Cold thermopeaking-induced drift of nase Chondrostoma nasus larvae.

Research on how intermittent water releases from hydropower plants affect the early life stages of fish has advanced in the last years, focusing not only on the direct impacts of rapid flow changes (hydropeaking), but also on the short-term fluctuations in water temperature (thermopeaking). Flow and thermal fluctuations caused by hydropeaking may affect fish movement patterns and migration at critical stages of a species' life cycle, e.g., by inducing passive downstream drift. Using two experimental outdoor channels, we investigated how nase (Chondrostoma nasus, Cypriniformes) larvae respond to a rapid drop in water temperature during hydropeaking (simulating a cold thermopeaking event), reaching on average 5.5 °C under peak flow (maximum discharge) conditions, in comparison with a hydropeaking treatment with a constant water temperature regime. Responses of fish larvae were analyzed during acclimation, up-ramping (increase in discharge), peak flow and down-ramping (decrease in discharge) phases. Fish drift increased during peak flow in the cold thermopeaking treatment compared to hydropeaking. Higher drift rates were also negatively associated with pronounced water temperature drops during peak flow conditions. In addition, the starting temperature of the experiment influenced drift during up-ramping. Overall, the results suggest that cold thermopeaking may increase drift in the early life stages of cypriniform fish compared with hydropeaking with stable water temperature. Hence, monitoring and active water temperature adjustments following hydropower releases should be adopted as strategies to mitigate power plant-related impacts on aquatic organisms. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00027-023-00955-x.

The impact of social experiences of physical and structural violence on the growth of African enslaved children recovered from Lagos, Portugal (15th-17th centuries).

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to examine the impacts of physical and structural violence on the well-being of early modern enslaved Africans by comparing the growth of children in an archaeological sample recovered from Lagos, Portugal with that of modern children known to have lived under socially oppressive and racist political regimes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The age of 18 individuals was estimated from the length of developing teeth. Long bone lengths for age in the enslaved African sample were compared with two black juvenile known age samples: the Raymond Dart (South Africa) and Hamann-Todd (United States) collections. Z-scores were calculated for all samples using black children in the South Africa Long Bone (SALB) database as the reference. The similarity of growth across the samples was tested and skeletal growth profiles (SGPs) were devised for the three samples. RESULTS: The children in the Lagos, Raymond Dart, and Hamann-Todd samples were all small for age compared to the SALB reference. While children in the Dart sample tended to be the smallest for age and in the Hamann-Todd the largest, with the children in the Lagos sample falling between them, the three samples did not show significant differences in growth status. DISCUSSION: The growth deficits shown in this study demonstrate the severe impacts of physical and structural violence on the lives of these children. Although uncertainty remains regarding the timing of growth insults relative to arrival, slavery in Portugal as materialized in these individuals was as violent as in other countries.

Riparian buffer zones as pesticide filters of no-till crops.

Several studies have pointed to the potential benefits of riparian vegetation as buffer zones for agricultural and industrial pollutants harmful to aquatic ecosystems. However, other studies have called into question its use as an ecological filter, questioning the widths and conditions for which they are effective as a filter. In this work, we have investigated the buffering capacity of the riparian one to retain pesticides in the water-saturated zone, on 27 sites composed by riparian buffer zones with different vegetation structure (woody, shrubs, or grass vegetation) and width (12, 36, and 60 m). Five pesticides were analyzed. The effectiveness of the filtering was largely influenced by the width and vegetation type of the buffer zone. In general, decreasing pesticide removal followed in this order wood > shrubs > grass. The 60 m woody buffer zone was the most effective in the removal of all the pesticides. Only atrazine was detected in this case (0.3 µg L(-1)). Furthermore, a linear correlation (R (2) > 0.97) was observed in their removal for all compounds and buffer zones studied. Thus, preserving the woody vegetation in the riparian zone is important for watershed management and groundwater quality in the no-tillage system in temperate climate.

Potential distribution and cost estimation of the damage caused by Cryptotermes brevis (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) in the Azores.

