V.A., Sgouros, S., Walsh, A.R., Dover, M.S., Nishikawa, H., Hockley, A.D., Cranioplasty in children (2005) Childs Nerv Syst, 21 (3), pp. 200-204Flannery, T., McConnell, R.S., Cranioplasty: Why throw the bone flap out? (2001) Br J Neurosurg, 15 (6), pp. 518-520Krishnan, P., Bhattacharyya, A.K., Sil, K., De, R., Bone flap preservation after decompressive craniectomy - experience with 55 cases (2006) Neurol India, 54 (3), pp. 291-292Korfali, E., Aksoy, K., Preservation of craniotomy bone flaps under the scalp (1988) Surg Neurol, 30 (4), pp. 269-272Goel, A., Deogaonkar, M., Subgaleal preservation of calvarial flaps (1995) Surg Neurol, 44 (2), pp. 181-182. , Aug;, discussion 182-3Pasaoglu, A., Kurtsoy, A., Koc, R.K., Kontas, O., Akdemir, H., Öktem, I.S., Cranioplasty with bone flaps preserved under the scalp (1996) Neurosurg Rev, 19 (3), pp. 153-156Iwama, T., Yamada, J., Imai, S., Shinoda, J., Funakoshi, T., Sakai, N., The use of frozen autogenous bone flaps in delayed cranioplasty revisited (2003) Neurosurgery, 52 (3), pp. 591-596Winkler, P.A., Stummer, W., Linke, R., Krishnan, K.G., Tatsch, K., The influence of cranioplasty on postural blood flow regulation, cerebrovascular reserve capacity, and cerebral glucose metabolism (2000) Neurosurg Focus, 8 (1), pp. e9Matsuno, A., Tanaka, H., Iwamuro, H., Takanashi, S., Miyawaki, S., Nakashima, M., Analyses of the factors influencing bone graft infection after delayed cranioplasty (2006) Acta Neurochir (Wien), 148 (5), pp. 535-540Yacubian-Fernandes, A., Laronga, P.R., Coelho, R.A., Ducati, L.G., Silva, M.V., Prototyping as an alternative to cranioplasty using methylmethacrylate: Technical, 62 (3 B), pp. 865-868. , note. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2004;Chiarini, L., Figurelli, S., Pollastri, G., Torcia, E., Ferrari, F., Albanese, M., Cranioplasty using acrylic material: A new technical procedure (2004) J Craniomaxillofac Surg, 32 (1), pp. 5-9Korinek, A.M., Risk factors for neurosurgical site infections after craniotomy: A prospective multicenter study of 2944 patients. The French Study Group of Neurosurgical Infections, the SEHP, and the C-CLIN Paris-Nord. Service Epidemiologie Hygiene et Prevention (1997) Neurosurgery, 41 (5), pp. 1073-1079Bruce, J.N., Bruce, S.S., Preservation of bone flaps in patients with postcraniotomy infections (2003) J Neurosurg, 98 (6), pp. 1203-1207Auguste, K.I., McDermott, M.W., Salvage of infected craniotomy bone flaps with the wash-in, wash-out indwelling antibiotic irrigation system. Technical note and case series of 12 patients (2006) J Neurosurg, 105 (4), pp. 640-644Jankowitz, B.T., Kondziolka, D.S., When the bone flap hits the floor (2006) Neurosurgery, 59 (3), pp. 585-59

Four new coordination polymers involving transition metals with 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylate and pyridyl-donor ligand di(4-pyridyl) sulfide

AbstractFour new coordination polymers namely {[Mn2(BT)(DPS)2(H2O)6]·10H2O}n (MnBTDPS), {[Co2(BT)(DPS)2(H2O)6]·10H2O}n (CoBTDPS), {[Cu2(BT)(DPS)(H2O)4]·5H2O}n (CuBTDPS) and {[Zn2(BT)(DPS)2]·6H2O}n (ZnBTDPS), where BT=1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylate and DPS=di(4-pyridyl) sulfide, were synthesized and characterized by thermal analysis, vibrational spectroscopy (Raman and infrared) and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In all compounds, the DPS ligands are coordinated to metal sites in a bridging mode and the carboxylate moiety of BT ligands adopts a monodentate coordination mode, as indicated by the Raman spectra data through the Δν (νasym(COO)−ν sym(COO)) value. According to X-ray diffraction analysis, MnBTDPS and CoBTDPS are isostructural and in these cases, the metal centers exhibit a distorted octahedral geometry. In CuBTBPP, the Cu2+ centers geometries are best described as square-pyramids, according to the trigonality index τ=0.14 for Cu1 and τ=0.10 for Cu2. On the other hand, in ZnBTDPS, the Zn2+ sites adopt a tetrahedral geometry. Finally, the four compounds formed two-dimensional sheets that are connected to each other through hydrogen bonding giving rise to three-dimensional supramolecular arrays

