Clay mineralogy of South Atlantic surface sediments

Surface samples, mostly from abyssal sediments of the South Atlantic, from parts of the equatorial Atlantic, and of the Antarctic Ocean, were investigated for clay content and clay mineral composition. Maps of relative clay mineral content were compiled, which improve previous maps by showing more details, especially at high latitudes. Large-scale relations regarding the origin and transport paths of detrital clay are revealed. High smectite concentrations are observed in abyssal regions, primarily derived from southernmost South America and from minor sources in Southwest Africa. Near submarine volcanoes of the Antarctic Ocean (South Sandwich, Bouvet Island) smectite contents exhibit distinct maxima, which is ascribed to the weathering of altered basalts and volcanic glasses. The illite distribution can be subdivided into five major zones including two maxima revealing both South African and Antarctic sources. A particularly high amount of Mg- and Fe-rich illites are observed close to East Antarctica. They are derived from biotite-bearing crystalline rocks and transported to the west by the East Antarctic Coastal Current. Chiorite and well-crystallized dioctaedral illite are typical minerals enriched within the Subantarctic and Polarfrontal-Zone but of minor importance off East Antarctica. Kaolinite dominates the clay mineral assemblage at low latitudes, where the continental source rocks (West Africa, Brazil) are mainly affected by intensive chemical weathering. Surprisingly, a slight increase of kaolinite is observed in the Enderby Basin and near the Filchner-Ronne Ice shelf. The investigated area can be subdivided into ten, large-scale clay facies zones with characteristic possible source regions and transport paths. Clay mineral assemblages of the largest part of the South Atlantic, especially of the western basins are dominated by chlorite and illite derived from the Antarctic Peninsula and southernmost South America and supported by advection within the Circumantarctic Deep Water flow. In contrast, the East Antarctic provinces are relatively small. Assemblages of the eastern basins north of 30°S are strongly influenced by African sources, controlled by weathering regimes on land and by a complex interaction of wind, river and deep ocean transport. The strong gradient in clay mineral composition at the Brazilian slope indicate a relatively low contribution of tropically derived assemblages to the western basins.

The relationship between vegetation and modern pollen assemblages on Mount Paggeo (NE Greece)

In this study, we investigated the relationship between vegetation and modern-pollen rain along the elevational gradient of Mount Paggeo. We apply multivariate data analysis to assess the relationship between vegetation and modern-pollen rain and quantify the representativeness of forest zones. This study represents the first statistical analysis of pollen-vegetation relationship along an elevational gradient in Greece. Hence, this paper improves confidence in interpretation of palynological records from north-eastern Greece and may refine past climate reconstructions for a more accurate comparison of data and modelling. Numerical classification and ordination were performed on pollen data to assess differences among plant communities that beech (Fagus sylvatica) dominates or co-dominates. The results show a strong relationship between altitude, arboreal cover, human impact and variations in pollen and nonpollen palynomorph taxa percentages.

"Lancea", Lusitanian Word, and the "Lancienses" Ethnogenesis

Analysis of the word lancea, of Hispanic origin after Varro, and of place names, people´s names and personal names derived from it. It confirms that the spear was the most important weapon in the Bronze Age, belonging to the iuventus and used as heroic and divine symbol. This analysis confirms also the personality of the Lusitanians, a people related to the Celts but with more archaic archaeological, linguistic and cultural characteristics originated in the tradition of the Atlantic Bronze in the II millennium BC. It is also relevant to better know the organisation of Broze and Iron Age societies and the origin of Indo-Europeans peoples in Western Europe and of pre-Roman peoples of Iberia.

Efeitos ventilatórios da fisioterapia respiratória com e sem hiperinsuflação manual em recém-nascidos pré-termos sob ventilação mecânica

Atualmente, os recém-nascidos nascem cada vez mais prematuros, dependendo de cuidados intensivos neonatais. Nesse sentido, a fisioterapia respiratória tem adquirido um espaço cada vez maior, e juntamente com uma equipe multidisciplinar presta assistência a esses recém-nascidos prematuros. Entre as diversas técnicas utilizadas pelos fisioterapeutas, a hiperinsuflação manual tem tido papel fundamental na remoção de secreções brônquicas. Objetivo: Avaliar os efeitos hemodinâmicos e respiratórios da fisioterapia respiratória, com ou sem a manobra de hiperinsuflação manual em recém-nascidos prematuros. Método: Participaram deste estudo 9 recém-nascidos prematuros com idade gestacional média 32,364 semanas, nascidos no Hospital Universitário Alzira Velano, no período de abril a novembro de 2015. Os recém-nascidos foram aleatoriamente divididos em 2 grupos: B, onde se realizou a fisioterapia respiratória associada a hiperinsuflação manual; e o grupo A, em que receberam somente a fisioterapia respiratória. Foram avaliados os seguintes parâmetros: frequência cardíaca, frequência respiratória e saturação de oxigênio, 5 minutos antes da realização dos procedimentos, 1 minuto e trinta minutos após os procedimentos. Resultados: Em relação à frequência cardíaca, a fisioterapia respiratória (FR) não demonstrou diferenças estatisticamente significativas nos momentos avaliados A1 (147,80), A2 (158,40) e A3 (151,20), bem como na fisioterapia respiratória associada à hiperinsuflação manual (FR+HM) nos mesmos momentos A1 (130,75), A2 (138,50) e A3 (137,25). Na frequência respiratória também não se verificou diferenças estatisticamente significativas nos momentos A1 (53,80), A2 (50,60) e A3 (46,60) com FR e nos mesmos momentos A1 (57,00), A2 (52,25) e A3 (59,50) com FR+HM. Na saturação de oxigênio, a FR nos momentos avaliados A1 (94,80), A2 (95,60) e A3 (95,60) não demonstrou alterações estatisticamente significativas como visto também na FR+HM nos mesmos momentos avaliados A1 (94,25), A2 (92,50) e A3 (95,00).Conclusão: Verificou-se com os resultados que as frequências cardíacas e respiratórias e a saturação de oxigênio não apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas pré e pós realização da fisioterapia respiratória convencional ou associada à hiperinsuflação manual.