In the Azores archipelago, a significant proportion of buildings are infested with the urban exotic drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis (Walker), causing major economical and patrimonial losses. This work aims to understand the potential spread of this termite species in the Azores and estimate the costs for both treatment and reconstruction of infested buildings in the entire archipelago. A maximum entropy niche modeling process was used to determine the potential occurrence of the species on each island. Different scenarios were built using independent global and regional incidence and environmental data. Both projections reveal the same pattern. Generally, the probability of occurrence is higher near the coast line, where, in Azores, the majority of the towns and villages are located. We also predict that the infestation has potential to spread to yet unaffected towns and islands. It is estimated that the cost of treating all currently infested buildings in the archipelago is Euro 51 million, while reconstruction of the same buildings would rise the costs to Euro 175 million. We predict that the absence of a control strategy will cause a further expansion of the pest to more localities in the Azores. An estimate to future scenarios implies higher costs, with treatment and rebuilding values rising up to eight times the current values.

Comparability of river quality assessment using macrophytes: a multi-step procedure to overcome biogeographical differences.

This paper exposes a new methodological approach to solve the problem of intercalibrating river quality national methods when a common metric is lacking and most of the countries share the same Water Framework Directive (WFD) assessment method. We provide recommendations for similar works in future concerning the assessment of ecological accuracy and highlight the importance of a good common ground to make feasible the scientific work beyond the intercalibration. The approach herein presented was applied to highly seasonal rivers of the Mediterranean Geographical Intercalibration Group for the Biological Quality Element Macrophytes. The Mediterranean Group of river macrophytes involved seven countries and two assessment methods with similar acquisition data and assessment concept: the Macrophyte Biological Index for Rivers (IBMR) for Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, and the River Macrophyte Index (RMI) for Slovenia. Database included 318 sites of which 78 were considered as benchmarks. The boundary harmonization was performed for common WFD-assessment methods (all countries except Slovenia) using the median of the Good/Moderate and High/Good boundaries of all countries. Then, whenever possible, the Slovenian method, RMI was computed for the entire database. The IBMR was also computed for the Slovenian sites and was regressed against RMI in order to check the relatedness of methods (R(2)=0.45; p<0.00001) and to convert RMI boundaries into the IBMR scale. The boundary bias of RMI was computed using direct comparison of classification and the median boundary values following boundary harmonization. The average absolute class differences after harmonization is 26% and the percentage of classifications differing by half of a quality class is also small (16.4%). This multi-step approach to the intercalibration was endorsed by the WFD Regulatory Committee.

Least Disturbed Condition for European Mediterranean rivers.

The present report describes a three-step approach that was used to characterize and define thresholds for the Least Disturbed Condition in Mediterranean streams of four different types, regarding organic pollution and nutrients, hydrological and morphological alterations, and land use. For this purpose, a common database composed of national reference sites (929 records) from seven countries, sampled for invertebrates, diatoms and macrophytes was used. The analyses of reference sites showed that small (catchment <100 km(2)) siliceous and non-siliceous streams were mainly affected by channelization, bank alteration and hydropeaking. Medium-sized siliceous rivers were the most affected by stressors: 25-43% of the samples showed at least slight alterations regarding channelization, connectivity, upstream dam influence, hydropeaking and degradation of riparian vegetation. Temporary streams were the least affected by hydromorphological changes, but they were nevertheless affected by alterations in riparian vegetation. There were no major differences between all permanent stream types regarding water quality, but temporary streams showed lower values for oxygenation (DO) and wider ranges for other variables, such as nitrates. A lower threshold value for DO (60%) was determined for this stream type and can be attributed to the streams' natural characteristics. For all other river types, common limits were found for the remaining variables (ammonium, nitrate, phosphate, total P, % of artificial areas, % of intensive and extensive agriculture, % of semi-natural areas in the catchment). These values were then used to select the list of reference sites. The biological communities were characterized, revealing the existence of nine groups of Mediterranean invertebrate communities, six for diatoms and five for macrophytes: each group was characterized by specific indicator taxa that highlighted the differences between groups.

Comparability of fish-based ecological quality assessments for geographically distinct Iberian regions.