Key endothelial cell angiogenic mechanisms are stimulated by the circulating milieu in sickle cell disease and attenuated by hydroxyurea

As hypoxia-induced inflammatory angiogenesis may contribute to sickle cell disease manifestations, we compared the angiogenic molecular profiles of plasma from sickle cell disease individuals and correlated these with in vitro endothelial cell-mediated angiogenesis-stimulating activity and in vivo neovascularization. Bioplex demonstrated that plasma from steady-state sickle cell anemia patients presented elevated concentrations of pro-angiogenic factors (Angiopoietin-1, basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor-D and placental growth factor) and displayed potent pro-angiogenic activity, significantly augmenting endothelial cell proliferation, migration and capillary-like structure formation. In vivo neovascularization of Matrigel plugs was significantly greater in sickle cell disease mice, compared with non-sickle cell disease mice, consistent with an upregulation of angiogenesis in the disease. In plasma from patients with hemoglobin SC disease without proliferative retinopathy, anti-angiogenic endostatin and thrombospondin-2 were significantly elevated. In contrast, plasma from hemoglobin SC individuals with proliferative retinopathy displayed a pro-angiogenic profile and had more significant effects on endothelial cell proliferation and capillary formation than plasma of patients without retinopathy. Hydroxyurea therapy was associated with significant reductions in plasma angiogenic factor profile, in association with an inhibition of endothelial cell-mediated angiogenic mechanisms and neovascularization. Thus, sickle cell anemia and retinopathic hemoglobin SC individuals present a highly angiogenic circulating milieu, capable of stimulating key endothelial cell-mediated angiogenic mechanisms. Combination anti-angiogenic therapy for preventing progression of unregulated neovascularization and associated manifestations in sickle cell disease, such as pulmonary hypertension, may be indicated; furthermore, the benefits and drawbacks of the potent anti-angiogenic effects of hydroxyurea should be clarified.As hypoxia-induced inflammatory angiogenesis may contribute to sickle cell disease manifestations, we compared the angiogenic molecular profiles of plasma from sickle cell disease individuals and correlated these with in vitro endothelial cell-mediated an1006730739FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO2008/57441-0; 2009/16334-0565036/201

Soyuretox, an intrinsically disordered polypeptide derived from soybean (Glycine max) ubiquitous urease with potential use as a biopesticide

Ureases from different biological sources display non-ureolytic properties that contribute to plant defense, in addition to their classical enzymatic urea hydrolysis. Antifungal and entomotoxic effects were demonstrated for Jaburetox, an intrinsically disordered polypeptide derived from jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) urease. Here we describe the properties of Soyuretox, a polypeptide derived from soybean (Glycine max) ubiquitous urease. Soyuretox was fungitoxic to Candida albicans, leading to the production of reactive oxygen species. Soyuretox further induced aggregation of Rhodnius prolixus hemocytes, indicating an interference on the insect immune response. No relevant toxicity of Soyuretox to zebrafish larvae was observed. These data suggest the presence of antifungal and entomotoxic portions of the amino acid sequences encompassing both Soyuretox and Jaburetox, despite their small sequence identity. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic data revealed that Soyuretox, in analogy with Jaburetox, possesses an intrinsic and largely disordered nature. Some folding is observed upon interaction of Soyuretox with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles, taken here as models for membranes. This observation suggests the possibility for this protein to modify its secondary structure upon interaction with the cells of the affected organisms, leading to alterations of membrane integrity. Altogether, Soyuretox can be considered a promising biopesticide for use in plant protection

The electron-furfural scattering dynamics for 63 energetically open electronic states

14 págs.; 15 figs.We report on integral-, momentum transfer- and differential cross sections for elastic and electronically inelastic electron collisions with furfural (CHO). The calculations were performed with two different theoretical methodologies, the Schwinger multichannel method with pseudopotentials (SMCPP) and the independent atom method with screening corrected additivity rule (IAM-SCAR) that now incorporates a further interference (I) term. The SMCPP with N energetically open electronic states (N) at either the static-exchange (N ch-SE) or the static-exchange-plus-polarisation (N ch-SEP) approximation was employed to calculate the scattering amplitudes at impact energies lying between 5 eV and 50 eV, using a channel coupling scheme that ranges from the 1ch-SEP up to the 63ch-SE level of approximation depending on the energy considered. For elastic scattering, we found very good overall agreement at higher energies among our SMCPP cross sections, our IAM-SCAR+I cross sections and the experimental data for furan (a molecule that differs from furfural only by the substitution of a hydrogen atom in furan with an aldehyde functional group). This is a good indication that our elastic cross sections are converged with respect to the multichannel coupling effect for most of the investigated intermediate energies. However, although the present application represents the most sophisticated calculation performed with the SMCPP method thus far, the inelastic cross sections, even for the low lying energy states, are still not completely converged for intermediate and higher energies. We discuss possible reasons leading to this discrepancy and point out what further steps need to be undertaken in order to improve the agreement between the calculated and measured cross sections. ©2016 AIP Publishing LLCR.F.d.C., M.C.A.L., M.H.F.B., M.T.d.N.V., and M.A.P.L. acknowledge support from the Brazilian agency Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). M.T.d.N.V. acknowledges support from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP). D.B.J. thanks the Australian Research Council (ARC) for financial support provided through a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. M.J.B. thanks the ARC for some financial support and also thanks CNPq for his “Special Visiting Professor” award at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora. G.G. thanks the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad under Project No. FIS2012- 31230 and the European Union COST Action No. CM1301 for funding.Peer Reviewe

