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Wood quality results from the interaction between the genotype of trees and the silvicultural conditions to which they were subjected. Based on this interaction, research on the factors that add value to the woody raw material has an impact on the production of various forest products. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different planting spacings (3×1, 3×2, 3×3 and 3×4 m) on the wood properties of three 4-year-old Eucalyptus clones. The wood of each clone was evaluated based on basic density, dry mass, anatomy, structural chemical composition, ash content and higher heating value. For at least one of the three clones studied, the planting spacing explained the variations in the basic density, dry mass, diameter and frequency of vessels and wall thickness of the wood fibers. Regardless of the eucalyptus clone, the area of vessels, the length and fraction of the fiber wall, as well as the contents of extractives, lignin, ash and the higher heating value of the wood were not influenced by the planting spacing. In summary, the change in the useful area alters the properties of wood in eucalyptus genetic materials in different ways and intensities at 4 years old.

Purpose The distance between an implantable collamer lens (ICL) and the crystalline lens, namely vault, is a space regulated by the interaction of the ICL and the anatomical structures of the eye. This study analysed the differences in vault size between fellow eyes with similar anterior segment biometry. Patients and methods A retrospective case series analysed 109 cases of patients bilaterally implanted with EVO-V4c. Patients were analysed pre- and postoperatively using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. The range of vault inter-eye differences was defined as the 95% confidence interval of the differences. Bivariate correlation was applied to seek for associations between vault inter-eye differences with biometric and lens parameters (angle-to-angle, anterior chamber depth, crystalline lens rise, central corneal thickness, central keratometry, ICL spherical equivalent, horizontal compression, postoperative pupil diameter and vault). Results Mean vault inter-eye differences were similar between fellow eyes (26.0 ± 122.5 µm). The 95% confidence interval range of the differences was ±240.1 µm, nearly 50% of the cases presented vault inter-eye differences higher than 100 µm. The vault of the first operated eye explained 81% of the variance in the second eye vault. Vault inter-eye differences were positively correlated with the level of horizontal compression and with vault magnitude. Conclusion Vaults measured in fellow eyes may present considerable differences, which can reach 25% of the common vault range. This reflects some degree of baseline variability in the vault. Clinically, these differences assume special relevance in cases where low or high vaults are expected.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Inflammation and oxidative stress are involved in the mortality of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on peritoneal dialysis (PD). In this context, propolis may mitigate inflammation, reducing mRNA expression of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) and levels of inflammatory markers as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Several studies have been performed in vitro and in animals showing that propolis (a resin made by bees) has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Only one study evaluated the effects of propolis in patients with CKD (stages 3 and 4) and showed a reduction in proteinuria and urinary MCP-1, but there is no study in patients with CKD on peritoneal dialysis (PD). The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of propolis supplementation on inflammatory markers in patients with CKD on PD. METHODS This is a longitudinal, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 19 patients randomized into two groups: propolis (4 capsules of 500 mg/day containing concentrated and standardized dry EPP-AF® green propolis extract) or placebo (4 capsules of 500 mg/day of magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide and microcrystalline cellulose as placebo) for 2 months. The inflammatory cytokines plasma levels such as TNF-α and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were evaluated by ELISA, and quantitative real-time PCR analyses were performed to evaluate the mRNA expression of NF-kB in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, a peroxidation lipid marker, was measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Routine parameters, including C-reactive protein (CRP), were analyzed using commercial kits. RESULTS All patients concluded the study: 10 patients in the propolis group [57.2 ± 13.7 years, five men, 6 (6–36) months on DP] and 9 in the placebo group [56.6 ± 14.7 years, two men, 6 (6–57) months on DP]. The obtained data revealed that the intervention did not affect the mRNA expression of NF-κB. However, the plasma levels of TNF-α reduced significantly after propolis supplementation (Table 1 and Fig. 1). There were no significant differences in the placebo group. CONCLUSION Short-term EPP-AF® propolis dry extract supplementation seems to mitigate inflammation, reducing the plasma levels of TNF-α in patients with CKD on PD.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially on hemodialysis (HD), have a high prevalence of cardiovascular mortality, with oxidative stress (OE) and inflammation as the main contributors. Persistent inflammation from the early stages of CKD is caused by several factors, including increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to OE, which in turn induces inflammation by activating the nuclear factor-kB pathway, causing the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukins (IL). Dark chocolate is rich in polyphenols, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties, and it could be an alternative nonpharmacological to mitigate inflammation and complications of CKD. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of dark chocolate on oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with CKD on HD. METHODS This is a longitudinal clinical trial performed with 46 patients with CKD on a regular dialysis program (3 dialysis sessions per week). A group received 40 g of dark chocolate during HD sessions, totaling 120 g per week, for 2 months, and a group did not receive any intervention. Plasma levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were evaluated using the ELISA method. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were performed to evaluate lipid peroxidation as malondialdehyde (MDA). Routine parameters were also analyzed using commercial kits. Changes in parameters were evaluated between the pre- and post-treatment. RESULTS Thirty-five patients performed the chocolate group (18 men, 53.4 ± 12.9 years old and 43.2 ± 30 months on HD) and 11 patients (7 men, 46.7 ± 10.9 years old and 55.2 ± 18.7 months on HD) the control group. Although TNF-α plasma levels did not reduce significantly after chocolate, the levels were increased in the control group (Table 1 and Fig. 1). The potassium plasma levels were reduced (from 5.9 ± 0.8 to 5.5 ± 0.8 mg/dL, P CONCLUSION Two months of dark chocolate intervention seem to modulate the TNF-α plasma levels (inflammation marker) in patients with CKD on hemodialysis. It is important to emphasize that dark intervention in this study did not increase the phosphorus plasma levels in patients with CKD on HD.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS BTB and CNC homology 1 (Bach1) is a protein into the cells that antagonizes the actions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2), a master regulator of cytoprotective responses. Bach1 binds to genomic DNA and can inhibit the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes, increasing inflammation. Bach1 may be a therapeutic target to mitigate inflammation in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, no clinical study has been reported on Bach1 in patients with CKD. This study aimed to evaluate Bach1 mRNA expression in different treatments of CKD, including patients on conservative treatment (non-dialysis), hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). METHODS Twenty patients on HD (54.3 ± 13.7 years old, nine men), fifteen on PD (51.4 ± 14.9 years old, eight men) and thirteen non-dialysis patients (61.0 ± 6.9 years old, seven men, estimated glomerular filtration rate of 39.2 ± 9.6 mL/min/1.73 m2) were enrolled in the study. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and processed to evaluate the expression of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), Nrf2 and Bach1 by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation marker, and C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels were also measured. RESULTS Bach1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in patients on hemodialysis (P CONCLUSION Patients with CKD on HD patients seem to have upregulation of Bach1 mRNA expression compared to patients on conservative and DP treatment. The associations among Nrf2 and Bach1 expressions in these patients deserve further investigation.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a famous dietary spice rich in bioactive components like gingerols, and it has been used for a long time as food and medicine. Indeed, clinical studies have confirmed the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of ginger. Thus, ginger seems to be an excellent complementary nutritional strategy for non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. This narrative review aims to discuss the possible effects of ginger on the mitigation of common complications such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut dysbiosis in NCD.

