Silêncio que se vai cantar o fado...

Tentarei explicar como acontece a estranha consistência de uma música que todos os portugueses reconhecem como sua, que o mundo inteiro reconhece como portuguesa – enquadramento social do fado, suas características mais marcantes, conteúdos cantados, base musical e instrumentos utilizados, fados tradicionais e improvisação. O silêncio também … Nem musicóloga, nem historiadora, sou uma cantadeira que fala do fado como se de um amigo fosse. Este texto serviu de base para uma comunicação apresentada no seminário “Processos composicionais na música brasileira – a musicalidade no lundum e no fado, na chula e no samba” (5ª Mostra de Música Leão do Norte, Sesc Santo Amaro – Recife, outubro de 2014). Darei alguns exemplos cantados (links propostos ao longo do texto). Neles, em modo "ensaio", juntaram-se gentilmente a mim António Queiroz, Nuno Siqueira (guitarra portuguesa) e Rui Silveira (viola), a quem muito agradeço. Agradeço ainda a Rodrigo Lacerda pelo apoio logístico à gravação dos vídeos.In this article I will try to explain how the strange consistency of a genre that all the Portuguese people recognize as theirs, which the whole world recognizes as Portuguese, is shaped – the social framework of fado, its most striking characteristics, lyrics, musical base and instruments used, traditional fado and improvisation. And the silence too… I am not a musicologist or a historian. I am a singer (cantadeira) who talks about fado as if it were a friend. This text was the basis for a presentation at the seminar “Processos composicionais na música brasileira – a musicalidade no lundum e no fado, na chula e no samba” (5ª Mostra de Música Leão do Norte, Sesc Santo Amaro – Recife, October 2014).I will provide some examples of music throughout the text. I am accompanied by António Queiroz, Nuno Siqueira (Portuguese guitar) and Rui Silveira (guitar) in a “rehearsal mode”. I warmly thank both of them. I also thank Rodrigo Lacerda for his support recording the videos

Vadose zone air as a biogenic source of methane in Nerja Cave system (South of Spain)

Subterranean air in karst cavities has often low methane contents in comparison to atmosphere and so karst systems have been considered a sink of atmospheric methane. Methane-oxidizing bacteria have been hypothesized as responsible for CH4 depletion in many caves around the world, although ionization radiation was also proposed as possible mechanism for this process. We measured CO2 and CH4 concentration and their C isotopic composition (d13C-CO2 and d13C-CH4) over 2 years within the Nerja cave system (South Spain) and in 9 boreholes drilled into the vadose zone (Triassic carbonate aquifer) surrounding the cave. According to d13C-CO2 and d13C-CH4 vadose zone of this karst system is a source of biogenic methane, produced both by acetate fermentation and CO2 reduction. Biogenic and atmospheric methane flows (along fractures from the vadose zone, and through ventilation, respectively) into the cave, where it is oxidized by methanotrophic bacteria that we detected on soil samples into the cave.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Measuring attitude towards mathematics using Likert scale surveys: The weighted average

In the research on mathematics education, numerous Likert-type instruments estimating attitudes toward mathematics are sometimes composed of factors with a high correlation, which can make it difficult to assign the statements from the scale to each estimated factor. Further, the measurement of attitudes is usually done by adding the scores but ignoring the existence of possible differences in the importance that each item can have in its factor estimation. A revision of the methodology for the study of attitudes toward mathematics for the correct validation of the instrument is carried out in this research, and an estimation of the factors of attitude is proposed using the calculation of the weighted average of scores based on the importance that each item has in the explanation of its factor, which is given by a structural equation model. This methodology has been applied to Auzmendi’s scale of attitudes toward mathematics measurement in a sample of 1293 university students. The factors were estimated using simple and weighted averages; significant differences have been obtained in the measurements, as well on those shown with the organization proposed by Auzmendi

Coronavirus pandemic: an opportunity to study the anthropogenic impact on micro-climate conditions and CaCO3 crystal morphology in the Nerja Cave (SE Spain)

