Spatio-temporal analyses of the relationship between armed conflict and climate change in the eastern Africa

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies.

Fearful asymmetry: An analysis of pre-earnings abnormal returns

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Finance from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Groundwater quality, vulnerability and potential assessment in Kobo Valley development project, Ethiopia

This study deals with investigating the groundwater quality for irrigation purpose, the vulnerability of the aquifer system to pollution and also the aquifer potential for sustainable water resources development in Kobo Valley development project. The groundwater quality is evaluated up on predicting the best possible distribution of hydrogeochemicals using geostatistical method and comparing them with the water quality guidelines given for the purpose of irrigation. The hydro geochemical parameters considered are SAR, EC, TDS, Cl-, Na+, Ca++, SO4 2- and HCO3 -. The spatial variability map reveals that these parameters falls under safe, moderate and severe or increasing problems. In order to present it clearly, the aggregated Water Quality Index (WQI) map is constructed using Weighted Arithmetic Mean method. It is found that Kobo-Gerbi sub basin is suffered from bad water quality for the irrigation purpose. Waja Golesha sub-basin has moderate and Hormat Golena is the better sub basin in terms of water quality. The groundwater vulnerability assessment of the study area is made using the GOD rating system. It is found that the whole area is experiencing moderate to high risk of vulnerability and it is a good warning for proper management of the resource. The high risks of vulnerability are noticed in Hormat Golena and Waja Golesha sub basins. The aquifer potential of the study area is obtained using weighted overlay analysis and 73.3% of the total area is a good site for future water well development. The rest 26.7% of the area is not considered as a good site for spotting groundwater wells. Most of this area fall under Kobo-Gerbi sub basin.

Improving the early diagnostic of prostate cancer by multiple biomarker detection with new biosensing devices

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common form of cancer in men, in Europe (World Health Organization data). The most recent statistics, in Portuguese territory, confirm this scenario, which states that about 50% of Portuguese men may suffer from prostate cancer and 15% of these will die from this condition. Its early detection is therefore fundamental. This is currently being done by Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) screening in urine but false positive and negative results are quite often obtained and many patients are sent to unnecessary biopsy procedures. This early detection protocol may be improved, by the development of point-of-care cancer detection devices, not only to PSA but also to other biomarkers recently identified. Thus, the present work aims to screen several biomarkers in cultured human prostate cell lines, serum and urine samples, developing low cost sensors based on new synthetic biomaterials. Biomarkers considered in this study are the following: prostate specific antigen (PSA), annexin A3 (ANXA3), microseminoprotein-beta (MSMB) and sarcosine (SAR). The biomarker recognition may occurs by means of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP), which are a kind of plastic antibodies, and enzymatic approaches. The growth of a rigid polymer, chemically stable, using the biomarker as a template allows the synthesis of the plastic antibody. MIPs show high sensitivity/selectivity and present much longer stability and much lower price than natural antibodies. This nanostructured material was prepared on a carbon solid. The interaction between the biomarker and the sensing-material produces electrical signals generating quantitative or semi-quantitative data. These devices allow inexpensive and portable detection in point-of-care testing.

Estudo etnofarmacognóstico da saracuramirá (Ampelozizyphus amazonicus Ducke), uma planta medicinal usada por comunidades quilombolas do Município de Oriximiná-PA, Brasil

Um levantamento etnobotânico realizado em comunidades quilombolas de Oriximiná, Pará, destacou a saracuramirá (SAR), Ampelozizyphus amazonicus Ducke, com vasto uso popular no tratamento da malária, como tônica e depurativa. Por este motivo, o presente trabalho objetivou realizar um estudo etnofarmacognóstico da SAR nas respectivas comunidades. Por meio de uma análise etnobotânica quantitativa, foi verificado que SAR apresentou-se dentre as 10 espécies mais versáteis pela elevada importância relativa (1,3), dentre as cinco espécies com maior importância cultural pelo elevado índice de saliência (0,311) e a espécie com maior concordância de uso principal para malária (85,7%). Uma análise do índice de espuma e do índice de hemólise para SAR demonstra a presença de saponinas com elevado índice de espuma (833) e uma baixa atividade hemolítica (CH50 2,6 mg mL-1). Para realizar uma análise das agliconas das saponinas de SAR, a bebida preparada pelo método tradicional quilombola (BMT) foi hidrolisada e, após reação com diazometano, foi analisada por cromatografia gasosa. Dois sinais majoritários foram caracterizados por espectrometria de massas, um referente a um triterpeno de esqueleto damarânico, característico das saponinas da SAR, e outro referente ao éster metílico do ácido betulínico. Partindo das informações de uso popular da SAR, foi avaliada in vitro a atividade inibidora da acetilcolinesterase. Apesar de BMT não ter mostrado atividade neste ensaio, é possível supor que as indicações de uso desta planta pelos quilombolas como fortificante e contra malária podem estar relacionadas a uma possível atividade adaptógena e imunoestimulante, dada à presença das saponinas e do ácido betulínico em BMT.

