The glacial geomorphology of the Río Corcovado, Río Huemul and Lago Palena/Lago General Vintter valleys, northeastern Patagonia (43°S, 71°W)

International audienceThis study presents the first detailed glacial geomorphological map of the sediment-landform assemblages formed by three eastern outlet glaciers of the former Patagonian Ice Sheet. These glaciers occupied the Río Corcovado, Río Huemul and Lago Palena/General Vintter valleys, Chubut province, Argentina (43°S, 71°W). By combining remote sensing and field-mapping, we build on previous ice-sheet scale mapping and geological surveys to provide high-resolution spatial information on local ice-contact glaciogenic, glaciofluvial, glaciolacustrine, and subglacial landforms. Twenty-five landform types, many of which are newly mapped in the region, were digitized as georeferenced shapefiles over a 5300 km2 area. This map enables the identification of former ice-flow directions, relative ice-margin positions and glaciofluvial drainage pathways for each preserved Quaternary glaciation. It also elucidates the former areal extent, geolocation and spillways of glaciolacustrine bodies formed during the last deglaciation. The map delivers an essential framework on which to build robust glacier-scale geomorphological and geochronological reconstructions

An Empirical Analysis on Board Monitoring Role and Loan Portfolio Quality Measurement in Banks

This paper aims to analyze the effectiveness of the board monitoring role on specific loan portfolio quality measures in banks (default rate, recovery rate and provisioning rate). We use a sample comprises a totality of Italian-based banks, listed at Borsa Italiana SpA in 2006-2008 and a number of accounting proxies to express the loan portfolio quality of a bank. The results of the analysis show an overall weakness of the board role (expressed by Independents and Audit Committee on board) in monitoring loan portfolio quality of the bank, with the subsequent damage of the interests of stakeholders. A positive contribution of board monitoring, even if partial, is highlighted in two cases: Independents seems improve recovery rate, while the Audit committee enhances provisioning rate in banks. With reference to default rate, a total negative effect of board monitoring is reported. On the base of these results, some managerial implications are proposed

Lixiviaçao cloridrica de rochas fosfaticas com recuperaçao de terras-raras: estudo de caso - Angico dos Dias

International audienc

Lixiviaçao cloridrica de rochas fosfaticas com recuperaçao de terras-raras: estudo de caso - Angico dos Dias

International audienc

Water sports could contribute to the translocation of ranaviruses

6 páginas, 2 figuras.Ranaviruses have been identifed as the cause of explosive disease outbreaks in amphibians worldwide and can be transmitted between hosts both via direct and indirect contact, in which humans might contribute to the translocation of contaminated material. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible role of water sports in the human translocation of ranavirus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal). A total of 234 boats were sampled during the spring Spanish Canoe Championship which took place in Pontillón de Castro, a reservoir with a history of ranavirosis, in May 2017. Boats were tested for the presence of ranavirus and Batrachochytrium spp. DNA, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction techniques (qPCR). A total of 22 swabs (22/234, 9.40%) yielded qPCR-positive results for Ranavirus DNA while Bd or Bsal were not detected in any of the samples. We provide the frst evidence that human-related water sports could be a source of ranavirus contamination, providing justifcation for public disinfecting stations in key areas where human trafc from water sports is high.Tis study was partially funded by the Principado de Asturias, PCTI 2018–2020 (GRUPIN: IDI2018-000237) and FEDER. We thank Benjamin Rabanal from the Laboratorio de Técnicas Instrumentales, University of León, for Batrachochytrium spp. PCR analysis, and Frank Pasmans’ Lab for kindly providing Bd and Bsal DNA controls