In this work we compare two Iberian and a pan-European fish-based methods to assess ecological quality in rivers: the Fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity for Portuguese Wadeable Streams (F-IBIP), the Mediterranean Index of Biotic Integrity (IBIMED) and the pan-European Fish Index (EFI+). The results presented herein were developed in the context of the 2nd phase of the Intercalibration Exercise (IC), as required by the Water Frame Directive (WFD). The IC is aimed at ensuring comparability of the quality boundaries among the different WFD assessment methods developed by the Member States for each biological quality element. Although the two national assessment methods were developed for very distinct regions of Iberia (Western and Eastern Iberian Peninsula) they share the same methodological background: both are type-specific and guild-based multimetric indices. EFI+ is a multimetric guild-based model, but it is site-specific and uses a predictive modelling approach. The three indices were computed for all sites included in the Iberian Intercalibration database to allow the direct comparison, by means of linear regressions, of the resulting three quality values per site. The quality boundary harmonization between the two Iberian methods was only possible through an indirect comparison between the two indices, using EFI+ as a common metric. The three indices were also shown to be responsive to a common set of human induced pressures. This study highlights the need to develop general assessment methods adapted to wide geographical ranges with high species turnover to help intercalibrating assessment methods tailored for geographically more restricted regions.

Attraction of alates of Cryptotermes brevis (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) to different light wavelengths in South Florida and the Azores.

The termite Cryptotermes brevis (Walker) (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) is an urban pest that causes much damage to wood structures. Little has been done concerning the use of control methods for alates. C. brevis is known to have phototropic behavior during the dispersal flights, and this knowledge has been applied for preventative control in the Azores where this species is a serious urban pest. We were interested in determining whether there was a light wavelength preference by the alates of C. brevis to optimize light traps against this species. Six light wavelengths were tested: 395 nm (UV), 460-555 nm (white), 470 nm (blue), 525 nm (green), 590 nm (yellow), and 625 nm (red) in choice chambers, with dark chambers as controls. Two populations were tested, one population in Florida and one population in the Azores (Terceira Island). We found consistent results for both populations, with a preference for the light wavelengths in the white, blue, and green spectrum (460-550 nm). This information can be used to build more effective light traps that can be used by home owners in the Azores to help control this pest.

C2-C3 block vertebrae in a late Neolithic/Chalcolithic child exhumed from a Portuguese collective grave.

Among the commingled and very fragmentary human remains exhumed from the prehistoric tumulus of Praia da Samarra (Sintra, Portugal) a fusion of the second and third cervical vertebrae in a subadult individual was detected. The more likely diagnosis for this abnormality is a congenital osseous malformation of the spine. A possible case of dens axis hypoplasia was also suggested. Besides the description of the case, potential pathological implications and differential diagnosis were investigated.

[Pain: its occurrence and evolution in the postoperative period of heart and abdominal surgery]. / Dor: ocorrência e evolução no pós-operatório de cirurgia cardíaca e abdominal.

The high incidence and low resolution of the pain after surgery are shown in international literature. During the five days after the cardiac and abdominal surgery, these patients were asked once a day about their pain. Nearly 50% of the patients answers showed pain complaints. At the cardiac patients 47% did not take treatment during the last four hours, although the medicine was prescribed by the doctor to be used in eventual necessity. Similar occurrences happened with abdominal patients where no medicine was given in 68.2% events of their pain complaints. So, we find that the under-identification and undertreatment of the pain are like the other studies.

Uma nova opcao nas amputacoes ao nivel do retro-pe. (Tecnica de Revenko) / A new alternative in mid tarsal amputations. (Revenko's technic)

Com o presente trabalho, tencionamos oferecer mais uma opcao tecnica para as amputacoes no retro-pe. O objetivo da tecnica que descrevemos e a preservacao da articulacao do tornozelo, atraves de uma osteotomia e artrodese entre o talus e o calcaneo, e a execucao de um coto eficiente, coberto com a pele da regiao plantar, oferecendo ao paciente uma marcha excelente sem a necessidade de protese ou sapato especial

Portuguese patients as part of the canadian mosaic.

Portuguese immigration is a relatively new addition to the Canadian ethnic mosaic. To help the Canadian family doctor become familiar with this new group, the experience of a predominantly Portuguese family practice is described. The main areas of concern centre around the working wife, the problems created by the uprooting of old people and the adaptation of the children to this new environment. Some conflicts created in the family by the new situation are described and solutions suggested.