bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Multilevel Mixed Effects Analysis of Informal Carers Health in Australia: The role of Community Participation, Social Support and Trust at Small Area level.
Authors: Mohanty Itismita , Niyonsenga Theo , Cochrane Tom , Rickwood Debra
Published: November 2020

Background: Informal carers suffer from worse health outcomes than non-carers due to their caregiving role. Yet, in a society carers health is as important as that of their care recipients. This study investigated the self-assessed mental and general health outcomes of informal carers in Australia. It evaluated the influence of carers’ personal social capital- a logically linked sequence of their social behaviour such as community participation, social support and trust in others- on their health outcomes. The study estimated the magnitude of small area level variation at Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1) along with individual level variation in carers’ health outcomes.Methods: The study used a multilevel mixed effects cross-sectional design using data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia survey, wave 14. It included Australians aged 15 years and older that were surveyed in the year 2014. The sample consisted of 12,767 individuals and 5004 SA1s. The outcome measures included- mental health, general health and physical functioning, domains of the Short Form 36 Questionnaire, a widely used multi-dimensional measure of health-related quality of life.Results: Informal carers suffered from poor mental (Beta = -0.587, p=0.003) and general health (Beta = -0.670, p=0.001) outcomes compared to non-carers in Australia. These health outcomes exhibited significant variation acrossSA1s in Australia, with 12-13% variation in general and mental health. However, within small local areas, differences at the individual level, accounted for most of the variation in outcomes. Moreover, levels of community participation, personal social connection and trust, as perceived by individuals in the communities, had a positive influence on both mental and general health of carers and non-carers, and were more beneficial for carers compared to non-carers. Conclusion: It seems that the positive influence of social capital for carers helps them in coping with the negative impact of their caregiving duty on health outcomes. Findings suggested that some targeted community support programs for carers to build on their personal social cohesion and trust in their community could help in improving their poor health profiles. Moreover, improved informal carers’ health may help the health system in better managing their resources.
animalcules: Interactive Microbiome Analytics and Visualization in R
Authors: Zhao Yue , Federico Anthony , Manimaran Solaiappan , Segre Daniel , Monti Stefano , Johnson W. Evan
Published: November 2020

Background: Microbial communities that live in and on the human body play a vital role in health and disease. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have enabled the study of microbial communities at unprecedented resolution. However, these advances in data generation have presented novel challenges to researchers attempting to analyze and visualize these data. Results: To address some of these challenges, we have developed animalcules, an easy-to-use interactive microbiome analysis toolkit for 16S rRNA sequencing data, shotgun DNA metagenomics data, and RNA-based metatranscriptomics profiling data. This toolkit combines novel and existing analytics, visualization methods, and machine learning models. For example, the toolkit features traditional microbiome analyses such as alpha/beta diversity and differential abundance analysis, combined with new methods for biomarker identification are. In addition, animalcules provides interactive and dynamic figures that enable users to understand their data and discover new insights. animalcules can be used as a standalone command-line R package or users can explore their data with the accompanying interactive R Shiny interface. Conclusions: We present animalcules, an R package for interactive microbiome analysis through either an interactive interface facilitated by R Shiny or various command-line functions. It is the first microbiome analysis toolkit that supports the analysis of all 16S rRNA, DNA-based shotgun metagenomics, and RNA-sequencing based metatranscriptomics datasets. animalcules can be freely downloaded from GitHub at https://github.com/compbiomed/animalcules or installed through Bioconductor at https://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/animalcules.html.
Predictors of young people’s use of sexual and reproductive health services in Nigeria: a mixed-method approach
Authors: Odo Amelia Ngozi , OFUEBE Justina Ifeoma , ANIKE Anthony Ifeanyi , Samuel Efiong S
Published: November 2020

Background: Sexual and Reproductive health Services (SRHS) are essential for prevention and control of SRH problems among young people and the achievement of sustainable development goal 3. These services may be available but certain factors interfere with their access and utilization by the young people. This study sought to determine factors that predict the utilization of SRHS among young people in Enugu State, Nigeria. Methods: The study adopted mixed method research employing cross-sectional research design. The population of the study comprised young people within the ages of 12 and 22 years. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 1,447 young people used for the study. Questionnaire, in-depth interview, and focus group discussion were used for data collection. Percentages, Chi-square, and logistic regression were used to analyse quantitative data, while qualitative data were thematically analysed using NVivo software. Results: Socio-demographic factors of gender, age, education, income and living status ( p = < .05) were significant predictors of utilization of SRHS. Psycho-cultural and health system factors ( p = < .05) were also significant predictors of utilization of SRHS. Conclusion: The study concluded that some socio-demographic factors (of gender, age, level of education, income and living status), psycho-cultural and health system factors can be used to predict young people’s utilization of SRHS. These predictors could be addressed through home sex education, regular training of health care providers on youth-friendly services delivery and policy reforms
Barriers to women's disclosure of Domestic Violence in health services in Palestine: qualitative interview-based study
Authors: Shaheen Amira , ashkar suzy , alkaiyat abdulsalam , bacchus loraine , colombini manuela , feder gene , evans maggie
Published: November 2020