Análise do potencial de imagem TerraSAR-X para mapeamento temático no sudoeste da Amazônia brasileira

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o potencial de imagens SAR polarimétricas do sensor TerraSAR-X, no modo StripMap, para mapear o uso e cobertura da terra na região sudoeste da Amazônia brasileira. No procedimento metodológico imagens de amplitude nas polarizações A HH e A VV, A

Land cover classification of Lago Grande de Curuai floodplain (Amazon, Brazil) using multi-sensor and image fusion techniques

Given the limitations of different types of remote sensing images, automated land-cover classifications of the Amazon várzea may yield poor accuracy indexes. One way to improve accuracy is through the combination of images from different sensors, by either image fusion or multi-sensor classifications. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine which classification method is more efficient in improving land cover classification accuracies for the Amazon várzea and similar wetland environments - (a) synthetically fused optical and SAR images or (b) multi-sensor classification of paired SAR and optical images. Land cover classifications based on images from a single sensor (Landsat TM or Radarsat-2) are compared with multi-sensor and image fusion classifications. Object-based image analyses (OBIA) and the J.48 data-mining algorithm were used for automated classification, and classification accuracies were assessed using the kappa index of agreement and the recently proposed allocation and quantity disagreement measures. Overall, optical-based classifications had better accuracy than SAR-based classifications. Once both datasets were combined using the multi-sensor approach, there was a 2% decrease in allocation disagreement, as the method was able to overcome part of the limitations present in both images. Accuracy decreased when image fusion methods were used, however. We therefore concluded that the multi-sensor classification method is more appropriate for classifying land cover in the Amazon várzea.

Síntese e testes in vitro de novas pirimido[5,4-d] pirimidinas em células resistentes do cancro coloretal

Dissertação de mestrado em Química Medicinal

Influence of angiotensin II receptor subtypes of the paraventricular nucleus on the physiological responses induced by angiotensin II injection into the medial septal area

OBJECTIVE: We determined the effects of losartan and PD 123319 (antagonists of the AT1 and AT2 angiotensin receptors, respectively), and [Sar¹, Ala8] ANG II (a relatively peptide antagonist of angiotensin receptors) injected into the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) on water and 3% NaCl intake, and the diuretic, natriuretic, and pressor effects induced by administration of angiotensin II (ANG II) into the medial septal area (MSA) of conscious rats. METHODS: Holtzman rats were used . Animals were anesthetized with tribromoethanol (20 mg) per 100 grams of body weight, ip. A stainless steel guide cannula was implanted into the MSA and PVN. All drugs were injected in 0.5-mul volumes for 10-15 seconds. Seven days after brain surgery, water and 3% NaCl intake, urine and sodium excretion, and arterial blood pressure were measured. RESULTS: Losartan (40 nmol) and [Sar¹, Ala8] ANG II (40 nmol) completely eliminated whereas PD 123319 (40 nmol) partially blocked the increase in water and sodium intake and the increase in arterial blood pressure induced by ANG II (10 nmol) injected into the MSA. The PVN administration of PD 123319 and [Sar¹, Ala8] ANG II blocked whereas losartan attenuated the diuresis and natriuresis induced by MSA administration of ANG II. CONCLUSION: MSA involvement with PVN on water and sodium homeostasis and arterial pressure modulation utilizing ANGII receptors is suggested.

Voyage de la corvette l'Astrolabe : exécuté par ordre du roi, pendant les années 1826-1827-1828-1829 / sous le commandement de J. Dumont d'Urville.

Botanique pt.1-2 [pt.2 precedes pt.1] (1832-1834)

Voyage de la corvette l'Astrolabe : exécuté par ordre du roi, pendant les années 1826-1827-1828-1829 / sous le commandement de J. Dumont d'Urville.

Botanique Atlas (1833)

imaging capabilities of ground penetrating radar for the detection of buries anti-personnel landmines

Subsurface Radar, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Anti-Personnel Landmine, Antenna Desing, Field Simulation, Focusing, Dielectric Lens, Geophysics, Soil Properties

Voyage de la corvette l'Astrolabe : exécuté par ordre du roi, pendant les années 1826-1827-1828-1829 / sous le commandement de J. Dumont d'Urville.

Zoologie t.2:pt.1 (1832)