Liver transplantation is hampered by a severe shortage of donor organs. Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) of donor livers allows dynamic preservation in addition to viability assessment before transplantation. Little is known about the injury and repair mechanisms induced during NMP. To investigate these mechanisms, we examined gene and protein expression changes in a cohort of discarded human livers, stratified by hepatocellular function, during NMP. Six human livers acquired through donation after circulatory death (DCD) underwent 12 h of NMP. Of the six livers, three met predefined criteria for adequate hepatocellular function. We applied transcriptomic profiling and protein analysis to evaluate temporal changes in gene expression during NMP between functional and nonfunctional livers. Principal component analysis segregated the two groups and distinguished the various perfusion time points. Transcriptomic analysis of biopsies from functional livers indicated robust activation of innate immunity after 3 h of NMP followed by enrichment of prorepair and prosurvival mechanisms. Nonfunctional livers demonstrated delayed and persistent enrichment of markers of innate immunity. Functional livers demonstrated effective induction of autophagy, a cellular repair and homeostasis pathway, in contrast to nonfunctional livers. In conclusion, NMP of discarded DCD human livers results in innate immune-mediated injury, while also activating autophagy, a presumed mechanism for support of cellular repair. More pronounced activation of autophagy was seen in livers that demonstrated adequate hepatocellular function. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We demonstrate that ischemia-reperfusion injury occurs in all livers during NMP, though there are notable differences in gene expression between functional and nonfunctional livers. We further demonstrate that activation of the liver’s repair and homeostasis mechanisms through autophagy plays a vital role in the graft’s response to injury and may impact liver function. These findings indicate that liver autophagy might be a key therapeutic target for rehabilitating the function of severely injured or untransplantable livers.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we look at healthcare management and had a great impact in the social dynamics related to disease awareness and search for acute care. During the initial lockdown, we implemented a pilot project in the emergency department (ER) that consisted on a telephonic line named Linha de Urgencia Pediatrica de Apoio (LUPA), run by interns, to who parents could call when their kids had acute disease.The goal of this study is to identify the contribution of this project to avoid unnecessary admissions in the ER during this pandemic period and to assess the effectively needed admissions.We overviewed, restrospectively, the records of all phone calls received between March and October 2020 and ran a frequency analysis of the results.During the defined time period, we received 288 phone calls, equally distributed between Monday to Sunday and 9am to 9pm. Mothers accounted for 90% of the callers.From the total amount of patients, 54% were females with a median age of 20 months and a median time of illness of 2 days. The most frequent reasons for calling LUPA were fever (35%), cutaneous alterations (18%) and cough (8%). Fever was predominantly associated with diarrhea (18%) but in 29% of cases was the only reported symptom. Active surveillance of warning signs at home was the most chosen conduct, in 71% of cases. Admission to the ER was advised in 26% of cases.LUPA was a usefull resource during the COVID 19 pandemic and helped managing benign and self-limited conditions, which are frequent in pediatric acute care.

SIGNIFICANCE The decisions taken by soccer officials are critically important to game management. Understanding the underlying processes that mediate expert performance in soccer refereeing may lead to a better standard of officiating. Vision is the dominant source of incoming information upon which officials rely to make their on-field decisions. PURPOSE We tested the hypothesis that performance on generic tests of vision and visual perception predicts domain-specific performance in elite-level soccer referees (R) and assistant referees (AR). METHODS We assessed the vision of R and AR who officiate at the highest level in Portugal. To be eligible for inclusion, R and AR had to have officiated for at least two consecutive seasons across the 2014/2015, 2015/2016, and 2016/2017 seasons. A single, rank-order list of the performance of eligible officials was created based on the rank-order list for each season that was made by the Portuguese Soccer Federation. Clinical vision measures included visual acuity and stereoacuity, and visual perception measures were gathered using the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills, Third Edition. RESULTS A total of 59 officials participated (21 R, 38 AR), 17 of whom officiated at the international level. The R and AR groups did not differ in vision or visual perception measures. We found that better stereoacuity (P < .001) and visual memory (P = .001) are associated with a higher rank order of on-field performance after adjusting for the age, experience, the national/international status, and the regional affiliation of the officials. Together, these two measures explain 22% of the variance in rank-order performance. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to show a link between the vision of officials and their on-field performance. The origin and significance of these findings remain to be established, and further work is required to establish whether they are component skills in the domain of soccer refereeing., Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (UID/FIS/04650/2013; to AMGB)

