Clavicles and interclavicles are plesiomorphically present in Reptilia. However, several groups show reduction or even loss of these elements. Crocodylimorpha, e.g., lost the clavicles, whereas dinosaurs are generally interpreted to only preserve the clavicles, the theropod furcula representing an unique case of fused clavicles. In sauropods, reports of clavicles are relatively frequent in non-titanosauriforms. These elements are elongated, curved, and rather stout bones with a spatulate and a bifurcate end. However, they were always found as single bones, and differ from the relatively short and unbifurcated clavicles found articulated with the scapulae of basal sauropodomorphs. Elements from the Howe Quarry (Late Jurassic; Wyoming, USA) shed new light on these interpretations. Besides the elongated, curved bones (herein named morphotype A), also pairs of symmetric, L-shaped bones were recovered (morphotype B), associated with diplodocid dorsal and cervical vertebrae. Elements resembling morphotype B - articulated between the scapulae - have recently been reported from a diplodocid found near Tensleep, Wyoming. Taphonomic evidence, as well as the fact that they were preserved in symmetrical pairs, therefore implies that morphotype B represents the true sauropod clavicles. Contrary to earlier reports, morphotype A elements from the Howe Quarry, as well as of previously reported specimens show a symmetry plane following the long axis of the elements. It is thus possible that the morphotype A elements were single bones from the body midline. The only such element present in the pectoral girdle of tetrapods are the interclavicle and the furcula. Comparison with crocodilian and lacertiform interclavicles indicates that the bifurcate end of the sauropod elements might represent the reduced transverse processes of the anterior end, and the spatulate end would have covered the coracoids or sternal plates ventrally. The presence of both clavicles and interclavicles in the pectoral girdle stiffens the anterior trunk, and enhances considerably its stability. Such an enforcement might have been needed in diplodocids due to the strong lateral forces induced to the fore-limbs by the posteriorly placed center of mass (due to shorter fore- than hind-limbs), as well as lateral movements of the enormously elongated necks and tails. The absence of clavicles and interclavicles in titanosauriforms coincides with the development of wide-gauge locomotion style. The presence of interclavicles in sauropods supports the recently proposed homology of the furcula with the interclavicle, instead of representing fused clavicles. Interclavicles were thus not lost, but may have remained cartilaginous or have yet to be found in basal dinosauriforms.

Although nonavian theropod have received considerable interest in the last years, their ontogeny still remains poorly understood, especially the ontogenetical changes affecting their skull (Rauhutand Fechner, 2005). The quadrate, for instance, is preserved in several embryos and juvenile specimens belonging to many clades of theropods such as the Tyrannosauridae (Carr, 1999), Compsognathidae (Dal Sasso and Maganuco, 2011), Therizinosauroidea (Kúndrat et al., 2007), Oviraptoridae (Norell et al., 1994; Norell et al., 2001; Weishampel et al., 2008) and Troodontidae (Varrichio et al., 2002) but very little is usually said about the anatomy of this bone and no one has ever investigated ontogenetical variation in the nonavian theropod quadrate. The discovery of two quadrates belonging to embryos of the sinraptorid Lourinhanosaurus antunesi from Portugal and five isolated quadrates pertaining to juvenile, subadult and adult specimens of Spinosauridae from Morocco fills this gap and allows some ontogenetic information to be drawn for this bone in these two specific clades of Theropoda.

The basal part of the Triassic-Jurassic (Rhaetian-Sinemurian) Kap Stewart Formation, exposed at Jameson Land, East Greenland, yields an extensive coprolite collection from black, parallel-laminated mudstone (“paper shale”), representing an open lacustrine system. Preliminary investigations show three different types of coprolites: elongated cylindrical masses, composed of irregularly wrapped layers; elongated cylindrical masses with constriction marks; and spirally-coiled specimens.

Since its invention, paper has become one of the main carriers of our cultural, scientific, political, economic and historical information. Given the importance of this material, its preservation is a matter of great interest. Paper can be deteriorated due to physical, chemical and biological agents. Within microorganisms, fungi are the major paper biodeteriogens. Throughout history, several methods have been used to prevent and stop fungal deterioration on paper based materials. In this work we present a review of the main chemical and physical methods used to avoid fungal paper biodeterioration until nowadays and also of some new approaches tested recently. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are discussed as well as their health effects. Studies regarding antifungal compositions, methods of application, performance and effects on the treated materials are also presented with the aim of providing a clear set of conclusions on the topic. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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n this extended abstract we present a bidirectional model-driven framework to develop spreadsheets. By being model driven, our approach allows to evolve a spreadsheet model and automatically have the data co-evolved. The bidirectional component achieves precisely the inverse, that is, to evolve the data and automatically obtain a new model to which the data conforms.

Spreadsheets play an important role in software organizations. Indeed, in large software organizations, spreadsheets are not only used to define sheets containing data and formulas, but also to collect information from different systems, to adapt data coming from one system to the format required by another, to perform operations to enrich or simplify data, etc. In fact, over time many spreadsheets turn out to be used for storing and processing increasing amounts of data and supporting increasing numbers of users. Unfortunately, spreadsheet systems provide poor support for modularity, abstraction, and transformation, thus, making the maintenance, update and evolution of spreadsheets a very complex and error-prone task. We present techniques for model-driven spreadsheet engineering where we employ bidirectional transformations to maintain spreadsheet models and instances synchronized. In our setting, the business logic of spreadsheets is defined by ClassSheet models to which the spreadsheet data conforms, and spreadsheet users may evolve both the model and the data instances. Our techniques are implemented as part of the MDSheet framework: an extension for a traditional spreadsheet system.

Biocompatible and biodegradable water-soluble dendrimers comprising ureas within the interior and amino groups on the periphery were synthesized in supercritical carbon dioxide (dendrimer of generation 1 shown in picture). This novel class of dendrimers shows a pH-dependent intrinsic blue fluorescence at very low concentrations, which makes them potential polymeric fluorescent cell markers.

The present work is devoted to the study of the decontamination of chars obtained in the co-pyrolysis of plastics, biomass and tyre wastes. The chars were extracted with several organic solvents of different polarities either individually or in sequence. The ability of each selected extractant to remove toxic pollutants was evaluated by comparing the extraction yields and by characterizing the crude extracts with a combination of chemical analysis and toxicity bioassays. Also, the mineral composition of the treated and non-treated chars was assessed. The results obtained in this study indicate that hexane is the more efficient extraction solvent to be used in the organic decontamination of chars obtained in the co-pyrolysis of plastics, tyres and biomass. A sequential extraction with solvents of increasing polarity can provide a better decontamination of the raw pyrolysis char than any individual extraction. The compounds removed from the char during the decontamination process are mainly aliphatic hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons, therefore a material that may be upgraded to be used as a fuel and/or as raw material for the organic chemical industry.

The co-combustion of coal and meat and bone meal (MBM) is a possible energetic valorization route for this residue. Nevertheless, the properties of ashes produced need to be studied. To evaluate these properties, three combustion tests were performed in a fluidized bed reactor: 1) coal combustion; 2) coal + MBM (85% + 15%) co-combustion; 3) MBM combustion. The characterization of ashes was focused on the following aspects: (1) Determination of bulk content of Cr, Zn, Ni, Cu, Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Ba, Mo, Sb, Se, Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, Al and K; (2) Leaching properties of ashes based on the European Standard EN12457-2. The eluates were characterized for some of the metals referred above and for Cr VI, CN−, pH, Cl−, F−, SO42−, dissolved organic carbon and total dissolved solids. The eluates were also characterized for ecotoxicological levels by using the following bio-indicators: bacterium V. fischeri, microalgae S. capricornutum and microcrustacean D. magna. The ashes produced in the combustion of coal and co-combustion of coal + MBM have not shown evidences of ecotoxicity, while the ashes produced in the combustion of MBM were classified as ecotoxic. An assessment of the relationship between the chemical and the ecotoxicological properties of the ashes was performed. pH seemed to be the chemical parameter that most influences the ecotoxicological level of ashes.