Background: Domestic violence (DV) damages health and requires a global public health response and engagement of clinical services. Recent surveys show that 27% of married Palestinian women experienced some form of violence from their husbands over a 12 month’s period, but only 5% had sought formal help, and rarely from health services. Across the globe, barriers to disclosure of DV have been recorded, including self-blame, fear of the consequences and lack of knowledge of services. This is the first qualitative study to address barriers to disclosure within health services for Palestinian women. Methods: In-depth interviews were carried out with 20 women who had experienced DV. They were recruited from a non-governmental organisation offering social and legal support. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated into English and the data were analysed thematically. Results: Women encountered barriers at individual, health care service and societal levels. Lack of knowledge of available services, concern about the health care primary focus on physical issues, lack of privacy in health consultations, lack of trust in confidentiality, fear of being labelled ‘mentally ill’ and losing access to their children were all highlighted. Women wished for health professionals to take the initiative in enquiring about DV. Wider issues concerned women’s social and economic dependency on their husbands which led to fears about transgressing social and cultural norms by speaking out. Women feared being blamed and ostracised by family members and others, or experiencing an escalation of violence.Conclusions: Palestinian women’s agency to be proactive in help-seeking for DV is clearly limited. Our findings can inform training of health professionals in Palestine to address these barriers, to increase awareness of the link between DV and many common presentations such as depression, to ask sensitively about DV in private, reassure women about confidentiality, and increase awareness among women of the role that health services can play in DV.
Genomic imbalances in the placenta are associated with poor fetal growth
Authors: Gobbo Giulia F. Del , Yin Yue , Choufani Sanaa , Butcher Emma A. , Wei John , Rajcan-Separovic Evica , Bos Hayley , von Dadelszen Peter , Weksberg Rosanna , Robinson Wendy P , Yuen Ryan K.C.
Published: November 2020

Background: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is associated with increased risks for complications before, during, and after birth, in addition to risk of disease through to adulthood. Although placental insufficiency, failure to supply the fetus with adequate nutrients, underlies most cases of FGR, its causes are diverse and not fully understood. One of the few diagnosable causes of placental insufficiency in ongoing pregnancies is the presence of large chromosomal imbalances such as trisomy confined to the placenta; however, the impact of smaller copy number variants (CNVs) has not yet been adequately addressed. In this study, we confirm the importance of placental aneuploidy, and assess the potential contribution of CNVs to fetal growth.Methods: We used molecular-cytogenetic approaches to identify aneuploidy in placentas from N=101 infants born small-for-gestational age (SGA), typically used as a surrogate for FGR, and from N=173 non-SGA controls from uncomplicated pregnancies. We confirmed aneuploidies and assessed mosaicism by microsatellite genotyping. We then profiled CNVs using high-resolution microarrays in a subset of N=53 SGA and N=61 control euploid placentas, and compared the load, impact, gene enrichment and clinical relevance of CNVs between groups. Candidate CNVs were confirmed using quantitative PCR.Results: Aneuploidy was over 10-fold more frequent in SGA-associated placentas compared to controls (11.9% vs. 1.1%; p=0.0002, OR=11.4, 95% CI 2.5-107.4), was confined to the placenta, and typically involved autosomes, whereas only sex chromosome abnormalities were observed in controls. We found no significant difference in CNV load or number of placental-expressed or imprinted genes in CNVs between SGA and controls, however, a rare and likely clinically-relevant germline CNV was identified in 5.7% of SGA cases. These CNVs involved candidate genes INHBB, HSD11B2, CTCF, and CSMD3.Conclusions: We conclude that placental genomic imbalances at the cytogenetic and submicroscopic level may underlie up to ~18% of SGA cases in our population. This work contributes to the understanding of the underlying causes of placental insufficiency and FGR, which is important for counselling and prediction of long term outcomes for affected cases.
Developmental trends in early childhood and their predictors from an Indian birth cohort
Authors: Koshy Beena , Sriniva Manikandan , Bose Anuradha , John Sushil Mathew , Mohan Venkata Raghava , Roshan Reeba , Ramanujam Karthikeyen , Kang Gagandeep
Published: November 2020

Background: Early childhood developmental pattern analyses not only project future cognition potential, but also identify potential risks for possible intervention. The current study evaluates developmental trends in the first three years of life and their predictors in a low and middle income country setting.Methods: Trends of early childhood development at 6, 15, 24 and 36 months of age and their predictors were explored in a longitudinal community-based birth cohort study in an urban slum in Vellore, South India. Development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (BSID-III).Results: The birth cohort enrolled 251 children with 94%, 91% and 87% follow-up at 6, 24 and 36 months respectively. Child development domains of cognition, language, motor and social skills showed a significant decline in scores between 6 and 36 months of age. Higher socioeconomic position (SEP) and nurturing home environment contributed to increase in cognition scores by 1.9 and 0.9 units respectively. However, stunting resulted in drop of cognition scores by 1.7 units. Higher maternal cognition, higher SEP, and caregiver responsivity positively contributed to language change over time, while higher maternal depression contributed negatively. An enriching home environment, growth parameters and blood iron status had positive association with change in motor skills.Conclusions: A triple intervention plan to enhance home environment and nurturance, early childhood nutrient supplementation, and maternal education and well-being might prevent child developmental decline in high risk settings.
Comparison of oral glucose tolerance test and HbA1c in detection of disorders of glucose metabolism in patients with acute stroke
Authors: Matz Karl , Tuomilehto Jaakko , Teuschl Yvonne , Dachenhausen Alexandra , Brainin Michael
Published: November 2020

Background: Diabetes is an increasingly important risk factor for ischemic stroke and worsens stroke prognosis. Yet a large proportion of stroke patients who are eventually diabetic are undiagnosed. Therefore, it is important to have sensitive assessment of unrecognized hyperglycaemia in stroke patients.Design: Secondary outcome analysis of a randomized controlled trial focussing on parameters of glucose metabolism and detection of diabetes and prediabetes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Methods: A total of 130 consecutively admitted patients with AIS without previously known type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were screened for diabetes or prediabetes as part of secondary outcome analysis of a randomized controlled trial that tested lifestyle intervention to prevent post-stroke cognitive decline. Patients had the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) measurements in the second week after stroke onset and after one year. The detection rates of diabetes and prediabetes based on the OGTT or HbA1c values were compared.Results: By any of the applied tests at the second week after stroke onset 62 of 130 patients (48%) had prediabetes or T2DM. Seventy-five patients had results from both tests available, the OGTT and HbA1c; according to the OGTT 40 (53.3%) patients had normal glucose metabolism, 33 (44%) had prediabetes, two (2.7%) T2DM. In 50 (66.7%) patients the HbA1c results were normal, 24 (32%) in the prediabetic and one (1.3%) in the diabetic range. The detection rate for disorders of glucose metabolism was 10% higher (absolute difference; relative difference 29%) with the OGTT compared with HbA1c. After one year the detection rate for prediabetes or T2DM was 7% higher with the OGTT (26% relative difference).The study intervention led to a more favourable evolution of glycemic status after one year.Conclusion: The OGTT is a more sensitive screening tool than HbA1c for the detection of previously unrecognized glycemic disorders in patients with acute stroke with an at least a 25% relative difference in detection rate. Therefore, an OGTT should be performed in all patients with stroke with no history of diabetes.
Genomic variation in the American pika: signatures of geographic isolation and implications for conservation
Authors: Klingler Kelly Brie , Jahner Joshua P , Parchman Thomas L , Ray Chris , Peacock Mary
Published: November 2020

Background: Distributional responses by alpine taxa to repeated, glacial-interglacial cycles throughout the last two million years have significantly influenced the spatial genetic structure of populations. These effects have been exacerbated for the American pika (Ochotona princeps), a small alpine lagomorph constrained by thermal sensitivity and a limited dispersal capacity. As a species of conservation concern, long-term lack of gene flow has important consequences for landscape genetic structure and levels of diversity within populations. Here, we use reduced representation sequencing (ddRADseq) to provide a genome-wide perspective on patterns of genetic variation across pika populations representing distinct subspecies. To investigate how landscape and environmental features shape genetic variation, we collected genetic samples from distinct geographic regions as well as across finer spatial scales in two geographically proximate mountain ranges of eastern Nevada. Results: Our genome-wide analyses corroborate range-wide, mitochondrial subspecific designations and reveal pronounced fine-scale population structure between the Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range of eastern Nevada. Populations in Nevada were characterized by low genetic diversity (𝜋=0.0006–0.0009; 𝜃W=0.0005–0.0007) relative to populations in California (𝜋=0.0014–0.0019; 𝜃W=0.0011–0.0017) and the Rocky Mountains (𝜋=0.0025–0.0027; 𝜃W=0.0021–0.0024), indicating substantial genetic drift in these isolated populations. Tajima’s D was positive for all sites (D=0.240-0.811), consistent with recent contraction in population sizes range-wide. Conclusions: Substantial influences of geography, elevation and climate variables on genetic differentiation were also detected and may interact with the regional effects of anthropogenic climate change to force the loss of unique genetic lineages through continued population extirpations in the Great Basin and Sierra Nevada.
Survey study of research integrity officers' perceptions of research practices associated with instances of research misconduct
Authors: Kalichman Michael
Published: November 2020

Background: Research on research integrity has tended to focus on frequency of research misconduct and factors that might induce someone to commit research misconduct. A definitive answer to the first question has been elusive, but it remains clear that any research misconduct is too much. Answers to the second question are so diverse, it might be productive to ask a different question: What about how research is done allows research misconduct to occur?Methods: With that question in mind, research integrity officers (RIOs) of the 62 members of the American Association of Universities were invited to complete a brief survey about their most recent instance of a finding of research misconduct. Respondents were asked whether one or more good practices of research (e.g., openness and transparency, keeping good research records) were present in their case of research misconduct.Results: Twenty-four (24) of the respondents (39% response rate) indicated they had dealt with at least one finding of research misconduct and answered the survey questions. Over half of these RIOs reported that their case of research misconduct had occurred in an environment in which at least nine of the ten listed good practices of research were deficient.Conclusions: These results are not evidence for a causal effect of poor practices, but it is arguable that committing research misconduct would be more difficult if not impossible in research environments adhering to good practices of research.
Extracting Optimal Preparation Parameters of TiO2 Electron Transmission Layer in Perovskite Solar Cell for Increasing Efficiency of the Cell
Authors: Solookinejad Ghahraman , Asadi Mohsen Vaezzadeh , Izadneshan Heydar
Published: November 2020

In this research, a thin film of titanium dioxide was prepared as electron transporting layer to be used in perovskite solar cell simulation. The thin film TiO 2 was prepared under different lab conditions such as changing the chamber pressure from 2.0×10 -2 to 4.0×10 -2 mbar and changing the power of deposition device from 200 to 240 watts for different thickness ranging from 30 to 150 nm. Radio frequency magnetron sputtering method has been used to fabricate the layers under the mentioned laboratory conditions. Then, the band gap energy of the thin films was calculated by Tauc’s plot method. It was shown that the bands gap energy which is one of the contributing factors in solar cell characteristics, such as short-circuit current, open-circuit voltage, fill factor and solar cell efficiency, highly depends on laboratory conditions of preparing the thin film and it changes with changes in deposition parameters of the device. The simulated solar cells were considered as ZnO:Al/TiO 2 compact layer/CH 3 NH 3 SnI 3 /CuI/Au. Investigation on the effects of preparation conditions of TiO 2 on properties of the cell and perovskite soar efficiency was carried out using experimental data related to TiO 2 and extraction of data of other layers from authentic articles using comsol multiphysics software. In comparison with other preparation conditions, the prepared layer with 30 nm thickness under 240 watts device power and 3.5×10 -2 mbar chamber pressure had the best possible results. In this condition, perovskite solar cell characteristics obtained I s c = 22.368mA, V o c = 1.02mV, % FF = 80.522 and % PCE = 18.371.
The Lomagundi-Jatuli Event and Earth’s oxygenation
Authors: Prave Anthony , Kirsimäe Kalle , Lepland Aivo , Fallick Tony , Kreitsmann Timmu , Deines Yulia , Romashkin Alexandr , Rychanchik Dimitri , Medvedev Pavel , Moussavou Mathieu , Mayika Karen Bakakas
Published: November 2020

The Palaeoproterozoic Lomagundi-Jatuli Event (LJE) is the largest positive carbonate C-isotope ( δ13Ccarb) excursion in Earth history. Conventional thinking is that it represents a perturbation of the global C cycle between c. 2.3–2.1 Ga linked directly to the postulated Great Oxidation Event. Here we show that the LJE worldwide is, in fact, entirely facies (i.e. palaeoenvironment) dependent. During the LJE, the C-isotope composition of open and deeper marine settings remained undisturbed, with a mean d13Ccarb value of 1.5‰, whereas nearshore marine and coastal-evaporitic settings have means of 6.2‰ and 8.1‰, respectively. This finding refutes conventional thinking and obliges complete re-evaluation of concepts using the LJE as a means of assessing oxygenation of the atmosphere.
Tracking excited state decay mechanisms of pyrimidine nucleosides in real time
Authors: Cerullo Giulio , Borrego-Varillas Rocio , Nenov Artur , Kabacinski Piotr , Conti Irene , Ganzer Lucia , Oriana Aurelio , Delfino Ines , Weingart Oliver , Manzoni Cristian , Rivalta Ivan , Garavelli Marco
Published: November 2020

DNA owes its remarkable photostability to the ability of its building blocks – the nucleosides – to efficiently dissipate the excess electronic energy acquired upon photoexcitation with ultraviolet light. The exact mechanism occurring on a sub-picosecond time scale has been a matter of intense debate. Here we combine sub-30-fs transient absorption spectroscopy with broad spectral coverage and state-of-the-art quantum dynamics simulations to resolve the early steps of the deactivation mechanisms of uridine (Urd) and 5-methyluridine (5mUrd) in aqueous solution. For both nucleosides we track the wave packet motion from the Franck-Condon region to the conical intersection (CI) with to the ground state and observe a direct spectral signature of an excited-state vibrational mode leading to the CI. We find that 5mUrd exhibits an order of magnitude longer excited state lifetime with respect to Urd and assign it to the larger inertia of the methyl group involved in the ring puckering mode leading to the CI. We argue that this longer lifetime enables the activation of potentially lesion-inducing coordinates such as ring opening, elucidating the origin of the susceptibility of thymine-containing DNA strands to photodamage.
Immunohistochemical Study of VEGF in Placenta of Hypertensive Mothers
Authors: H K Sharath Kumar , N Chaitra , G Nataraju , M Bharathi
Published: November 2020

Background: Pregnancy is most commonly complicated by Hypertensive disorders. In India, the incidence of gestational hypertension varies from 0.5-1.8%. VEGF is a prime regulator of angiogenesis and overall maintenance of endothelial cell health. This study aims to determine the role of VEGF in placentae of Hypertensive and Normotensive pregnancies by assessing its immunohistochemical expression in Syncytiotrophoblasts.

 

Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Pathology in our institute. This is a case-control study which included 50 placentae. Out of which,25 were from Normal mothers and 25 placentae from Hypertensive mothers. Immunohistochemistry for VEGF was performed on tissue section using commercially available monoclonal antibodies. The results were interpreted by evaluating Positivity and Intensity of Immunostaining.

 

Result: Out of 25 Hypertensive placentae, 22 showed Positivity for VEGF immunostaining. Out of 25 Normotensive placentae, 23 showed Negative results for syncytiotrophoblastic staining of VEGF. The difference in VEGF expression in syncytiotrophoblast of hypertensive and normotensive placentae was statistically significant.

 

Conclusion: Hypoxia acts as a potent stimulus for induction of VEGF mRNA in an attempt to normalize fetal blood flow and thus VEGF is increased. This results in the notable increase in immunohistochemical expression of VEGF in the syncytiotrophoblasts of hypertensive placenta.
Characterization and assessment of the potential toxicity/pathogenicity of Russian commercial chrysotile
Authors: Giuseppe Dario Di , Zoboli Alessandro , Nodari Luca , Pasquali Luca , Sala Orietta , Ballirano Paolo , Malferrari Daniele , Raneri Simona , Hanuskova Miriam , Gualtieri Alessandro F.
Published: November 2020

Today, cancer is one of the main health issues faced in the workplace, with asbestos an important carcinogen in the occupational environment. Among the asbestos minerals, chrysotile is the main species of socio-economic and industrial relevance. Although chrysotile asbestos is classified as a “carcinogenic substance” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), this fiber is still mined and used in Russia. The effective health hazard posed by the Russian commercial chrysotile has not been quantitatively assessed to date. In this work, the potential toxicity/pathogenicity of Russian chrysotile was quantitatively determined using the fiber potential toxicity index (FPTI) model. This model was applied to a representative commercial chrysotile from the Orenburg region, Russia, whose morphometric, crystal-chemical, surface activity, and biodurability related parameters were determined. We have quantitatively assessed that the toxicity/pathogenicity potential of Russian chrysotile (FPTI = 2.4) is lower than that of amphibole asbestos species but higher than the threshold limit set for “safe” mineral fibers (FPTI = 2.0), although it does not contain impurities of amphibole asbestos. Differences with other chrysotile samples were discussed, and it was found that the investigated Russian commercial chrysotile shares several features with the Italian Balangero chrysotile, indicating that widespread concern on commercial Russian chrysotile is justified.
Various antiphase domains in garnet-hosted omphacite in low-temperature eclogite: A FIB-TEM study on heterogeneous ordering processes
Authors: Fukushima Ryo , Tsujimori Tatsuki , Miyajima Nobuyoshi
Published: November 2020

Low-temperature omphacite has peculiar microstructures called “antiphase domains (APDs),” which can be formed via phase transition from disordered C2/c to ordered P2/n structure during cooling. Hence morphological analyses of the APDs of undeformed omphacite have a potential to unravel the temperature-time (T-t) histories of the eclogite. We investigated five omphacite inclusions in a euhedral garnet porphyroblast obtained from low-temperature eclogite in Syros. The garnet (~6 mm in size) exhibits a distinct prograde chemical zoning and contains abundant mineral inclusions. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations of the focused ion beam (FIB) foils confirmed a heterogeneous distribution of equiaxed APDs (10–280 nm in diameter) and columnar APDs. Size distributions of the equiaxed APDs are characterized by kurtosis values of –0.45–3.91, which are larger than those in the matrix omphacite. The columnar APDs are subdivided into two types: dislocation-related (Type I) and inclusion–host interfacial (Type II). The presence of Type I APDs may suggest the inclusions were deformed prior to the host garnet growth. In contrast, Type II APDs, which are characterized by a bundle of stripe-like APDs (~40 nm in width) aligned perpendicular to the host garnet, imply the simultaneous growth of omphacite and garnet in a non-deformation state. The presence of these two contrasting APDs of omphacite inclusions in the single prograde-zoned garnet prevents a simple application of geospeedometry based on APD sizes. Nevertheless, our observations demonstrate that APDs are keys to understanding thermodynamic equilibrium states and the mineral growth kinetics during eclogitization.
Synthesis and characterization of adsorbents for the elimination of nitrates and bromates from water aiming to develop a continuous oxyanion water elimination system
Authors: Azaro M. , Flores F. M. , Casella M. , Peroni B. , Rodríguez C. , Torres Sánchez R. M. , Jaworski M.
Published: November 2020

It is known that the excess of oxyanions such as and in drinking water affects its quality. In this work, three adsorbents (montmorillonite (Mt), silica (Si), and diatomaceous earth) loaded with hexadecyl- (H) and octadecyl-trimethylammonium (O) were used to remove these oxyanions from aqueous solutions by adsorption. In batch systems, the highest removal was obtained with Mt modified with H and O (Mt-H and Mt-O), attaining 33% and 50%, respectively, while for removal Si modified with H and O, Si-H and Si-O samples, reached 38% and 42%, respectively. A direct relationship between the adsorption capacity of and and the mass of the adsorbent was found in column filtration tests with Mt-O and Mt-H samples in standard solution and real groundwater samples. The adsorption capacity of the column, in the groundwater sample, remained constant after two reuses.The results obtained are promising for the development of a continuous oxyanion removal system containing the low-cost clay Mt modified with either H or O.
Characterization of clogging deposits in an irrigation pipeline and effect of post-aeration on clogging potential of tertiary-treated wastewater
Authors: Benlouali Hajar , Karmal Ilham , Cherif Harrouni Moulay , Ghanbaja Jaafar , Frascari Dario , Hamdani Mohamed , Choukr-Allah Redouane
Published: November 2020

In Agadir, a water-scarce Moroccan region, municipal and industrial wastewater is tertiary-treated to be reused in golf courses. Wastewater reuse has been constrained by severe clogging of emitters, which caused technical and financial problems. This study aimed to perform an in-depth characterization of the treated wastewater (TWW) in relation to its susceptibility to cause clogging, and to assess the capacity of an aeration post-treatment to reduce the clogging potential. The post-treatment consisted of injecting different airflows (0–33 L/(h Lreactor) into the TWW. The structural, morphological and elemental composition of the clogging matter collected in the irrigation pipeline was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. The 15-day aeration post-treatment at 16.5 L/(h Lreactor) presented the best cost–benefit ratio. Organic matter was totally degraded. Calcium was reduced by 9%, bicarbonates by 54%. The analysis of the deposits induced by the aeration post-treatment revealed a relevant decrease of the major constituents of the clogging deposits found in the irrigation pipeline. The results show the effectiveness of post-aeration in biodegrading residual organic matter and precipitating several salts, thus reducing the clogging potential.
Território, comunidade, memória e emoção: a contribuição da história da arqueologia (algumas primeiras e breves reflexões)
Authors: Martins Ana Cristina
Published: November 2020

Contributing to the composition of written and iconographic discourses of an identity nature, archaeology has sometimes played a determining role in the development of local communities. This capacity should be deepened by helping to deconstruct myths and recover memories, thus favouring the proximity and harmony between territory, citizen, community, production of scientific and heritage knowledge and sustainable development of different populations and geographies. However, it is an involvement that requires a growing and continuous effort of citizenship, especially by those who, in a university context and aware of the implications of the practice of a demanding ‘citizen science’, should encourage the development and implementation of innovative projects aimed at meeting some of the ‘Millennium Development Goals’ and the ‘Agenda 2030’ itself. We therefore propose to debate, based on a specific case of the Évora region, to what extent the history of archaeology itself, as a university discipline, can – and should, in our opinion – contribute to the intersection between archaeology, territory, community, memory and local development, going beyond the mere – but necessary – conceptual domain
Como descolonizar a arqueologia portuguesa?
Authors: Coelho Rui Gomes
Published: November 2020

As a discipline, archaeology is the product of western modernity and contemporary relations of coloniality. In this text, I briefly discuss archaeology regarding the decolonization of knowledge and society. After that I will expose four key issues that need to be dealt with, followed by ideas for discussion or examples of decolonizing experiences. The decolonial project is far from being just an abstraction. On the contrary, it is an opportunity for us to imagine a world with social justice
Os memoráveis? A arqueologia algarvia na imprensa nacional e regional na presente centúria (2001-2019): características, visões do(s) passado(s) e a arqueologia enquanto marca
Authors: Agosto Frederico , Silva João
Published: November 2020

This article will deal with how newspapers – seen here as a main vehicle of information with the general public – present the past, archaeology and the archaeologist. To this end, a comparative study will dialectically be carried out between national and the regional presses, in order to encompass the different type of presses at play but as well to discriminate between the different mechanisms of both when it comes to choosing what to publish. Finally, a synthesis/concluding chapter will be dedicated to reflections on the existing stereotypes related to archaeology per se, its practice, and a critique of how the past is conveyed in the press
A Evolução da Arqueologia Urbana e a Valorização Patrimonial no Barlavento Algarvio: Os casos de Portimão e Silves
Authors: Mateus Artur , Varandas Diogo , Boavida Rafael
Published: November 2020

With this article, we pretend to address the situation and evolution of the Urban Archaeology of the municipalities of Portimão and Silves in brief and generic terms. We will focus on understanding the basic evolution of the background in which the identification, protection and divulgation of archaeological sites was done, and how these connect to everyday city life. For this, we searched the “Portal do Arqueólogo” database, the urban master legislations (PDM’s), as well as the local-national press. The urge for a strong Urban Archaeology has been visible since the end of the last century, due to its importance for the reconstruction of local histories and identities. The impact of this in the development of local tourism was sought
Povoamento em época Romana na Amadora – resultados de um projeto pluridisciplinar
Authors: Encarnação Gisela , Dias Vanessa
Published: November 2020

The research project “PERA – Settlement in the Roman Period in Amadora” started in 2017, completing the multi-annual cycle in early 2021. The objectives defined for it always included a necessary multidisciplinary approach to the data collected in the archaeological excavations carried out in Roman sites identified in the municipality. The fruitful encounter of archeology and other sciences, such as anthropology, archeobotany, chemistry, geophysics and scientific illustration, allowed a complex knowledge about the chronological marks of occupation, of the populations, of their consumption and daily habits during antiquity in Olisipo ager. In this congress the authors present the results achieved so far based on the objectives initially proposed, reinforcing the importance of interdisciplinary approaches
Balsa, Topografia e Urbanismo de uma Cidade Portuária
Authors: Dias Vítor Silva , Bernardes João Pedro , Candeias Celso , Garcia Cristina Tété
Published: November 2020

Geophysical surveys, field walking prospections and archaeological excavations recently carried out and still ongoing under the project, “Balsa, searching the origins of Algarve”, have allowed us to know more about this ancient city, namely by assessing what is still preserved and / or what it will have been destroyed, the extension of the city, some of its urban and topographic realities or, definitively eliminating hypotheses of archaeological realities that, evidently, never existed. Based on a multivariate methodology and using different technologies and specialists, the results of the work already carried out allowed us to attest that the city is smaller than was supposed, extending along a narrow strip along the Ria Formosa; they also allowed to know the orientation of the urban plan, the location and extent of its main necropolis, the location of the forum, as well as some aspects of the way the city has evolved
Ritual, descarte ou afetividade? A presença de Canis lupus familiaris na Necrópole Noroeste de Olisipo (Lisboa)
Authors: Santos Beatriz Calapez , Pereira Sofia Simões , Silva Rodrigo Banha da , Casimiro Sílvia , Detry Cleia , Cardoso Francisca Alves
Published: November 2020

The funerary contexts in which the presence of Canis lupus familiaris are identified are diverse, comprehending individual burials (with or without artifacts), inclusion in human graves, or disposal of corpses, thus suggesting a diverse range of meanings, measurable in function of the nature of the archaeological context. This study reports to the contextual and, especially, zooarchaeological analysis, of four canids (Canis lupus familiaris) identified in the Necrópole Noroeste de Olisipo. The osteological analysis aimed the anatomical identification, estimation of age at death, sexual diagnosis and the identification of eventual taphonomical and pathological bone changes. The methodology employed allowed to determine the presence of three adult male individuals and one non-adult.
A igreja de São Lourenço (Mouraria, Lisboa): um conjunto de silos e de cerâmica medieval islâmica
Authors: Rodrigues Andreia Filipa Moreira
Published: November 2020

The archaeological context uncovered, in 1992 and 1993, in the church of São Lourenço, located in Mouraria, in Lisbon, revealed a wide diachrony of occupation, which translates into a sequence of burials attributable to the middle and modern age, related to the church; but also, in a set of fifteen silos that, according to the exhumed materials of its interior, fit into the medieval islamic period, being prior to the building of the church. This time, it is intended to make known the ceramic artefactual component that was exhumed from the interior of the storage structures, its meaning and what relationship this context has with the reality associated with the religious cult space, which overlaps it
Salvaguarda de Património arqueológico em operações florestais: gestão e sensibilização
Authors: Bragança Filipa , Zambujo Gertrudes , Lourenço Sandra , Paiva Belém , Banha Carlos , Regala Frederico Tátá , Moura Helena , Bugalhão Jacinta , Marques João , Correia José , Faria Pedro , Melro Samuel
Published: November 2020

The forestation and reforestation activity registers a high dynamics in national territory, very implemented in the aftermath of the great fires that occurred between June and October 2017 and with the revision of the Regional Forest Management Programmes. In this context, the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage (DGPC) and the Regional Directorates for Culture formed a Task Force (TF) for the definition of procedures and regulations in the context of safeguarding of archaeological heritage in forestry and intensive agriculture projects. Within the scope of forestry projects, the TF produced a set of guidelines relating the safeguarding of the archaeological heritage, to be implemented in multi-annual plantations with impacting techniques of soil mobilization (namely: removal of stones, heavy mechanical scarification, subsoiling, ground levelling, mega ridges-furrows, and terracing, among others). Another of the TF activity area is related with the preparation of awareness raising actions, both for stakeholders in local administration, with obligations in territory management, and for those with interests associated with forestry, which includes owners, investors and forest managers. Thus, it is intended to advertise the initiatives that have been developed in order to introduce and promote good practices related with the safeguarding of the cultural heritage in forestry operations, in order to stimulate a sustainable relationship between man and his territory, namely, with the Archaeological Heritage, a finite and non-renewable resource
Expansão urbana da vila de Cascais no século XVII e XVIII: a intervenção arqueológica na Rua da Vitória nº 15 a 17
Authors: Pereira Tiago , Filipe Vanessa
Published: November 2020