The data used in this study can be requested by contacting the corresponding author., Background: To identify biometric and implantable collamer lens (ICL)-related risk factors associated with sub-optimal postoperative vault in eyes implanted with phakic ICL. Methods: This study reports a retrospective case series of the first operated eye in 360 patients implanted with myopic spherical or toric ICL. Preoperatively, white-to-white (WTW), central keratometry (Kc) and central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured using the Pentacam. Anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT, Visante) was applied preoperatively for measuring the horizontal anterior-chamber angle-to-angle distance (ATA), internal anterior chamber depth (ACD), crystalline lens rise (CLR), anterior-chamber angle (ACA) and postoperatively the vault. Eyes were divided into three vault groups: low (LVG: ≤ 250 μm), optimal (OVG: > 250 and < 1000 μm) and high (HVG: ≥ 1000 μm). Multinomial logistic regression (MLR) was used to find the sub-optimal vault predictors. Results: MLR showed that CLR, ICL size minus the ATA (ICL size-ATA), age, ICL spherical equivalent (ICLSE) and ICL size as contributing factors for sub-optimal vaults (pseudo-R2 = 0.40). Increased CLR (OR: 1.01, CI: 1.00–1.01) and less myopic ICLSE (OR: 1.22, CI: 1.07–1.40) were risk factors for low vaults. Larger ICL size-ATA (OR: 41.29, CI: 10.57–161.22) and the 13.7 mm ICL (OR: 7.08, CI: 3.16–15.89) were risk factors for high vaults, whereas less myopic ICLSE (OR: 0.85, CI: 0.76–0.95) and older age (OR: 0.92, CI: 0.88–0.98) were protective factors. Conclusion: High CLR and low ICLSE were the major risk factors in eyes presenting low vaults. In the opposite direction, ICL size-ATA was the major contributor for high vaults. This relationship was more critical in higher myopic ICLSE, younger eyes and when 13.7 mm ICL were used. The findings show that factors influencing the vault have differentiated weight of influence depending on the type of vault (low, optimal or high).

Objective: The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is approved for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) following Phase 3 randomized trials. The EXPosurE Registry RiociguaT in patients with pulmonary hypertension (EXPERT) study was designed to monitor the long-term safety of riociguat in clinical practice. Methods: EXPERT was an international, multicenter, prospective, uncontrolled, non-interventional cohort study of patients treated with riociguat. Patients were followed for at least 1 year and up to 4 years from enrollment or until 30 days after stopping riociguat treatment. Primary safety outcomes were adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs) coded using Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities preferred terms and System Organ Classes version 21.0, collected during routine clinic visits and collated via case report forms. Results: In total, 956 patients with CTEPH were included in the analysis. The most common AEs in these patients were peripheral edema/edema (11.7%), dizziness (7.5%), right ventricular (RV)/cardiac failure (7.7%), and pneumonia (5.0%). The most common SAEs were RV/cardiac failure (7.4%), pneumonia (4.1%), dyspnea (3.6%), and syncope (2.5%). Exposure-adjusted rates of hemoptysis/pulmonary hemorrhage and hypotension were low and comparable to those in the long-term extension study of riociguat (Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Soluble Guanylate Cyclase–Stimulator Trial [CHEST-2]). Conclusion: Data from EXPERT show that in patients with CTEPH, the safety of riociguat in routine practice was consistent with the known safety profile of the drug, and no new safety concerns were identified. © 2020 The Authors

To determine patient preoperative anatomical features and the parameters of implantable collamer lenses (ICLs) relevant in explaining vault variability., Manuscript Draft

Background: Neurosensory deprivation associated with vision is a well-known fact in people with intellectual disability (ID). This work aims to report the visual status of a population with ID in Portugal. Methods: A vision screening protocol was conducted during two Special Olympics events. The vision protocol included personal medical history, ocular health evaluation, and clinical measures, such as visual acuity (VA), binocular vision, colour vision, refractive error, and intraocular pressure. This protocol was administered to 134 subjects. Results: Half of the subjects reported that they had never attended or they did not remember having attended a previous eye exam. Additionally, 10% of them had not attended an eye exam in the immediate past three years. Half the subjects failed the VA test and 13% presented moderate Visual Impairment (VI) (VA worse than 0.5 logMAR in the best eye). Manifest ocular deviation was found in 25% of the subjects and the most common ocular health dysfunction conditions were conjunctiva hyperaemia, meibomian gland dysfunction, and lens anomalies. Refractive error correction allowed a reduction in the level of moderate VI to 3.7%. Conclusions: The population analysed showed a poor eye care attendance rate and vision-related conditions are in agreement with previous reports. The development of national strategies to promote the awareness for routine eye care in people with ID and improving accessibility to eye care services may mitigate many of the most prevalent conditions encountered., ISA -Instituto Superior de Agronomia(undefined)

Direct polycondensation of L-lactic acid with a comonomer allows tailoring the properties of the product from the very first step. The viscous L-lactic acid co-oligomers with star-shaped architectures obtained were modified with three different acrylate monomers. Regardless the functionalization agent, UV curing was fast and all materials were cell compatible and promoted cell adhesion. The physical properties of the three star-shaped films exhibited a consistent trend as swelling capacity, hydrolytic instability, and gel content decreased simultaneously. A higher network density increased crosslinking degree and gel content among the films with an isocyanate group. The methacrylic end group functionalized material, lowest molecular weight, consistently exhibited the higher hydrolytic instability. Comparison of physical properties of these films with the corresponding linear materials reported previously confirmed the influence of precursor molecular architecture on the final material. The methodology developed herein is prone to scale-up and lead to the industrial production of new bioadhesives.

t. Binocular and accommodative dysfunctions affect the efficiency and coordination of the eyes, and this may impair reading performance. Reading can be evaluated using accuracy and speed measures. In this study, we searched for evidence that dysfunctions of accommodation (i.e. accommodation insufficiency, IA) and binocular vision (i.e. convergence insufficiency, CI) and also hyperopia have impact on reading ability. A sample of 292 children read a text following vision screening. The sample was composed of control children and children with the conditions: AI; CI and hyperopia. Multilinear regression analysis was used to evaluate the influence of variables sex, age and visual condition (control, AI, CI and hyperopia) on reading accuracy and speed. The results showed that ~7% of the variation in reading accuracy was explained by a model where age (p=0.001), and presence of AI (p, This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding UID/FIS/04650/2013.

In pseudophakia, the eye is unable accommodate so proximal objects can be properly focused. Achieving functional vision levels relies on individual anatomical features, notably, the pupil size. This study measured the range of pupil sizes found in a population of pseudophakes, for an object placed at different distances, and modeled the optical quality associated to pupil variation. The pupil size of 58 pseudophakic eyes (age mean ± standard deviation: 70.5 ± 11.3 years) was measured using a binocular eye-tracker. The participants observed on a monitor a circular white patch subtending 5° with a cross on its center. The object was placed at 3.0, 1.0, 0.66, 0.5, 0.4, 0.33 m. The pupil size variation as a function of object distance was modelled using a linear mixed effects model. The mean and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for a far object and the slope of the function, indicative of the proximal myosis. The effect of object distance on the image quality was modeled using a pseudophakic model eye for the pupil size data. The mean distance pupil sizes were 4.45 (95%CI: 2.74, 6.17) mm and the mean proximal myosis was -0.23 (95%CI: -0.53, -0.08) mm/D. The VA estimation for a distance object ranged from -0.1 logMAR for the smallest pupil to 0.08 logMAR and the near VA when mean myosis was considered ranged from 0.28 logMAR to 0.65 logMAR. These results support the importance of distance pupil size measurement for the prediction of visual performance in pseudophakia, while suggesting that myosis has a negligible impact in VA variability.

Se relata un caso de tinea nigra diagnosticado en Sao Paulo (Brasil) en una paciente española de 4 años de edad. Por sus características morfológicas el agente fue clasificado como Exophiala werneckii. De acuerdo con la revisión de la literatura europea, probablemente sea este el primer caso de tinea nigra de España comprobado micológicamente.

A transfusao de hemocomponente na medicina veterinaria vem aumentando nos ultimos anos, com isso aumenta-se tambem o potencial de reacoes transfusionais, que eventualmente podem ser fatais. Neste estudo, um cao de 3 meses de idade, femea, Sem Raca Definida com diagnostico de hemoparasitose, realizado a partir de hemograma (anemia regenerativa com visualizacao de morula de Ehrlichia canis em leucocitos e trombocitopenia de 80 mil plaquetas/dL) e ultrassonografia (hepatoesplenomegalia), foi encaminhado ao banco de sangue para ser submetido a transfusao de concentrado de plaquetas (CP), visto que apresentava petequias, sufusoes abdominais e havia sofrido alguns episodios de epistaxe. Apos exame fisico da paciente que se apresentava com parâmetros normais para a especie, iniciou-se a transfusao do CP pela veia cefalica. Aos 30 minutos do inicio do procedimento documentou-se sialorreia intensa e eritema cutânea. A transfusao foi interrompida. Aplicou-se 0,5 mg/Kg de dexametasona por via intravenosa, 0,044 mg/Kg de atropina e 0,2 mg/Kg de prometazina ambos por via subcutânea, e em 40 minutos ocorreu normalizacao dos parâmetros clinicos. A transfusao de concentrado de plaquetas e um procedimento terapeutico e profilatico importante no tratamento e prevencao de hemorragias, quando por deficiencia numerica ou qualitativa das plaquetas. No entanto, riscos inerentes ao processo devem ser considerados, e expostos ao tutor. Contudo, descrevemos neste relato reacao adversa em cao jovem (hipersensibilidade tipo 1) revertida com o uso imediato de corticosteroide associado a um antagonista colinergico e anti-histaminico.

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An alternative use for the Kraft Black liquor, the main byproduct of the pulping process, is presented in this work. It is a promising route for new biorenewable materials production, reducing dependence on petrochemicals. The synthesis of the novel biobased composites from a blend of tannin and Kraft black liquor involved a polycondensation reaction followed by a crosslinking process. This paper is the first one emphasizing the synthesis of a novel biobased composite from a blend of Kraft black liquor and tannin by performing the conventional and hydrothermal crosslinking. The hydrothermal conditions proved to be an effective strategy to obtain an oxygen-rich functional material. Besides being environmental-friendly, the hydrothermal process successfully replaced conventional curing, providing a higher yield and better chemical, functional, and structural properties. The role of two different processes, hydrothermal and pyrolysis, on the properties and adsorption performance of the final composites, was also assessed. RFA was obtained by hydrothermal conversion, processed at relatively mild conditions when compared to the pyrolysis performed to produce its carbon counterpart, RFC. Pyrolysis promoted a mesoporous structure on the RFC and the textural properties were improved. On the other hand, the severe thermal treatment degraded the RFC functional groups, increasing its basicity and decreasing the number of polar groups on the surface. RFA exhibited a smaller surface area than RFC, but it retained volatile organic matter and functional oxygen groups. These surface characteristics are known to be relevant in adsorption processes since the adsorbate-adsorbent chemical linkages and electrostatic interactions are favored. Paracetamol and aspirin adsorption onto RFA achieved the equilibrium at 480 and 720 min. On the other hand, the equilibrium for the adsorption onto RFC was achieved at 720 and 240 min. The maximum aspirin adsorption capacities onto RFA and RFC were 50.17 mg g−1 and 91.66 mg g−1, respectively. On the other hand, for paracetamol, the maximum adsorption capacities were 49.95 mg g−1 onto RFA and 73.58 mg g−1 onto RFC. The kinetic study suggested fast adsorption through a chemisorption process and the equilibrium implies the multilayer adsorption. Additionally, the major advantages of using the raw Kraft black liquor blended with tannin to synthesize the novel composites are their great availability and low cost, enabling the material large-scale production. Therefore, the results confirm the great potential of these new biomaterials as alternative adsorbents for wastewater treatment.

The formation of nitrophenols by-products is still of major concern for the economics and environmental impact of the industrial process of benzene (Bz) nitration to mononitrobenzene (MNB) with mixed acid (sulphuric and nitric acids). The knowledge of nitrophenol (NP) distribution ratios in the liquid-liquid mixture ( D j , j = { NP } ) is desirable for process optimization and for understanding the reaction mechanisms behind nitrophenols formation. In this study, a data-driven approach was implemented to provide prediction models for D j of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) in a biphasic liquid system with a composition representative of the industrial processes. In the first step, screening tests were performed to identify the main variables influencing the experimental equilibrium weight fractions of nitrophenols in the aqueous phase w j , e A . Subsequently two independent data sets were built for development and external validation of prediction multivariate linear regression (MLR) models, at 30 ° C . The fitting results ( R 2 and R ad 2 ⩾ 0.90 ) and the prediction results ( R pred , DNP 2 = 0.931 , R pred , TNP 2 = 0.908 ) confirmed the quality of the w j , e A models. Statistical significant predictive MLR models were also developed for D j (which is related with w j , e A ), at 30 ° C , with DNP evidencing a higher affinity for the organic phase (i.e. D DNP ≈ 2 D TNP ).

Novel photocurable and low molecular weight oligomers based on l-lactic acid with proven interest to be used as bioadhesive were successfully manufactured. Preparation of lactic acid oligomers with methacrylic end functionalizations was carried out in the absence of catalyst or solvents by self-esterification in two reaction steps: telechelic lactic acid oligomerization with OH end groups and further functionalization with methacrylic anhydride. The final adhesive composition was achieved by the addition of a reported biocompatible photoinitiator (Irgacure® 2959). Preliminary in vitro biodegradability was investigated by hydrolytic degradation in PBS (pH = 7.4) at 37 °C. The adhesion performance was evaluated using glued aminated substrates (gelatine pieces) subjected to pull-to-break test. Surface energy measured by contact angles is lower than the reported values of the skin and blood. The absence of cytoxicity was evaluated using human fibroblasts. A notable antimicrobial behaviour was observed using two bacterial models (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli). The cured material exhibited a strong thrombogenic character when placed in contact with blood, which can be predicted as a haemostatic effect for bleeding control. This novel material was subjected to an extensive characterization showing great potential for bioadhesive or other biomedical applications where biodegradable and biocompatible photocurable materials are required.

The behavior of flow in an industrial adiabatic reactor was studied for assessing nonuniform regions or bypassing. Mathematical models for a continuous stirred tank reactor were developed using adjustable parameters to be obtained from residence time distribution data. Owing to reaction the flow rates of the two liquid phases change. These models combine ideal vessels in series: a plug flow followed by one or two stirred tanks. The interchange of fluid between two stirred reactors was regarded, as well as a stagnant region in the middle reactor. The experimental study was carried out by injecting a tracer in the organic phase of the liquid–liquid system and quantifying it in the outlet stream. This procedure was followed for different flow rates and RTD data used to assess the best-fit combined model for the flow in this reactor which was a plug flow followed by two stirred tanks with interchange of fluid between them.

The visual system takes time to respond to visual stimuli, neurons need to accumulate information over a time span in order to fire. Visual information perceived by the peripheral retina might be impaired by imperfect peripheral optics leading to myopia development. This study explored the effect of eccentricity, moderate myopia and peripheral refraction in temporal visual integration. Myopes and emmetropes showed similar performance at detecting briefly flashed stimuli in different retinal locations. Our results show evidence that moderate myopes have normal visual integration when refractive errors are corrected with contact lens; however, the tendency to increased temporal integration thresholds observed in myopes deserves further investigation., Parts of these results have been presented at ARVO 2012 annual meeting. We would like to acknowledge Associação de Profissionais Licenciados em Optometria (APLO) for their financial support and Inês Sousa PhD for her help with the statistics. REFERENCES, info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

New heterogeneous catalysts were prepared by immobilization of Me(II)-dipicolinate complexes (Me = Co, Mn or Ni) on kaolinite (Ka). The precursor material was kaolinite grafted with dipicolinic acid (dpa) obtained via melting of the acid. The catalysts were prepared by suspending the Ka-dpa precursors (lamellar or exfoliated) in Me2+ solutions with a cation/ligand ratio of 1:3. The grafted complexes were characterized by thermal analyses, X-ray diffraction, UV/Vis and infrared spectroscopies, and transmission electron microscopy. The catalysts were tested in three reactions: (i) epoxidation of cis-cyclooctene to cis-cyclooctenoxide reaching 55% yield, with total selectivity to cyclooctenoxide; (ii) oxidation of cyclohexane, reaching 22% yield, with total selectivity towards cyclohexanone; and (iii) Fenton-like decolorization of the dyes metanil yellow, methylene blue and green light, reaching 70–100% decolorization, the maximum effectiveness being observed for methylene blue degradation. The high conversion in the oxidation reactions and the high levels of decolorization of dyes confirmed the versatility of these heterogeneous catalysts based on kaolinite.

Steady state occurs mainly under less pronounced abiotic variation, leading to low diversity and nonsuccessional change, opposite from the nonequilibrium concept. Permanent circulation of a waterbody creates a low disturbance status but does not represent a disturbance because it does not change the diversity and dominance of species. Phytoplankton composition was analyzed in a shallow Brazilian coastal lagoon, Peri (Santa Catarina State, Brazil), in the cold-dry and hot-rainy periods during 2009–2010. Uninterrupted steady state conditions occurred along with the monodominance of the cyanobacteria Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii , which dominated under a nonstratification regime and low availability of dissolved nutrients. Primary production measured as resource-use efficiency indicated a capacity for this species to convert phosphorus into biomass as well as its ability to effective exploit resources. Differences in temperature and nitrogen availability seemed to be the driving parameters for interseasonal changes in the phytoplankton community in Peri Lagoon. Models of competition that predict greater diversity, which lead to greater levels of primary productivity and more complete utilization of limiting resources, were not confirmed in this study. The presence of the dinoflagellate Peridinium umbonatum and C . raciborskii together is suggested to represent shallow, mixed, turbid, and nutrient-deficient ecosystems. Although competitive exclusion would be the primary mechanism that selects for species equilibrium, higher adaptability by a few species under selective conditions seems to be the most important factor in the occurrence of steady states.

The pseudophakic eye lacks the ability to produce a refractive change in response to object proximity. Thus, individual anatomical features such as the pupil size play an important role in achieving functional vision levels. In this work, the range of pupil sizes at varying object distance was measured in pseudophakic participants. Furthermore, the impact of the measured values on eye optical quality was investigated using a computer simulation model. A binocular eye-tracker was used to measure the participants&rsquo, pupil sizes at six object distances, ranging from 0.33 m (i.e., vergence of 3.00 D) to 3.00 m (i.e., vergence of 0.33 D), while observing a Maltese cross with a constant angular size of 1 ∘ . In total, 58 pseudophakic participants were enrolled in this study (age mean &plusmn, standard deviation: 70.5 &plusmn, 11.3 years). The effects of object distance and age on pupil size variation were investigated using linear mixed effects regression models. Age was found to have a small contribution to individual variability. The mean infinite distance pupil size (intercept) was 4.45 ( 95 % CI: 2.74, 6.17) mm and the mean proximal miosis (slope) was &minus, 0.23 ( 95 % CI: &minus, 0.53, 0.08) mm/D. The visual acuity (VA) estimation for a distant object ranged from &minus, 0.1 logMAR (smallest pupil) to 0.04 logMAR (largest pupil) and the near VA ( 0.33 m) when mean proximal miosis was considered ranged from 0.28 logMAR (smallest pupil) to 0.42 logMAR (largest pupil). When mean distance pupil was considered, proximal miosis individual variability produced a variation of 0.04 logMAR for the near object and negligible variation for the distant object. These results support the importance of distance pupil size measurement for the prediction of visual performance in pseudophakia, while suggesting that proximal miosis has a negligible impact in VA variability.

Officiating in football depends, at least to some extent, upon adequate visual function. However, there is no vision standard for football officiating and the nature of the relationship between officiating performance and level of vision is unknown. As a first step in characterising this relationship, we report on the clinically-measured vision and on the perceived level of vision in elite-level, Portuguese football officials. Seventy-one referees (R) and assistant referees (AR) participated in the study, representing 92% of the total population of elite level football officials in Portugal in the 2013/2014 season. Nine of the 22 Rs (40.9%) and ten of the 49 ARs (20.4%) were international-level. Information about visual history was also gathered. Perceived vision was assessed using the preference-values-assigned-to-globalvisual-status (PVVS) and the Quality-of-Vision (QoV) questionnaire. Standard clinical vision measures (including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and stereopsis) were gathered in a subset (n = 44, 62%) of the participants. Data were analysed according to the type (R/AR) and level (international/national) of official, and Bonferroni corrections were applied to reduce the risk of type I errors. Adopting criterion for statistical significance of p, FCT -Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia(UID/FIS/04650/2013), info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The synthesis of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) by bulk polytransesterification of different L-lactic acid esters was successfully carried out. The experiments were per- formed in two steps: a first one at 170 � C, maximum temper- ature, and atmospheric pressure, to obtain a viscous oligomer; and a final step at 180 � C and under reduced pres- sure to improve the byproduct elimination and increase the polymerization degree. The ethyl L-lactate polytransesterifi- cation in the presence of the binary catalytic system Sb2O/ Zn(O2CCH3)2� 2H2O allowed achieving the highest average molecular weight, 22,300 g mol � 1 . The yellowing of the melt polymer samples was recorded. The resulting materials were subjected to several characterization techniques: the chemical structure of PLA was confirmed by 1 H-NMR, the molecular weight was determined by size exclusion chro- matography, thermal behavior measured by differential scanning calorimetry and racemization extent by specific rotation measurements. A special attention was paid to the polymer optical purity, as it is of major importance to assess its quality and the significance of the synthesis route. To the best of our knowledge, there is no previous report dealing with the synthesis of PLA by bulk polytransesterification. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 000: 000-000, 2012

A kinetic model is proposed for the mass transfer of dissolved lignin from the interior of the chip to the bulk liquor, during the kraft pulping of Eucalyptus globulus wood. The model is based on extensive experimental data which include the dissolved lignin concentration both inside and outside the chips, along pulping time. The lignin concentration in the entrapped liquor was shown to be much higher than the one in the free liquor, and reached a maximum value during the cook. The model follows a lumped parameter estimation approach, where the spatial concentration profile of lignin inside the chip is represented by its average. This strategy enables estimating the effective diffusion coefficient that characterizes the internal resistance to mass transfer. This coefficient was expressed by an Arrhenius-type equation with an activation energy for diffusion of 29 kJ mol −1 , multiplied by the cooking yield raised to an exponent whose estimated value was 5. This high value corresponds to an increasing resistance to lignin diffusion along pulping time. The resistance to mass transfer in the film surrounding the wood chips was found to have a contribution of 20–30% to the overall mass transfer resistance at the beginning of the cook, which is significant and should not be neglected. The model proved to enable a good fitting of the experimental data on the dissolved lignin concentration in the free liquor.

Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) is considered the gold standard technique for tonometry. It is a procedure involving administration of topical anaesthetic (a drug which could have several side effects). This prevents a large number of vision care practitioners from using GAT, due to legal restrictions regarding the use of these ophthalmic drugs. The purpose of this study was to establish whether the discomfort experienced during non-anaesthetic Goldmann Applanation Tonometry (NAGAT) would be acceptable to subjects. The intensity of pain inflicted by GAT, NAGAT, Non-Contact Tonometry (NCT) and Schirmer test was assessed on thirty-one subjects enrolled in the study using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) to assess pain. The GAT was performed on one eye and the other three procedures were carried out in random order on the fellow eye. Initially, each subject was asked to score their Maximum Pain Without Complaint (MPWC). The MPWC and the Schirmer test were used as references to grade the pain levels. The scores for the five procedures were registered using the NRS (0-10) and compared using a non-parametric statistical analysis (Friedman test and a post-hoc analysis). In addition, IOP results for GAT and NAGAT were also compared using the t-test. The scores obtained on the NRS ranged from 0-4, 0-5, 0-8, 0-7 and 3-8 with a median of 1, 1, 2, 2, and 5, respectively for NCT, GAT, NAGAT, Schirmer and MPWC. A statistically significant difference (p = 0.01) was found between the MPWC and the four clinical tests but no difference was found between the clinical tests. There was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.71) between the IOP results for GAT and NAGAT, 14.0 ± 2.0 mmHg and 13.8 ± 2.0 mmHg (mean ± 1S.D.) respectively. The Goldmann Applanation Tonometry without anaesthetic (NAGAT) can be performed with an acceptable level of discomfort for the majority of subjects and should be performed identically to a traditional GAT, informing the subjects about the possibility of feeling a small discomfort.

The step-growth polymerization of L-lactic acid in solution was studied in this work. In order to attain a polymer with high molecular weight, the water formed during the polymerization must be continuously removed. The use of organic solvents with high boiling point, drying agents and reduced pressure led to poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with high molecular weight, directly from the monomer. Tin (II) chloride dihydrate, SnCl 2 .2H 2 O, was the best of the catalysts tested as it allowed achieving PLA with a molecular weight close to 80 000 g.mol -1 . However, the stereoregurarity control is a severe problem in PLA synthesis by step-growth due to transesterification reactions, which lead to an inversion of the conformation and a decrease of the optical purity of the polymer. Specific rotation measurements were used in this work and showed to be a powerful technique to evaluate the racemization extent. The thermal stability of the PLA samples was evaluated by DSC which exhibits a thermal behaviour similar to the commercial Polylactide.