Ensaios de adubação com nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio na cultura do milho em Minas Gerais. II. Avaliação da Nutrição do milho pela análise foliar

An NFK experiment was installed for three consecutive years in Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brasil, at four different sites, all on a eutrophic “Latossolo roxo”. The experimental design was a 33 factorial, totally confounded as to NPK interactions, group W, and arranged in blocks of nine treatments each. The test crop was corn (Zea mays L.) hybrid Hmd 6999B. Ear leaves were sampled at 50% silk and analyzed for total N, P and K content. Interrelationships between these analysis, and relationships between ear leaf nutrient content, N application, and year were found by multiple regression analysis. Foliar N content and grain production increased linearly throughout the range of N application (0 to 120 kg/ha), eliminating the possibility of establishing a critical N level. Phosphorus content of the ear leaf was strongly influenced by application of N and annual variations in foliar N and P were substantial. Foliar K levels showed little response to applications of N, P, or K.Foi realizado em Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, em Latossolo Roxo Eutrófico, um experimento NPK em quatro locais, durante três anos, usando o fatorial 33 com confundimento total da interação NPK em blocos de nove tratamentos, usando o milho (Zea mays L.), híbrido Hmd 6999B. Os dados de análise foliar foram usados para cálculo da equação de regressão com os níveis de N e P na folha com o N aplicado ao solo. Determinaram-se também as equações de regressão entre os níveis de N e P na folha com a adubação nitrogenada e ano. Devido às respostas lineares obtidas com a aplicação da adubação nitrogenada expressa no teor de N na folha e na produção de grãos se pôde determinar o nível crítico de N na folha. Observou-se a necessidade de outros estudos, com níveis mais elevados de N. Observou-se ainda que a absorção de P foi grandemente afetada somente pela aplicação de N, entretanto as variações anuais influenciaram muito a absorção de N e P. Foi constatado também que a adubação nitrogenada, fosfatada e especialmente a potássica não afetaram o nível de potássio na folha

Incorporating Descriptive Metadata into Seismic Source Zone Models for Seismic Hazard Assessment: A case study of the Azores-West Iberian region

In probabilistic seismic-hazard analysis (PSHA), seismic source zone (SSZ) models are widely used to account for the contribution to the hazard from earth- quakes not directly correlated with geological structures. Notwithstanding the impact of SSZ models in PSHA, the theoretical framework underlying SSZ models and the criteria used to delineate the SSZs are seldom explicitly stated and suitably docu- mented. In this paper, we propose a methodological framework to develop and docu- ment SSZ models, which includes (1) an assessment of the appropriate scale and degree of stationarity, (2) an assessment of seismicity catalog completeness-related issues, and (3) an evaluation and credibility ranking of physical criteria used to delin- eate the boundaries of the SSZs. We also emphasize the need for SSZ models to be supported by a comprehensive set of metadata documenting both the unique character- istics of each SSZ and the criteria used to delineate its boundaries. This procedure ensures that the uncertainties in the model can be properly addressed in the PSHA and that the model can be easily updated whenever new data are available. The pro- posed methodology is illustrated using the SSZ model developed for the Azores–West Iberian region in the context of the Seismic Hazard Harmonization in Europe project (project SHARE) and some of the most relevant SSZs are discussed in detail

Quality control in blood irradiation

Irradiation is a technique used in hemotherapy to functionally inactivateviable lymphocytes, in cellular blood components, to reduce the risk of Transfusion-associated Graft-versus-Host Disease (AT-GVHD), is rare but letal. One way to avoid it is to irradiate blood componentes in situations such as: intrauterine transfusion, newborns, patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy in bone marrow transplantation. Thus, it is extremely important that blood component is irradiated and, above all, ensure that the minimum dose is 25 Gy.The blood policy in Brazil is implemented through laws and normative decrees, giving rise to a legal system that underpins the actions of hemotherapy services. In order to correct verify absorbed doses and the quality assurance process as well as the safety for the irradiator operators we describe in this paper a several of physical measurements that is mandatory to support a physicist to evaluate the quality assurance during and after the irradiation process. The results obtained from this physical measurements  provided a guarantee of proper radiation dose used in hemotherapy as well as methods and procedures applied to protect the patient, employees and general public due to procedure of blood irradiation accordling the Technical Regulation of Hemotherapy Procedures of the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) and safety regulations by National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN)