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Malignant pheochromocytomas (PHEOs)/paragangliomas (PGLs) are rare tumors for which clinical outcomes remain poorly defined and therapeutic options are limited. Approximately 27% carry pathogenic germline succinate dehydrogenase (SDHx) mutations; the presence of such mutations has been correlated with response to temozolomide (TMZ). We aimed to investigate the association between germline mutations in SDHx and response to TMZ. We retrospectively identified patients with metastatic malignant PHEO/PGLs treated with TMZ- based chemotherapy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute between 2003 and 2020. The correlation between response by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 and PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) and the presence of SDHx mutations in the germline and tumor was evaluated. Nineteen patients received TMZ. Seventeen underwent germline assessment: 9 (53%) carried a pathogenic SDHx germline mutation. Fifteen patients were evaluable for response by RECIST 1.1: 6 (40%) partial response, 4 (27%) stable disease, and 5 (33%) progressive disease. Overall median progression-free survival was 2.2 years. Three-year overall survival (OS) was 58%. Median PFS was 1.3 years and 5.5 years for carriers and non-carriers, respectively and OS was 1.5 years and not estimable for carriers and non-carriers, respectively. The response by PERCIST criteria in nine patients correlated with the RECIST 1.1 assessment. Our series represents one of the largest analyses of patients with malignant PHEOs/PGLs treated with TMZ who have available germline data. The incidence of pathogenic germline SDHx mutations was similar to what has been previously published, though our analysis suggests that there may be a limited association between response to TMZ and pathogenic germline SDHx mutations.

[Abstract] A synthesis of the knowledge of the Schist-Greywacke Domain (SGD) in Portugal is here presented. Until recently, this sequence assumed the designation of Dúrico-Beirão Supergroup composed by the Douro Group (DG) and the Beiras Group (BG). The DG is considered of Neoproterozoic – Cambrian age and the BG is of Neoproterozoic age. The identification and mapping in the BG of an unconformity as the Cadomian unconformity identified in Spain, which splits the Neoproterozoic in “lower Alcudian” and “upper Alcudian”, is a turning point for the understanding and establishment of consistent stratigraphic sequences that now compose the Fróia and the Lousã groups assembled in the Beiras Supergroup. These new groups are correlated with the Neoproterozoic sequences currently recognized in Spain: the Lousã group is equivalent to the Ibor Group (upper Alcudian) and the Fróia Group is equivalent pro parte, to the Domo Extremeño Supergroup. [Resumen] En este trabajo se presenta una síntesis del conocimiento actual del Dominio del Complejo Esquisto-Grauváquico en Portugal. Hasta al presente esta secuencia ha sido designada como Supergrupo Dúrico-Beirão, compuesto por el Grupo Douro (GD) y por el Grupo Beiras (GB). El GD se consideraba de edad Ediacárico superior – Cámbrico inferior y el GB era atribuido al Neoproterozoico. La identificación y cartografía en el GB de una discordancia correlacionable con la del Cadomiense identificada en España, que divide el Neoproterozoico en "Alcudiense inferior" y "Alcudiense superior", es un punto de inflexión para la comprensión y el establecimiento de secuencias estratigráficas consistentes, que ahora componen los grupos Fróia y Lousã reunidos en el Supergrupo Beiras. Estos nuevos grupos se correlacionan con las secuencias neoproterozoicas actualmente reconocidas en España: el Grupo Lousã es equivalente al Grupo Ibor (Alcudiense Superior) y el Grupo Fróia es equivalente, pro parte, al Supergrupo Domo Extremeño.

New palynological results from the Gafo Formation (southern sector of the Pulo do Lobo Domain, South Portuguese Zone) are integrated with recently studied sections and drillholes from the Portuguese and Spanish sectors. A total of 44 samples were studied, 27 of which were positive for palynomorph taxonomy. This research revealed well preserved palynological assemblages, including 73 spore species allocated to 28 genera, four acritarch genera, three prasinophyte algae genera plus common chitinozoan remains. Some additional forms were retained under open nomenclature. From this, the first complete age determination for the Gafo Formation in Portugal and Spain was achieved, indicating a middle Famennian (Grandispora gracilis–Grandispora famenensis, GF Biozone) to a late Famennian (Grandispora echinata, VH Biozone) age. A greywacke sample from the same Gafo Formation was dated by U–Pb zircon geochronology and a maximum depositional age of 369 ± 2.5 Ma was obtained. A correlation between these palynological and U–Pb zircon data and the palynoflora assemblages of previous authors was made, as well as with the ages of felsic volcanic rocks found intercalated in the Gafo Formation, confirming the complex stratigraphy of Pulo do Lobo Domain. The results are consistent with stratigraphic mapping and structural interpretations, allowing a middle–late Famennian age (GF and VH Biozone) to be assigned to the Gafo Formation sedimentary rocks. This work has also contributed to a reinterpretation of Gafo Formation depositional facies correlatives (e.g. the Santa Barbara Group in Spain) as being the same lithological unit. EU/Interreg-VA/Poctep/ 0052_GEO_FPI_5_E Project, Science Foundation Ireland (grant no. 13/RC/2092_P2) info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The common cockle Cerastoderma edule is a widespread bivalve species inhabiting estuarine systems across the North East Atlantic, where it provides several ecosystem services, and represents a valuable fishery resource for local economies. However, anthropogenic pressure and more frequent extreme weather events threaten the resilience of the species. Spatially explicit information on species distribution is critical for the implementation of management and conservation practices. This study assessed the potential distribution of C. edule in the Ria de Aveiro by estimating the habitat suitability using an ensemble approach based on ecological niche modeling and recently developed hydrodynamic and water quality models to forecast both average and projected estuarine conditions. The models were developed for the summer of 2013 and spring of 2019 and potential range shifts in the species distribution were forecasted under projected environmental conditions: high and low estimates of freshwater discharge, a 2 degrees C increase in water temperature, and the combined effect of low freshwater discharge and increased water temperature. The results suggest that salinity, time of submersion, and current velocity play an important role in the distribution of cockles, and large areas were consistently classified with high habitat suitability. Increased freshwater discharge (both seasons) and low discharge coupled to increased temperature (spring) resulted in large decreases in suitable habitat. Conversely, low freshwater discharges and average (unchanged) temperatures increased the suitable habitat in the outermost regions of the Ria. The spatially explicit information provided contributes to a better understanding of the vulnerability of C. edule in the Ria de Aveiro to extreme weather events (e.g., droughts, river floods) and may support adaptive management strategies of the cockle fishery during these conditions. Moreover, this approach can be transferred to other estuarine ecosystems for which data describing the environmental conditions (e.g., derived from numerical models), and information about species presence are available (including data-poor species). LA/P/0094/2020 POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028425 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Introduction STK11 and KEAP1 mutations (STK11 mutant [STK11MUT] and KEAP1MUT) are among the most often mutated genes in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Although STK11MUT has been associated with resistance to programmed death-(ligand)1 (PD-[L]1) inhibition in KRASMUT LUAD, its impact on immunotherapy efficacy in KRAS wild-type (KRASWT) LUAD is currently unknown. Whether KEAP1MUT differentially affects outcomes to PD-(L)1 inhibition in KRASMUT and KRASWT LUAD is also unknown. Methods Clinicopathologic and genomic data were collected from September 2013 to September 2020 from patients with advanced LUAD at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Massachusetts General Hospital cohort and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center/MD Anderson Cancer Center cohort. Clinical outcomes to PD-(L)1 inhibition were analyzed according to KRAS, STK11, and KEAP1 mutation status in two independent cohorts. The Cancer Genome Atlas transcriptomic data were interrogated to identify differences in tumor gene expression and tumor immune cell subsets, respectively, according to KRAS/STK11 and KRAS/KEAP1 comutation status. Results In the combined cohort (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Massachusetts General Hospital + Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center/MD Anderson Cancer Center) of 1261 patients (median age = 61 y [range: 22–92], 708 women [56.1%], 1065 smokers [84.4%]), KRAS mutations were detected in 536 cases (42.5%), and deleterious STK11 and KEAP1 mutations were found in 20.6% (260 of 1261) and 19.2% (231 of 1202) of assessable cases, respectively. In each independent cohort and in the combined cohort, STK11 and KEAP1 mutations were associated with significantly worse progression-free (STK11 hazard ratio [HR] = 2.04, p Conclusions STK11 and KEAP1 mutations confer worse outcomes to immunotherapy among patients with KRASMUT but not among KRASWT LUAD. Tumors harboring concurrent KRAS/STK11 and KRAS/KEAP1 mutations display distinct immune profiles in terms of gene expression and immune cell infiltration.

Understanding and detecting diseases of amphibians has become vitally important in conservation and ecological studies and prevent and biosecurity a determinant priority in experimental farms, mainly when related with academic and research activities. Ranavirus belongs to the family Iridoviridae, and causes an emergent infectious disease that affects different species, especially fish, reptiles and amphibians, with a significant contribution to the decline of the population. In amphibian systems, Ranaviruses transmission can occur between vertebrate classes through direct contact, by scavenging or through virus particles persisting in the environment. Subclinical infected individuals may serve as reservoirs in the most susceptible anura species. Humans play a significant role in this emergent disease and biosecurity measures are determinant to prevent the introduction of these viruses, either in commercial or experimental farms. A Biosafety Plan is a fundamental tool in the Ranaviruses prevention and include educational and training programs, relevant to the mission of a Higher Education Institution.

Drowning accidents followed by the disappearance of the body are particularly distressing events. When such tragedy strikes, Search and Rescue Operations are usually deployed to recover the body. The efficiency of such efforts can be enhanced by timely data and appropriate data integration tools, such as operational prediction systems relying on numerical models or other data sources. In this paper, we propose four stages for Search and Rescue Operations after drowning accidents and briefly address the critical role of ocean observations at each stage, as well as the relevancy of available computational resources. The potential of the combination of different data sources on the state of the sea to provide better insight into Search and Rescue Operations is discussed. This work is a challenge to oceanographers, data scientists and relevant marine stakeholders to produce knowledge and tools to support Search and Rescue Operations after drowning accidents.

A high quality data collection has been carried out between 2004 and 2014 to develop the first trophic ECOPATH model for the functioning of the sub and intertidal zones of Ria de Aveiro. This schematic representation allows the characterization of the most important compartments of biomass and flows of energy representing the functioning of the ecosystem, and can be used in the fields of decision-making and management. The model considered 26 functional groups from primary producers to top-predators and two different fisheries (artisanal and leisure), and showed that Ria de Aveiro is a dynamic ecosystem dominated by a high biomass of primary producers, where the transference of energy among compartments is, to a large extent, accomplished through the detritus path. The model also provides several ecological indicators on the state of maturity of the ecosystem, showing that Ria de Aveiro is in an intermediate state of maturity with a relatively complex food web and resilience to environmental changes. As discussed, this state of maturity is probably determined by human action pervading the system to advance in the expectable ecological succession of a coastal lagoon. These aspects, together with indicators of elevated fishing pressure and predation within the system, underline the necessity of controlling illegal extraction activities and monitoring the biomass of the main functional groups of the system, especially top predators, in order to keep the functioning of the ecosystem of Ria de Aveiro in its current condition.

Costa, S.; Picado, A.; Vaz, N.; Coelho, C.; Portela, L., and Dias, J.M., 2018. Climate change effects on suspended sediment dynamics in a coastal lagoon: Ria de Aveiro (Portugal). In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 521–525. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Coastal systems are very important interface areas between land and sea, subject to constant changes motivated by both natural and anthropogenic factors. In addition to the increasing modifications imposed by human activities, natural processes are also being altered as a result of climate change. Important consequences of climate change in coastal systems are sea level rise (SLR) and changes in freshwater discharge, due to modifications in rainfall patterns and air temperature. The aim of this work was to assess the impact of climate changes on the suspended sediment dynamics i...

Marker-based motion tracking systems are the golden standard for human motion analysis, however such systems are expensive, non-portable and require long time subject preparation. The Kinect One se...

Blunt injuries to the chest wall are an important chapter on emergency room (ER) departments, being the third most common injuries in trauma patients which ominous complications could appear. This article describes different types of traumatic events affecting the chest wall, which maybe misdiagnosed with conventional X-ray. Special emphasis has been done in computed tomography (CT) and multidetector CT (MDCT) imaging. This technique is considered the “gold-standard” for those traumatic patients, due to its fast acquisition covering the whole area of interest in axial plane, reconstructing multiplanar (2D, 3D) volume-rendered images with a superb quality and angiographic CT capabilities for evaluating vascular damage. Complementary techniques such as ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may improve the diagnostic accuracy due to its great capacity in visualising soft-tissue trauma (muscle-tendinous tears) and subtle fractures. All these imaging methods have an important role in quantifying the severity of chest wall trauma. The findings of this study have been exposed with cases of our archives in a didactic way.

The Douro River represents the major freshwater input into the coastal ocean of the northwestern Iberian Peninsula. The seasonal and interannual variability of its turbid plume is investigated using ocean color composites from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) sensor aboard the Aqua and Terra satellites (2000–2014) and long-term records of river discharge, wind and precipitation rate. Regional climate indices, namely the Eastern Atlantic (EA) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), were analyzed to identify the influence of atmospheric variability on the generation of anomalous turbid river plume patterns. The connection between the monthly time series of normalized water leaving radiance at 555 nm ( nLw(555) ) and river discharge is high (r = 0.81), which indicates a strong link between river outflow and turbidity levels in the river plume. The equivalent result is found between precipitation and nLw(555) time series, but the peak correlation was found with a 1-month lag, revealing the importance of the river dams on the outflow regulation (r = 0.65). Lag correlations between nLw(555) and EA index show a peak at 1-month lag (r = 0.51). The relation between NAO index and Douro river discharge is considerable (− 0.50), for a time lag of 1-month as well. However, the correlation coefficient between nLw(555) and NAO index presents a maximum peak for a longer period (r = − 0.42 at 3-month). Anomalous turbid plume patterns, not related with estuarine outflow, are found during autumn 2004. A coccolithophore bloom is proposed as a plausible explanation for these unexpected turbid patches.

It is of global interest, for the definition of effective adaptation strategies, to make an assessment of climate change impacts in coastal environments. In this study, the salinity patterns adjustments and the correspondent Venice System zonations adaptations are evaluated through numerical modelling for Ria de Aveiro, a mesotidal shallow water lagoon located in the Portuguese coast, for the end of the 21st century in a climate change context. A reference (equivalent to present conditions) and three future scenarios are defined and simulated, both for wet and dry conditions. The future scenarios are designed with the following changes to the reference: scenario 1) projected mean sea level (MSL) rise; scenario 2) projected river flow discharges; and scenario 3) projections for both MSL and river flow discharges. The projections imposed are: a MSL rise of 0.42 m; a freshwater flow reduction of ∼22% for the wet season and a reduction of ∼87% for the dry season. Modelling results are analyzed for different tidal ranges. Results indicate: a) a salinity upstream intrusion and a generalized salinity increase for sea level rise scenario, with higher significance in middle-to-upper lagoon zones; b) a maximum salinity increase of ∼12 in scenario 3 and wet conditions for Espinheiro channel, the one with higher freshwater contribution; c) an upstream displacement of the saline fronts occurring in wet conditions for all future scenarios, with stronger expression for scenario 3, of ∼2 km in Espinheiro channel; and d) a landward progression of the saltier physical zones established in the Venice System scheme. The adaptation of the ecosystem to the upstream relocation of physical zones may be blocked by human settlements and other artificial barriers surrounding the estuarine environment.

New music artists have been emerging in recent years through new digital plat-forms and streaming services. These platforms allow us to build a community and interact with members who share the same tastes and ideas. Hence, new artists find success through their communities’ support and engagement. Analysing this phenomenon might be quite important for understanding music artists and how the engagement with their fans is han-dled. Accordingly, this study analysed a set of drivers such as: Involvement, Authenticity, Brand Identity, Brand Community Engagement, Co-creation and Brand Love. The results show clearly that Involvement has a significant positive effect on Brand Community En-gagement and on Co-creation, Authenticity has also a positive influence on Brand Com-munity Engagement, and, lastly, Brand Community Engagement and Co-creation have a rather significant positive impact on Brand Love. Hence, one can assume that the more involved an artist’s fan is, the higher his engagement in communities will be, as well as his aptitude to co-create, which can, subsequently, lead to very high levels of engagement or love for the brand. Music artists that are perceived as authentic by their fans may also con-tribute to high levels of engagement in their online community. At a time when the number of digital channels is increasing, in which music artists can communicate and release their music, understanding how this kind of human brands can stand out in a more and more competitive and crowded environment becomes of paramount importance. Recentemente novos artistas musicais têm vindo a emergir através de novas plata-formas digitais e serviços de streaming. Estas plataformas permitem a criação de comuni-dades e a interação entre membros que partilham os mesmos gostos e ideias. Consequen-temente, os novos artistas encontram sucesso através do apoio e engagement da sua comu-nidade. Analisar este fenómeno poderá ser bastante importante para compreender os artis-tas musicais e como estes lidam com o engagement dos seus fãs. Desta forma, este estudo analisou um conjunto de fatores como: Envolvimento; Autenticidade; Identidade da Marca; Engagement da Comunidade da Marca; Cocriação; e Amor pela Marca. Os resultados mos-tram claramente que o Envolvimento tem um efeito significativo e positivo no Engagement da Comunidade da Marca e na Cocriação, a Autenticidade também influencia positivamen-te o Engagement da Comunidade da Marca e, finalmente, o Engagement da Comunidade da Marca e a Cocriação têm um impacto bastante significativo e positivo no Amor pela Marca. Deste modo, podemos assumir que quão mais envolvido um fã de um artista for, mais elevado será o seu engagement, bem como a sua aptidão para cocriar, o que, subse-quentemente, levará a níveis elevados de engagement ou amor pela marca. Os artistas mu-sicais que são vistos como autênticos pelos seus fãs podem também contribuir para níveis elevados de engagement na sua comunidade. Numa altura em que o número de canais digi-tais está a aumentar, através dos quais os artistas musicais podem comunicar e lançar a sua música, é de primordial importância perceber como este tipo de marcas humanas se pode destacar num ambiente cada vez mais competitivo e saturado.

Cohesive sediments play an important ecological role in coastal systems, affecting light penetration in the water column and consequently the local biogeochemical processes. The main aim of this work is to study the water-column light extinction coefficient (k) dependence on cohesive sediment dynamics within Ria de Aveiro lagoon under sea level rise and extreme freshwater discharges events. A coupled estuarine hydrodynamic and transport model is explored, following previous modeling frameworks developed for the Ria de Aveiro. Three scenarios were simulated: a reference scenario (SC1), wherein present hydrodynamic, mean sea level and present freshwater discharges were used to simulate present hydrodynamic and cohesive sediments; a scenario considering local projections of sea level rise of 0.42 m (SC2); and a third one corresponding to maximum freshwater inflow for the lagoon's tributaries (SC3). Results show higher concentrations of cohesive sediments near the rivers mouths, gradually decreasing toward the lagoon's inlet. From SC2 scenario was found that the effect of sea level rise in sediment dynamics and in water-column light extinction coefficient is not significant. However, the tidal prism increase in this case induces a dilution of the sediments concentration from fluvial origin and consequently a slightly k decrease. Contrarily, in SC3 scenario, the extreme freshwater inflow enhances the cohesive sediment concentration in the entire lagoon, limiting the light penetration in the water column. In summary, extreme river discharge events have a highest impact on water-column light penetration in Ria the Aveiro than predicted sea level rise.

Vaz, L.; Serodio, J., Mateus, M., Dias, J.M., and Vaz, N., 2016. Primary production of the benthic microalgae in the bottom sediments of Ria de Aveiro Lagoon. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 178–182. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The Ria de Aveiro is a mesotidal coastal lagoon located in the north coast of Portugal. It has a complex irregular geometry characterized by large intertidal areas and several freshwater tributaries, which are the main sources of nutrients into the lagoon. The dynamics between the tidal propagation and the landward nutrient sources modulates the primary production within the lagoon. Here, primary production may have two main contributors: the chlorophyll in the water column and the benthic microalgae in the bottom sediments. In this work, a new methodology to compute microalgae in the b...

Longo, R.S., Picado, A., Vaz, N. and Dias, J.M., 2016. Biological response of a coastal plain estuary to torrential episodes: a modelling study. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 78–82. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Estuaries are highly dynamic systems with an important impact on biogeochemical cycles and primary production, which may be affected and modified in a climate change context, namely due to extreme rainfall events. This study aims to research chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and nutrients dynamics in the Tagus estuary under extreme freshwater discharge in a climate change context, using a 2D biophysical model. Three scenarios were set changing the inputs from the main tributaries – Tagus and Sorraia rivers. First, a scenario with one day of extreme discharge for both rivers was considered. Next, and in order to un...

We characterized the transport pathways of pharmaceuticals released from wastewater outfalls in one of Europe’s largest estuarine systems (Tagus estuary, Portugal), to identify areas of ecological relevance prone to environmental degradation due to increased exposure to these emerging contaminants. Particle source, Lagrangian trajectories and arrivals over time (1, 6, and 10 days) were used as a proxy to determine the exposure potential and vulnerability of different habitats to an array of pharmaceuticals with different environmental degradation rates and half-lives. Then, exposure potential was combined with information on sensitive habitats to identify vulnerable areas in the estuary. Three different freshwater inflow scenarios were considered simulating Medium flow, No flow and flood conditions (High flow). Model results for areas with higher particle density were concordant with concentration hotspots of pharmaceuticals. Higher potential exposure in a larger area of the estuary was observed for the High freshwater flow; yet reduced particles export to adjacent coastal areas highlights the potential of estuaries and bays as particle sinks. In all modeled scenarios, vulnerable areas were predominantly located in the southern bays up to day 6, and later in eastern areas, which include a nature reserve. These areas are largely composed of intertidal soft substratum and salt marshes habitats, and thus warrant prioritization for monitoring and risk assessment of pharmaceuticals exposure in the Tagus estuary due to the higher risk of exposure of a wealth of vertebrate and invertebrate species that use them. This framework allowed the identification of vulnerable areas to pharmaceutical contamination and can be a valuable instrument to plan the location for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in estuaries and coastal areas.

The Douro is one of the largest rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, representing the most important buoyancy source into the Atlantic Ocean on the northwestern Portuguese coast. The main goal of this study is to contribute to the knowledge of physical processes associated with the propagation of the Douro River plume. The general patterns of dispersion in the ocean and how the plume change hydrography and coastal circulation were evaluated, considering the main drivers involved: river discharge and wind. Coastal models were implemented to characterize the propagation of the plume, its dynamics, and its impact on coastal circulation. Different numerical scenarios of wind and river discharge were analyzed. The estuarine outflow is sufficient to generate a northward coastal current without wind under moderate-to-high river discharge conditions. Under easterly winds, the propagation pattern is similar to the no wind forcing, with a northward current speed increasing. A southward coastal current is generated only by strong westerly winds. Under upwelling-favorable (northerly) winds, the plume extends offshore with tilting towards the southwest. Southerly winds increase the velocity of the northward current, being the merging of the Douro and Minho estuarine plumes a likely consequence.

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Gestão de Informação, especialização em Gestão de Sistemas e Tecnologias de informação Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Information Systems and Technologies Management

