A stylolite is a common sedimentary feature acting as a weakness plane in sedimentary rocks, especially carbonates. This sedimentary feature can cause anisotropic behaviors in some inherent properties of rock. The present study investigated the effect of a stylolite plane containing clay mineral as the filling material, in both the dry and saturated states, on the behavior of uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and Brazilian tensile strength (BTS) of limestone widely used in building applications. Specimens at different angles of the stylolite plane (beta), namely, 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees (beta is the angle between the stylolite plane and loading axis), taken from limestone under both dry and saturated conditions, were subjected to UCS and BTS tests. The findings indicate anisotropic behaviors of the UCS and BTS of the sample as a function of beta. Moreover, the values of UCS and BTS are strongly affected by water effects, such that the sample suffers significant reductions in these properties after being saturated. Overall, the results show that beta, the type of filling material, and test specimen state (i.e., dry or saturated) should be considered for a more accurate assessment of limestone quality. When taking these factors into account, the limestone used in a building is expected to have a longer service life.

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Arucas ignimbrite, commercially known as Lomo Tomás de León, is a volcanic building stone widely used in the Canary Islands and exported internationally. This study evaluates its durability after 60 freeze–thaw and 60 thermal shock cycles using apparent density, open porosity, water absorption, ultrasound propagation velocity, mercury intrusion porosimetry, fluorescein-impregnated thin sections, uniaxial compressive strength and colour variation. Both ageing procedures produced descriptive changes, but with different intensity and evolution. Although pairwise changes in physical properties did not reach statistical significance after Bonferroni correction, freeze–thaw ageing showed larger changes in mean open porosity (+20.5%) and water absorption (+5.8%), together with ultrasound propagation velocity reductions of up to 12.6% and compressive-strength losses of approximately 21–22%. Thermal shock produced more moderate and partly non-monotonic changes in pore-related properties, with strength losses of 8.9–18.4% and ultrasound propagation velocity reductions of up to 13.5%. Apparent density remained virtually unchanged under both treatments. Microstructural observations suggested that deterioration may have been influenced by the anisotropic flow fabric, large feldspar crystals, porous glassy matrix and pore-size distribution. The porous matrix may have partially accommodated thermally induced strains, whereas freeze–thaw ageing was associated with a more developed fracture network, consistent with opening and propagation of pre-existing discontinuities and possible formation of new microcracks. Colour changes remained moderate and were mainly related to surface lightness. Overall, the results show greater susceptibility to freeze–thaw ageing and support durability assessment of volcanic-stone building elements.

Wild birds are increasingly exposed to anthropogenic threats that compromise population viability. Wildlife rehabilitation centers provide valuable data to monitor these pressures and their conservation implications. This retrospective study analyzed wild bird admissions to the Wildlife Recovery Center of the University of Tr & aacute;s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (CRAS-UTAD) in northern Portugal between January 2007 and October 2025. A total of 5090 birds from 135 species and 44 families were admitted. Causes of admission were grouped into 11 categories, and outcomes into 7. Admissions increased over time, rising from approximately 160 birds in 2007 to more than 430 in 2025, although the overall temporal trend was not statistically significant. Birds of prey were the most frequently admitted group, particularly Strix aluco (9.16%) and Buteo buteo (8.00%). The most common causes of admission were orphaned birds (26.2%), followed by seizures from illegal captivity (12.2%) and collisions (5.0%). Overall, 43.2% of birds were released, while 29.4% died and 18.3% were euthanized. Admission cause was strongly associated with outcome, with electrocution showing the poorest prognosis and seizure from illegal captivity the highest probability of release. These findings highlight the major impact of human activities on wild bird morbidity and mortality and reinforce the importance of rehabilitation centers as sentinels for conservation and mitigation strategies.

Building stones are among the most widely used construction materials in building. The Brazilian tensile strength (BTS) is a key indicator for evaluating the durability of building stone against deterioration processes. To date, no quantitative–qualitative classification for the BTS of building stones has been introduced in the literature. This poses a serious challenge for building engineers and architects in selecting the most durable building stone in terms of BTS. In the present study, a novel classification for igneous building stones based on BTS was proposed. In this classification, stones fall into the seven BTS classes: weak (BTS < 1.3 MPa), moderately weak (BTS 1.3–4.2 MPa), strong (BTS 4.2–10.1 MPa), very strong (BTS 10.1–19.3 MPa), and extremely strong (BTS > 19.3 MPa). The applicability of the BTS classification was confirmed using data published on the BTS values of the building stones subjected to deterioration processes. Based on data analysis, it was found that a stone classified into a BTS class with a higher strength can exhibit better quality in terms of its durability against deterioration processes. Consequently, BTS classification has significant advantages as an efficient and practical tool in selecting the most durable building stone for use in a building.

One of the significant challenges facing modern medicine is the rising rate of antibiotic resistance, which impacts public health, animal health, and environmental preservation. Evaluating antibiotic resistance in wildlife and their environments is crucial, as it offers essential insights into the dynamics of resistance patterns and promotes strategies for monitoring, prevention, and intervention. Klebsiella and Raoultella genera isolates were recovered from fecal samples of wild animals and environmental samples using media without antibiotic supplementation. Antibiograms were performed for 15 antibiotics to determine the phenotypic resistance profile in these isolates. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production was tested by the double-disc synergy test, and one ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae isolate was screened by PCR and whole-genome sequencing. Biofilm production was analyzed using the microtiter plate method. A total of 23 Klebsiella spp. and 3 Raoultella spp. isolates were obtained from 312 fecal samples from wild animals, 9 Klebsiella spp. and 4 Raoultella spp. isolates were obtained from 18 river and stream water samples, and 4 Klebsiella spp. and 3 Raoultella spp. isolates from 48 soil samples. Regarding antibiotic resistance, only one isolate of K. pneumoniae from soil samples was an ESBL-producer and showed resistance to six antibiotics. This isolate harbored multiple β-lactams genes (blaCTX-M-15, blaTEM-1, blaSHV-28, and blaOXA-1), as well as genes of resistance to quinolones, sulfonamides, tetracycline, aminoglycosides, and chloramphenicol, and belonged to the lineage ST307. Most of the Klebsiella spp. and Raoultella spp. isolates were biofilm producers (except for one Klebsiella isolate), and 45.6% were weak biofilm producers, with the remaining being moderate to strong biofilm producers. We can conclude that antibiotic resistance is not widespread in these environment-associated isolates, which is a positive epidemiological outcome. However, identifying a single ESBL-K. pneumoniae isolate should serve as a warning of potential hotspots of resistance emergence.

In the contemporary context, there is increasing pressure to reduce the environmental impacts of civil engineering while maintaining the durability and safety of constructed buildings [...].

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance in fecal Escherichia coli isolates from wildlife is crucial for monitoring the spread of this microorganism in the environment and for developing effective AMR control strategies. Wildlife can act as carriers of AMR bacteria and spread them to other wildlife, domestic animals, and humans; thus, they have public health implications. A total of 128 Escherichia coli isolates were obtained from 66 of 217 fecal samples obtained from different wild animals using media without antibiotic supplementation. Antibiograms were performed for 17 antibiotics to determine the phenotypic resistance profile in these isolates. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production was tested using the double-disc synergy test, and 29 E. coli strains were selected for whole genome sequencing. In total, 22.1% of the wild animals tested carried multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates, and 0.93% (2/217) of these wild animals carried E. coli isolates with ESBL-encoding genes (blaCTX-M-65, blaCTX-M-55, and blaEC-1982). The E. coli isolates showed the highest resistance rates to ampicillin and were fully susceptible to amikacin, meropenem, ertapenem, and imipenem. Multiple resistance and virulence genes were detected, as well as different plasmids. The relatively high frequency of multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates in wildlife, with some of them being ESBL producers, raises some concern regarding the potential transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria among these animals. Gaining insights into antibiotic resistance patterns in wildlife can be vital in shaping conservation initiatives and developing effective strategies for responsible antibiotic use.

The profitability of stone quarries and processing plants depends significantly on the quality of their products. Apart from visual defects, such as variations in colour, texture or porosity, discontinuities are one of the most important factors, since the intersection of discontinuities determines the size and shape of the unfractured rock mass. The aim of this study is to characterise the discontinuities of a primary block at the quarry face of the "Guama" quarry, located in the south of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), which extracts four varieties of ignimbrite widely used as building stone. The direction and length of the fractures were measured and their spatial distribution was evaluated using 3D Block Expert software. Taking into account that the sidewall will be the new exploitation front once the upper levels (palaeosoil and topsoil) are removed, the main families of joints in this rock massif were identified and their distribution analysed.

One of the methods used to discover the development of deterioration in bricks used as a construction material in a building is the monitoring of the bricks’ strength characteristics over time. However, measuring the strength characteristics of bricks used in a building requires sampling for performing laboratory tests, which is not possible in some cases. As an alternative, ultrasonic wave velocity can be a useful, nondestructive tool for the indirect assessment of the strength characteristics of the bricks. In the present study, six different samples of clay bricks before utilization as construction materials in buildings located in Khorramabad City (Lorestan Province, western Iran) were collected. The mineralogical composition of the samples was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. As one common physical characteristic of the construction materials, the porosity (n) of the samples was measured. Next, the strength characteristics, including uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), Brazilian tensile strength (BTS), and P-wave velocity (Vp), of the samples under dry and saturated conditions were determined. It was found that after the saturation of the samples, considerable decreases in the UCS and BTS and increases in the Vp occurred, respectively. By comparing the values of the UCS, BTS, and Vp of the samples under dry and saturated conditions, we found that the integrity loss for the UCS and BTS was higher than for the Vp. Results showed that the integrity loss of the UCS, BTS, and Vp was significantly affected by the n and clay mineral (CM) content of the samples. Considering the dry or saturated condition of the samples, there are good correlations with acceptable accuracy levels between the Vp and the UCS and BTS, with coefficients of determination (R2) varying from 0.95 to 0.98. Consequently, our findings showed that establishing UCS and BTS predictive equations for bricks before their use as a construction material can be a worthy, practical tool for monitoring the deterioration of bricks over time after their utilization in a building.

Two free-ranging Booted Eagles were rescued in a severe state of cachexia and dehydration. Both had huge oesophageal granulomas, blocking the passage of food. A complete physical examination, x-rays and blood haematology and biochemistry were performed. Samples were taken for fine needle aspiration cytology and the diagnosis was avian trichomoniasis in both cases. Treatment and outcomes of the cases are described below. The aim of this study is to highlight the importance of early recognition of this disease for a more favourable prognosis, and the impact that avian trichomoniasis may have on wild populations of endangered species.

Uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of rocks is one of the main parameters required in the design of geotechnical projects such as tunnels, dams, or rock slopes. According to the literature, there are a large number of predictive regression equations to evaluate the UCS from the point load index (PLI) and Brazilian tensile strength (BTS). However, the equations developed in previous studies have different accuracies in UCS prediction. A more accurate prediction of the UCS will result in a more appropriate design of the geotechnical project, and thus ensure its success during operation. In the present paper, a comparative study was conducted between the accuracy of PLI and BTS in predicting the UCS of the limestone and sandstone. Moreover, the role of porosity (n) on the accuracy of predicting the UCS from PLI and BTS was investigated. Some statistical indices were used to investigating the accuracy of predictive regression equations of UCS. The results revealed that the UCS of rocks can be predicted with a higher accuracy using BTS compared with PLI. Also, the findings showed that the n had a significant role in increasing the accuracy of PLI- and BTS-based regression equations of the UCS predictive. The predictive equations established in the present study can be used in practical applications for indirect evaluation of limestone and sandstone UCS in the site of a geotechnical project.

The aim of this research work was to determine and analyse the mechanical properties of a group of four varieties of ignimbrites, which are differentiated according to their colour: brown, violet, grey and green. These ignimbrites are mined in the southern part of Tenerife (Canary Islands) and are widely used as building stone. Mechanical characterisation was carried out by determining: ultrasound propagation velocity, uniaxial compressive strength, flexural strength under concentrated load, point load strength, Schmidt hammer rebound number and rupture energy. To evaluate the influence of the anisotropy planes and the degree of correlation between the different directions, all tests were done in more than one direction, except for the rupture energy. A simple regression analysis incorporating the physical properties available in the literature is included, with special emphasis on those with the highest correlation coefficient. Finally, a multiple regression analysis is performed to find the best fitting equations to predict the compressive strength. Of the four varieties studied, the green ignimbrite proved to be the one with the highest mechanical strength, with some properties three times higher than those obtained for the brown ignimbrite and almost twice as high as those obtained for the violet ignimbrite and the grey ignimbrite, the latter varieties having a similar behaviour to each other. In most cases, the behaviour of the ignimbrites studied is consistent with their lithology, but some properties of the green ignimbrite exceed the range reported in the literature, thus providing a new reference for this lithotype. Simple regression analysis revealed strong correlations between uniaxial compressive strength and water absorption (r = -0.89) and point load strength (r = 0.85). Flexural strength showed very strong correlation with ultrasonic velocity (r = 0.91) and point load strength (r = 0.95). Applying the multiple regression method, the best estimators of compressive strength found were a model with four independent variables; apparent density, open porosity, water absorption and Schmidt hammer rebound index (R2 = 0.91) and a model with five variables, adding point load resistance (R2 = 0.93).

Under the umbrella of “building stones”, a wide range of research topics are possible. A vast interdisciplinary scientific community provides valuable information that should be considered at several levels. These are the extraction of the stone from the quarry to their application on buildings, and the implementation of conservation measures when necessary. The present special issue contains 44 articles on the research into natural building stones. The editorial intention is to present the main highlights of each paper, which are grouped into the following sections in order to better understand the overall content: Quarrying, Physical–Mechanical Properties, Heritage and Weathering, Restoration and Techniques, Miscellaneous. This volume is dedicated to the memory of Professor Rolf Snethlage. The international community of applied geosciences has lost an important researcher and teacher. Therefore, a brief description of importance of the research carried out by Rolf Snethlage is presented at the end of the Editorial.

This research is a contribution to the mineralogical and physical–mechanical characterisation of the ignimbrites from Arucas (Gran Canaria Island), used as building stones under the commercial names of "Piedra de Arucas Lomo Tomás de León" and "Piedra de Arucas Rosa Silva". This stone has been used for more than five hundred years and is part of the local architectural heritage, but has also been exported to other regions of the world. To perform this characterisation, a chemical analysis was carried out using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), mineralogical and petrographic properties were obtained using polarised optical microscopy (POM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Several physical properties were determined, namely: apparent density (AP), open porosity (OP), water absorption at atmospheric pressure (WA), water absorption by capillarity (WAC), ultrasound velocity (PWV) and colour. Mechanical properties were obtained through compressive strength (UCS), bending strength (BS), point load (PLT), indirect tensile (BTS) and energy at break (IR) tests. To evaluate the durability, the samples were subjected to salt crystallisation cycles (CS), SO 2 action (AS) and salt spray (SS) and the abrasion resistance (AR) was determined. The results obtained show that, although both samples share the same lithology and belong to the same geological formation (Salic Formation, trachytic-phonolitic), they show very different properties. Porosity stands out as the property with the higher difference among the two studied varieties. Therefore, the application of these ignimbrites should be done accordingly, avoiding environmental conditions that promotes the wettability and/or the salt crystallisation.

In current seismic performance-based assessment approaches, nonlinear dynamic analysis of structures generally relies on ground motions selected based on their pseudo-spectral accelerations, with little or no consideration for ground-motion duration. Part I of this study, presented in this article, attempts to comprehensively quantify the impact of ground-motion duration on the nonlinear structural performance of case-study inelastic single-degree-of-freedom systems for shallow-crustal seismicity conditions. The effect of duration is decoupled from that of ground-motion amplitude and spectral shape by assembling sets of spectrally equivalent long- and short-duration records. Such sets are employed in incremental dynamic analyses of a wide range of computational models incorporating in-cycle and cyclic strength and stiffness deterioration. The structural response is quantified in terms of peak- and cumulative-based engineering demand parameters. Formal hypothesis testing is used to assess the statistical significance of duration's impact on the median structural capacity of the considered structural systems. Furthermore, the derivation of duration-dependent fragility and vulnerability relationships demonstrates that ground-motion duration effectively impacts the nonlinear structural performance of various systems, and it should be accounted for in current practice. The fragility median values for highly deteriorating structural systems under long-duration ground motions are found to be up to 21% or 34.0% smaller than the short-duration counterpart if a peak- or cumulative-based engineering demand parameter is adopted, respectively.

Este trabalho investigou a elaboração de composições de tijolos de solo cimento a partir dos resíduos da construção civil (RCC) e do beneficiamento do caulim (RBC) do Amapá. Um solo artificial foi previamente preparado a partir da mistura desses resíduos, produzindo, então, um solo artificial que foi aplicado na formulação de três traços (cimento : solo artificial) :1:10, aplicado como controle, e as variações 1:12 e 1:4. As matérias-primas foram caracterizadas via difração de raios X (DRX) e os tijolos foram testados quanto à resistência à compressão (RC) e absorção de água (AA) após cura durante os períodos de 3, 7 e 28 dias. Aos sete dias de cura todos os blocos formulados apresentaram resultados médios promissores conforme as recomendações da NBR-8492 (mínimo 2 MPa para RC e AA inferior a 20%), os menos resistentes com 2,75 MPa e AA de 17,35% para o traço 1:12, e os mais resistentes com 6,67 MPa e AA de 13,76% para o traço 1:4. O aumento do teor de cimento e do tempo de cura melhorou as propriedades avaliadas, indicando que todas as formulações apresentam potencial para a produção de tijolos de solo-cimento.

This study’s Part I proved that ground-motion duration could play an important role when assessing the nonlinear structural performance of case-study inelastic single degree-of-freedom systems. However, quantifying duration effects in many practical/more realistic engineering applications is not trivial, given the difficulties in decoupling duration from other ground-motion characteristics. This study’s Part II, introduced in this article, explores the impact of duration on nonlinear structural performance by numerically simulating the structural response of realistic case-study reinforced concrete bare and infilled building frames. Advanced computational models incorporating structural components’ cyclic and in-cycle strength and stiffness deterioration, and destabilizing [Formula: see text] effects are used. The proposed methodology relies on the generalized conditional intensity measure approach to select ground motions. This allows selecting records consistent with the seismic hazard at a target site, both in terms of spectral shape and duration. Those are employed as input to cloud-based nonlinear structural response analyses. Variance analysis is used to quantify the impact of duration on structural response. Furthermore, vector-valued fragility and vulnerability models alternatively using peak- and cumulative-based engineering demand parameters are derived. Results show that higher damage/loss estimates can be attained as ground-motion duration increases. Relative differences up to 44% are found in fragility median values for a pre-code reinforced concrete infilled frame when comparing scalar and vector-valued fragility models conditioned on average pseudo-spectral acceleration and significant durations up to 35 s.

Portugal is the habitat of three species of vultures. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Neophron percnopterus is an Endangered species, Aegypius monachus is nearly Threatened, and Gyps fulvus is of Least Concern. This study aims to investigate the admission causes, morbidity, and outcomes of vultures admitted to a wildlife rehabilitation centre and necropsy service in Northern Portugal. Over 17 years (2005-2022), 84 animals were admitted: 10 A. monachus, 69 G. fulvus, and 5 N. percnopterus. The main causes of admission to the centre were 80% (n = 63) unknown cause, 13% (n = 10) found debilitated, 6 % (n = 5) vehicle collision, 4% (n = 3) captivity, 1% (n = 1) gunshot, and 1% (n = 1) electrocution. Most animals were admitted during the summer (45.2%) and autumn (36.9%). Analysis of outcome data showed that 73% (n = 58) of the animals that arrived alive at the centre could be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Thirteen animals died during treatment and five were found dead. This is the first time that such a lengthy study of results and mortality has been carried out for these species in Portugal. Although the data are limited, they can already provide some information about these populations, particularly for the endangered species that are so rare to observe.