Following the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spanish Government restricted non-essential movements of all citizens and closed all public spaces, such as the Nerja Cave, until May 31, 2020. This particular condition of the closure of the cave provided a unique opportunity to study the micro-climate conditions and carbonate precipitation in this tourist cave without the presence of visitors. Our results show the significant effect of visitors on the air isotopic signature of the cave and on the genesis of the extensive dissolution features affecting the carbonate crystals formed in the tourist sector of the cave, alerting us to the possible corrosion of the speleothems located there. The movement of visitors within the cave also favours the mobilisation of aerial fungi and bacterial spores and their subsequent sedimentation simultaneously with the abiotic precipitation of carbonates from the drip water. The traces of these biotic elements could be the origin of the micro-perforations previously described in the carbonate crystals formed in the tourist galleries of the cave, but they are subsequently enlarged due to abiotic dissolution of the carbonates through these weaker zones.It is financed by the Nerja Cave Foundation, co-ordinated by its Research Institute and authorized by the Consejería de Cultura (Junta de Andalucía). This study is also a contribution to the Research Groups RNM-308 and RNM-126 of the Junta de Andalucía and to the Projects PID2021-125619OB-C21, PID2021-125619OB-C22, TED2021-130549B-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/ 501100011033. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA

Condensation water in heritage touristic caves: Isotopic and hydrochemical data and a new approach for its quantification through image analysis

Condensation water is a major factor in the conservation of heritage caves. It can cause dissolution of the rock substrate (and the pigments of rock art drawn on it) or covering thereof with mineral components, depending on the chemical saturation degree of the condensation water. In show caves, visitors act as a source of CO2 and thus modify the microclimate, favouring negative processes that affect the conservation of the caves. In spite of their interest, studies of the chemical composition of this type of water are scarce and not very detailed. In this work we present research on the condensation water in the Nerja Cave, one of the main heritage and tourist caves in Europe. The joint analysis of isotopic, hydrochemical, mineralogical and microbiological data and the use of image analysis have allowed us to advance in the knowledge of this risk factor for the conservation of heritage caves, and to demonstrate the usefulness of image analysis to quantify the scope of the possible corrosion condensation process that the condensation water could be producing on the bedrock, speleothem and rock art. To our knowledge, this application of image analysis (relative to the condensation water in caves) is the first one of this type that has been documentedNerja Cave Foundation Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBU

Expanding the possibilities of electrografting modification of voltammetric sensors through two complementary strategies

Two different modification strategies by means of aryl diazonium salt electrografting were compared for the development of voltammetric sensors. In this sense, l-cysteine was immobilized onto a screen-printed carbon-based electrode surface through either its -NH2 or its -COOH group and the performance of the resulting modified sensors was tested for the simultaneous determination of Pb(II) and Cd(II) by anodic stripping voltammetry. The results obtained indicate that attachment through the -COOH group of cysteine, despite being a much less frequent electrografting strategy, improves the analytical performance of the resulting sensor achieving lower LODs, at low μg L−1 levels, for Cd(II) and Pb(II). Furthermore, this strategy allows the quantification of both metal ions below the legal limits established by the European Water Framework Directive, which represents a great improvement with respect to similar sensors reported in the literatur

Dimethylglyoxime modified screen-printed electrodes for nickel determination

This work reports the development of a dimethylglyoxime (DMG) modified sensor in which the complexing agent was successfully immobilized by drop-casting onto a screen-printed carbon electrode support (SPCE). The experimental conditions for the preparation of the DMG-SPCE sensor were optimized by means of a D-optimal design, and the built sensors were analytically evaluated for the determination of Ni(II) by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV). Its analytical performance suggests its suitability for the determination of Ni(II)-ions by AdSV at concentration levels of μg L-1 (LOD of 2.3 μg L-1, linear range from 7.6 to 200 μg L-1). Finally, the applicability of the developed sensor was assessed by the determination of trace levels of Ni(II) by AdSV in a wastewater reference material with a very high reproducibility (0.005 %) and good trueness (0.1 %)