The main purpose of this study is to assess the state of the lower level of the trophic web of a temperate lagoon, the Ria de Aveiro (Portugal), in situations of light or nutrients limitation conditions, that may occur during extreme weather events (eventually associated to climate changes). The increase of the occurrence of extreme events (frequency, intensity and duration) is likely to globally intensify the lagoon turbidity, reducing the depth of light penetration into the water column and shifting the light limitation condition, and therefore reducing phytoplankton biomass and activity. In addition, a scenario of mean river's flow and/or nutrient input decrease may induce a decline of overall phytoplankton biomass and productivity. To research the combined effects of these processes an ecological/eutrophication model was developed and applied for the Ria de Aveiro, dealing with the basic aspects of the lower trophic status of the water column, integrating the nutrient cycling and the main phytoplankton processes. A set of scenarios was designed in order to evaluate the response of the Ria de Aveiro to extreme events, with special emphasis on cases of high precipitation or run-off situations generating high turbidity conditions inside the lagoon, or dry situations or low run-off conditions corresponding to a reduction of the mean precipitation and rivers discharge. Results show that changes in light or nutrients availability may seriously modify the actual lower level state of the lagoon trophic level. Specifically, the occurrence of extreme events in the lagoon ecosystem will shift the lagoon to a light limitation condition, whereas reduction of the rivers discharge will change the nutrients availability, shifting the lagoon to a nutrient limitation condition.

This work studies the influence of the Tagus estuary, Portugal, on the near coastal system using a model application to describe the main physical and biogeochemical processes in the Region of Freshwater Influence (ROFI). It was used as nested modeling approach, downscaling the solution for the general circulation from a larger domain model (the Portuguese coast), to the local Tagus estuary domain. The model is evaluated during a very dynamic and biologic productive period of the year, corresponding to the winter and early summer (January–May 2007). Also during this period, there is a strong freshwater inflow into the Tagus estuary, which in turn modulates the estuarine outflow to the Tagus ROFI. The results focus on water temperature and chlorophyll and a skill assessment was made, given the lack of data required to perform a thorough validation. Simulation results reveal an adequate reproduction of the vertical thermal structure and chlorophyll concentrations. While a fairly reasonable agreement is seen for water temperature, showing no significant thermal stratification at the study area (average surface-to-bottom difference ranging from 1.3 °C to 1.6 °C), chlorophyll vertical profiles show some differences between the model results and the measurements. Maximum model bias for surface temperature is 1.4 °C and ranges from 1 to 2 mg m− 3 for chlorophyll, revealing an underestimation of the predicted chlorophyll and surface temperature for the area in the vicinity of the Tagus mouth. The general trends of surface chlorophyll and surface water temperature are satisfactorily reproduced by the model.

O Direito é acompanhante impreterível de todas e qualquer evolução que se regista na sociedade, quer seja política, económica ou mesmo social. Dada a sua incapacidade de antecipação, o direito tem, nas maiorias das vezes, uma atuação reativa para regulamentar comportamentos. É desse jeito, que surge o complexo normativo e princípios que impõem limites ao exercício do direito. O voto é um instrumento participativo, cujo objetivo é de permitir as pessoas expressarem as suas vontades num meio coletivo, por isso, a lei confere este direito a todos os associados. É no seio coletivo que o voto tem a sua relevância jurídica, tendo como propósito defender um determinado interesse. Ora, a prossecução e a defesa deste interesse é, muitas vezes, divergente no meio coletivo, pois a existência de interesses particulares no seio coletivo pode levar divergência entre os seus associados. Com o objetivo de evitar essa divergência a lei impõe aos titulares de direitos de voto certos limites. E um dos limites do direito de voto é o interesse social, defendido na assembleia geral através de emissão individual de voto. Portanto, o associado terá que conhecer o limite do seu direito. Assim se pretende evitar o exercício abusivo do direito de voto nas deliberações sociais. Law is an essential instrument to all and any developments in the society, whether political, economic or even social. Given its inability to anticipate, law has, in most cases, a reactive action to regulate human behaviors. This is how the normative of complex and principles called abuse of rights arise. Voting is a participatory instrument whose purpose is to enable people to express their wishes in a collective environment, so the law confers this right on all members. It is within the collective body that the vote has legal relevance, with the purpose of defending a certain interest. Time, the pursuit and defense of this interest is often divergent in the collective environment, since the existence of particular interests in the collective body leads to divergence among the associates. In order to avoid this divergence, the law imposes certain limitations on the holders of voting rights. And one of the limits of the right to vote is the social interest, defended at the general assemblies through individual issuance of votes; therefore, the associate will have to know the limit of his right. Thus, it is intended to avoid the abusive exercise of the right to vote in corporate resolution.