A primary hydrolysis treatment (auto or acid-catalysed) of Eucalyptus globulus wood was performed before the cooking stage to extract part of the hemicelluloses that otherwise would be dissolved in the kraft liquor and burned. As xylose was the main monosaccharide Pichia stipitis was selected to produce bioethanol. Two methods were tested, with different alkalis, to reduce hydrolysates toxicity and adjust pH. A two-step method using Ca(OH)2 leads to better fermentation results. Acid hydrolysates promoted higher ethanol concentrations (12 g L−1) with high productivity and yield values (0.22 geth L−1h−1 and 0.48 geth/gxyl eqs), whilst auto-hydrolysates, even after a secondary hydrolysis, gave low ethanol concentrations (2–4 g L−1). The impacts on kraft cooking and pulp quality were also studied in order to fully understand the feasibility of this biorefinery concept (combining ethanol production and hardwood pulping). A decrease of the overall pulp yield (10% for auto- and 15% for acid-hydrolysis) was observed. However, a decrease on bleaching requirements (up to 15%) and on brightness reversion was registered. Moreover, auto-hydrolysis improves pulp viscosity, whilst acid-hydrolysis is more efficient in metals leaching. Overall, from the pulp production point of view, auto-hydrolysis conditions are more attractive than the acid-catalysed ones.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of Eucalyptus globulus hemicelluloses, mainly xylan, for bioethanol production. Hemicelluloses have been removed prior to pulping by auto-hydrolysis and an acid-catalysed hydrolysis. As the hydrolysates obtained were rich in xylose, the yeast Pichia stipitis was selected for fermentation. It was confirmed that the yeast performance is strongly dependent on pH and the presence of inhibitors, such as lignin. The addition of Ca(OH)2 was successful for lowering the concentration of inhibitors and adjusting the pH. The strain was grown in culture media with increasing volumetric percentages of treated hydrolysates up to 100% (v/v), supplemented with nutrients other than the carbon and energy source. This methodology shortened the lag phase of fermentation and improved the performance of yeast. Maximum ethanol concentration (12 geth l-1), productivity (0.22 geth l-1 h-1), and yield (0.48 geth gxyl eqs -1) were achieved with treated acid-hydrolysates. These results are similar to those obtained by a synthetic medium with an equivalent xylose concentration.

The need to develop the capacity for autonomous and critical thinking in students and introduce practical approaches that complement the scientific background, have been acting as driving-forces that motivate engineering educators to develop new teaching methodologies. The Chemical Engineering Departments of both the Universities of Coimbra and Porto have been experimenting in this area and addressing these concerns. Recently, they have been engaged in a broader project, involving a large group of academics with complementary competencies. This project is aimed at developing a virtual platform directed towards the learning of Chemical Processes with a wide scope. From the functional point of view the platform is organized into four main areas: Chemical Engineering, Chemical Processes, Virtual Experiments and Simulators. The Chemical Processes area is further divided into four different sections: Unit Operations and Separations, Chemical Reaction, Process Systems Engineering and Biological Processes. These sections include simulators, applications and case studies to better understand the chemical/biochemical processes. The Virtual Experiments area considers both the laboratory visualization of the basic phenomena related to the processes in the other four sections, and the remote monitoring of laboratory experiments. This platform, constructed around a dynamic Web Portal, allows discussion forums and is also aimed at sharing experiences with other schools. This paper describes the different subjects included in the web platform, as well as the simulation strategies and the web methodologies used for its construction, and also presents examples of application in the classroom.

In this paper a heterogeneous lumped parameter model is proposed to describe the mass transfer of effective alkali during the kraft pulping of wood. This model, based on the spatial mean of the concentration profile of effective alkali along the chip thickness, enables the estimation of the effective diffusion coefficient that characterizes the internal resistance to mass transfer and the contribution of the external resistance to mass transfer which has often been neglected. The experimental data that support this study comprise measurements of alkali concentration in the liquid phases, both inside and outside the chips. The kraft pulping of Eucalyptus globulus was carried out using broad range of temperature (80–165 °C) and effective alkali charge (10–45 g Na 2 O (100 g odw) −1 ). The model describes the effective alkali concentration profiles in the free liquor along the cooking with accuracy. The effective diffusion coefficient has been expressed by an Arrhenius-type equation and the estimated value of the activation energy for diffusion ( E a = 20.7 kJ mol −1 ) is in agreement with previous studies. The contribution of the external resistance to the overall mass transfer resistance showed to be significant and to increase with both temperature and effective alkali charge at industrial operation conditions. This result confirms the relevance of building a model that takes into account the heterogeneous nature of the kraft pulping of E. globulus .

A moving finite elements scheme is developed and used for solving 1-D dynamic population balance equations (PBE). The method stands on the weighted finiteelements based approach, and the local solutions are represented by cubic Hermite polynomials. The weighting function is the gradient of residuals with respect to time derivatives of the solution at the nodes and nodal velocities. The general PBE considered includes nucleation, growth, aggregation and breakage terms. The accuracy of the moving finite elements method (MFEM) is evaluated by comparing the results to the analytical solution in problems involving combinations of the first three phenomena considered. The formulation addressed was successful when used for solving a twophase system representing a semibatch precipitation reactor. The MFEM enables one to achieve accurate results at reasonable CPU times, thus, showing to be adequate for these kind of problems. 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 54: 673– 692, 2008

The degree of conflict between otter conservation and fish farming was assessed at Sado estuary (SW Portugal), using ecological (otter visiting rates to fish farms and consumption of commercial fish) and socio-economic (past and current instruments and policies addressing the conflict and a social impact assessment, including a discourse analysis of relevant stakeholders) parameters. The study concerned 14 fish farms producing Sparus aurata, Dicentrarchus labrax, Solea senegalensis and Solea solea. Results indicate high visiting rates in most fish farms (average: 76%), although in only 29%, species stocked were the most consumed prey. Other marine species and freshwater prey were the basis of otter diet in the remaining fish farms. The conflict is quite consensual among most fish farmers, and the results indicate that the perceived conflict by fish farmers has an ecological basis, although there are large gaps between effective and perceived predation. No specific instruments exist in Portugal to address the conflict, but some not specifically targeted can have an effect (e.g. species protection legislation and aquaculture licensing), although with limitations to effectively contribute to its mitigation (e.g. lack of enforcement and supervision). Formulating and assessing solutions is the following step, using a participatory approach to the development and evaluation of mitigation/compensation strategies, capable of providing an effective reconciliation of the conflict.