The Role of Respiratory Viruses in Children with Ataxia-Telangiectasia

Background: The impact of respiratory virus infection in patients diagnosed with ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) has not been well studied. Methods: A prospective case control study was performed at a National Reference Unit for Primary Immunodeficiency in Spain (from November 2018 to July 2019), including patients younger than 20 years. Symptom questionnaires and nasopharyngeal swabs from multiple respiratory viruses' polymerase chain reaction were collected monthly, and between visits in case of symptoms. Results: Twenty-two individuals were included (11 patients; 11 controls); 164 samples were obtained (81 patients; 84 controls). Patients presented respiratory symptoms more frequently compared with controls (26.5% vs. 3.5%; p < 0.01). Viral detection was observed in 23 (27.3%) episodes in patients and in 15 (17.8%) episodes in controls (p = 0.1). Rhinovirus was the most frequent virus in patients and controls (60% and 53.3%, respectively). Episodes with positive viral detection had associated symptoms in 54% of patients and 18% of controls (p = 0.07). However, patients with A-T presented a similar rate of symptoms during episodes with positive and negative viral detection (26% vs. 27%). The median points given for each questionnaire during symptomatic episodes with negative viral detection were 13/23 points, and during symptomatic positive detection, 7.5/23 points (p = 0.1). In the control group, all but two were asymptomatic during positive viral episodes (score: 2/23 and 3/23 points). Symptomatic episodes, with either positive or negative viral detection, were associated with lower IgA and higher IgM titers and higher CD8+ counts (p < 0.05), particularly when these episodes were moderate/severe. Conclusions: Patients with A-T more frequently present symptomatic viral infections than controls, especially those with lower IgA and higher IgM titers and higher CD8+ counts.This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation—Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and Fondos FEDER of the EU, Grant No. PI18CIII/00372 (Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias—Spanish Health Research Fund (ISCIII)).S

Possible role of highly activated mucosal NK cells against viral respiratory infections in children undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Infection is the leading cause of non-relapse-related mortality after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Altered functions of immune cells in nasal secretions may influence post HSCT susceptibility to viral respiratory infections. In this prospective study, we determined T and NK cell numbers together with NK activation status in nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) in HSCT recipients and healthy controls using multiparametric flow cytometry. We also determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the presence of 16 respiratory viruses. Samples were collected pre-HSCT, at day 0, +10, +20 and +30 after HSCT. Peripheral blood (PB) was also analyzed to determine T and NK cell numbers. A total of 27 pediatric HSCT recipients were enrolled and 16 of them had at least one viral detection (60%). Rhinovirus was the most frequent pathogen (84% of positive NPAs). NPAs of patients contained fewer T and NK cells compared to healthy controls (p = 0.0132 and p = 0.120, respectively). Viral PCR + patients showed higher NK cell number in their NPAs. The activating receptors repertoire expressed by NK cells was also higher in NPA samples, especially NKp44 and NKp46. Our study supports NK cells relevance for the immune defense against respiratory viruses in HSCT recipients.This work was supported in part by the National Health Service of Spain, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), FONDOS FEDER grant (FIS) PI18/01301, CRIS Foundation to Beat Cancer, Patients’ Support Associations Fundación Mari Paz Jiménez Casado and La Sonrisa de Álex and a Small Grant Award from the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases.S

Torque Teno Virus in Nasopharyngeal Aspirate of Children With Viral Respiratory Infections

Background: Torque teno virus (TTV) is a ubiquitous anellovirus responsible for persistent infections and is considered a marker of immune function. The role of TTV as a facilitator of respiratory infections (RIs) is unknown. Objectives: Our aim was to estimate, in a prospective study, the prevalence of TTV in the nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) of hospitalized children <5 years old, with RIs and correlate them with outcomes and immune response. Patients and methods: NPA was taken for testing of 16 respiratory viruses by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), TTV PCR, and immunologic study. Results: Sixty hospitalized children with an RI were included. A total of 51/60 patients had positive common respiratory viral (CRV) identification. A total of 23/60 (38.3%) children were TTV+ in NPA. TTV+ patients had other CRVs in 100% of cases versus 78.3% in TTV- ( P = 0.029). The TTV+ patients tended to be older, have fever, and to need pediatric intensive care unit admission more often than TTV- patients. Abnormal chest radiograph was more frequent in the TTV+ patients, odds ratios 2.6 (95% CI: 1.3-5.2). The genetic expression of filaggrin (involved in epithelial barrier integrity) was lower in TTV+ patients; however, the levels of filaggrin in the NPA were increased. Conclusions: TTV infection is common in children with RI and could be associated with abnormal imaging in radiograph, greater severity and an alteration in filaggrin gene expression and protein release.Funded by projects PI18CIII/0009, PI18/00177, and PI21/00377, funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and co-funded by the European Union. There are no conflicts of interest.S