The archaeological intervention at Rua da Vitória 15-17, Cascais, was motivated by an urban rehabilitation project for a buldind located nearby the center of the village. The original bulding foundation date from late 17th century and 18th century, above a series of deposits containing ceramics, fauna, glass and metals as a result of landfill of domestic waste. Between these deposits we registered several small pits used as household waste disposal. The previous occupation in this area corresponds to a minor agricultural production from 15th or 16th century probably a small vineyard field. We report were evidence of the urban expansion of ancient village of Cascais occurred since 16th century, and the development of urban area to open areas of landfill
Áreas de Potencial Arqueológico na Região do Médio Tejo: Modelo Espacial Preditivo
Authors: Anastácio Rita Fereira , Martins Ana Filipa , Oosterbeek Luiz
Published: November 2020

This article presents the results of the construction of an Archaeological Predictive Spatial Model based on the analysis of a set of variables. The main objective of this study is to identify areas of archaeological potential for archaeological exploration, for the Médio Tejo Region. This areas are more likely to occur in new sites, through the application of predictive spatial models, starting from a base of geographic data from archaeological sites compiled and updated in their various chronologies, and modeled through Geographic Information Systems, within the framework of the MTAS research project, supported by FCT. Thus, through an essentially statistical, descriptive and univariate methodology and using two methods - the method of binary addition and the method of weights - the areas with potential for prospecting new archaeological sites were obtained for the Médio Tejo Region
Escola Profissional de Arqueologia: desafios e oportunidades
Authors: Nunes Susana , Pinto Dulcineia , Silva Júlia , Mascarenhas Ana
Published: November 2020

The permanent challenge of education in general, and vocational education in particular, requires a permanent adaptation of pedagogical practices to the global world in which we live. The younger generations raise the need for strategies that make pedagogical practices more motivating and appropriate to a world in constant change. In response to this challenge, the Professional School of Archeology (EPA) has been developing projects and activities that allow, on the one hand, to equip our students with specific technical skills in the area of archeology; and on the other hand, to disseminate and promote the taste and respect for cultural heritage, particularly archaeological
O projeto FIRST-ART – conservação, documentação e gestão das primeiras manifestações de arte rupestre no Sudoeste da Península Ibérica: as grutas do Escoural e Maltravieso
Authors: Garcês Sara , Collado Hipólito , García Arranz José Júlio , Oosterbeek Luiz , Silva António Carlos , Rosina Pierluigi , Gomes Hugo , Pereira Anabela Borralheiro , Nash George , Gomes Esmeralda , Almeida Nelson , Carpetudo Carlos
Published: November 2020

The caves of Escoural and Maltravieso are the only caves with Palaeolithic rock art in the Southwest Peninsula. These two contexts are similar in their geological characteristics, circumstances of their discoveries, state of conservation, location outside the preferential territorial scope of Palaeolithic art and in the absence of a tradition of scientific research. This set of factors is governed by the need to prioritize the conservation of both cavities in the context of the growing social interest in the first manifestations of rock art. The FIRST-ART project intends to improve the knowledge of both caves taking into account their technical, stylistic and iconographic aspects through multidisciplinary research and the application of new analysis and documentation technologies using digital and 3D
O sítio acheulense do Plistocénico médio da Gruta da Aroeira
Authors: Daura Joan , Sanz Montserrat , Rodrigues Filipa , Souto Pedro , Zilhão João
Published: November 2020

Dated to ca. 400 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 11), the site of Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal) is one of the very few Middle Pleistocene localities that have yielded a fossil hominin cranium associated with Acheulean bifaces, in a cave context. Our multi-analytical approach to the site’s archaeological record focused on different aspects: the human cranium (Aroeira 3), the faunal remains, the use of fire, and the lithic industry. The Aroeira 3 fossil cranium displays a primitive bony labyrinth and a perimortem bone fracture. The lithic assemblage suggests limited mobility, with on-site knapping; the bifaces, however, were brought to the site as finished tools. Among the faunal remains, the primate Macaca sylvanus is present and cervids, including the Mediterranean deer Haploidocerus mediterraneus, previously undocumented in the Middle Pleistocene of the Iberian Peninsula, predominate. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction using the small vertebrate assemblage suggests an open woodland landscape with semi-humid conditions. The presence of combustion by-products supports the controlled use of fire by the peoples of the Acheulean
Uma perspetiva diacrónica da ocupação do concheiro do Cabeço da Amoreira (Muge, Portugal) a partir da tecnologia lítica
Authors: Belmiro Joana , Cascalheira João , Gonçalves Célia
Published: November 2020

This study presents preliminary results from a technological analysis of lithic artefacts from the Mesolithic shellmidden of Cabeço da Amoreira (Muge, Portugal). The main goal was to understand the technological and raw material variability within the two main excavation areas of the site, in order to characterize the different occupation moments. A typological and attribute approach was used in the analysis. The results suggest a clear distinction of the lithic assemblages, associated with the sedimentary differences identified in the composition of the several layers. This separation can be found mostly in the frequencies of raw materials, cores and retouched tools