Emerging adulthood is a unique developmental stage during which significant transitions in living environment, social networks, personal responsibilities, and identity development occur. Stress resulting from such transitions relates to increases in health risk behaviors. As such, emerging adults (EAs) have a high prevalence of substance use disorders and sexually transmitted infections. However, EAs are less likely to seek treatment. Therefore, brief methods of intervention, such as Motivational Interviewing (MI) and the Family Check-up (FCU), might be useful approaches for working with this unique population. MI and the FCU are linked with decreases in health risk behaviors. The FCU comprises three sessions: an initial interview, an ecological assessment, and a feedback session. MI techniques are used during the feedback session. Only a few studies have investigated treatment fidelity of the FCU and no studies have examined the use of MI techniques within the FCU. The current study aims to assess treatment fidelity of the FCU, specifically measuring the extent to which therapists adhere to principles of MI during FCU feedback sessions. The current study also aims to determine if a positive relationship exists between therapists’ MI-adherence and client change talk (CT), and to determine if MI-adherence and client CT predict post-intervention health risk behaviors among the 134 EAs who participated in the FCU. Measures of health risk behaviors were collected pre- and post-intervention. MI-adherence was measured with the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI 4) and client change language was measured using the Client Language Easy Rating Scale (CLEAR) and the Motivational Interviewing Skills Code 2.1 (MISC 2.1) self-exploration code. Four therapists were assessed for treatment fidelity. Results indicate overall fair treatment fidelity. Significant differences between therapists were observed. MI-adherence was positively related to client CT, but not client self-exploration. Several indicators of MI-adherence predicted decreases in EA post-intervention health risk behaviors. Client CT predicted a decrease in EA post-intervention marijuana quantity and client self-exploration predicted increases in marijuana quantity and number of sexual partners. These results have important implications for FCU training and implementation, and indicate that MI-adherence might be a mechanism of change within the FCU intervention.

[pt] Esta dissertação aborda o universo das camadas médias da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, e pretende problematizar os temas do amor, da fidelidade, da amizade e dos projetos de vida a partir da narrativa de casais de namorados. A pesquisa realizada com nove casais teve como objetivo principal a apreensão de valores, paradigmas e visões de mundo que estruturam as relações e as práticas amorosas no cenário da contemporaneidade. Partindo de um conjunto de elementos teóricos do campo sócio-antropológico expressos, principalmente, pelos conceitos que descrevem processos contemporâneos de internalização das orientações íntimas, de construção da identidade e de flexibilização e volatilização das relações humanas, buscamos analisar percepções subjetivas acerca do namoro e das referências e significados que este toma emprestado de outros modelos relacionais como a amizade e o casamento. A análise das representações contidas nos discursos determinou a importância de relações entre o tradicional/contemporâneo, o real/ideal, o individual/fusional, o romântico/pragmático, num plano mais de justaposição que de dicotomização. Assim, buscamos ressaltar traços culturais e sociais que vêm compondo o campo das relações afetivas em nossa sociedade. / [en] This thesis addresses the way young middle class couples view love, loyalty, friendship and the process of building a life together. The research was based on interviews with nine couples and explored the variety of values and personal views that are used to structure contemporary romantic relationships. Our research used concepts from sociological and anthropological debates about the construction of the self in order to identify the approach between the experience of dating and the conceptions of friendship and marriage. According to the analysis of our empirical material, this study identified a conception of the experience of dating that blends a more conservative and romanticized view with more individualistic and pragmatic views. Finally, we hope to understand in a better way the social and cultural characteristics of contemporary relationships in the Brazilian society.

Acumulações de restos de moluscos são muito comuns tanto em ambientes marinhos plataformais quanto em depósitos lagunares e estuarinos da América do Sul, principalmente entre o Brasil e a Argentina. A formação destas concentrações conchíferas pode prover grande oportunidade para estudos tafonômicos, os quais ainda são raros nesta região. Existem ainda questões a serem respondidas, por exemplo, quanta informação biológica está preservada nestas concentrações? Ou, qual é a probabilidade de uma associação viva deixar um registro fóssil análogo? Os principais objetivos deste estudo foram: (i) investigar a influência dos processos ambientais na destruição de remanescentes biológicos, através da descrição das assinaturas tafonômicas presentes em conchas de moluscos de dois afloramentos da Laguna Tramandaí, nordeste do Rio Grande do Sul; e (ii) testar o potencial de preservação de associações de moluscos vivos, mortos e fósseis de lagunas e estuários da Planície Costeira do Rio Grande do Sul, com o intuito de compreender a qualidade da informação biológica preservada nestas associações fósseis de fácies lagunares holocênicas. O principal processo tafonômico é a dissolução. As conchas estão inseridas na zona tafonomicamente ativa e experimentam intensa dissolução, o que reduz a probabilidade de deixarem um registro fóssil. Todavia, a preservação de espécies da associação viva nos depósitos fósseis foi de 100% em nível regional, e as espécies presentes na associação morta não apresentaram boa preservação no registro fóssil recente (Holoceno), ao contrário do que é usualmente predito na bibliografia. Isso indica que a associação morta é enriquecida por espécies não indígenas, e parte deste aumento relativo da riqueza é transferida para a associação fóssil. O padrão observado na fidelidade de moluscos estuarinos é ocasionado pela (i) alta variabilidade temporal e espacial nas associações vivas, (ii) mistura espacial nas associação mortas e (iii) preservação diferencial, devido à destruição durante uma longa permanência na zona tafonomicamente ativa. Portanto, a dissolução é o principal processo tafonômico que altera a informação biológica em ambientes transicionais, embora a preservação seletiva possa introduzir vieses das associações vivas às fósseis. / Molluscan shell accumulations (shell beds) are very common in shallow marine and estuarine environments in South America and also on the continental shelf from Southern Brazil through Argentina. The development of these shell beds can provide a great opportunity to taphonomic studies, which are uncommon in this geographic location. For example, how much biological information is preserved within these shell beds? Or, what is the actual probability a local living community has to leave a fossil record corresponding to these shell deposits? The aims of this study are (i) to investigate the influence of environmental processes on the destruction of biological remains in a subtropical lagoonal setting by describing the taphonomic signatures occurring in the mollusk shells from the Tramandaí Lagoon, northeastern Rio Grande do Sul State; and (ii) to compare living assemblages (LAs), death assemblages (DAs) and fossil assemblages (FAs) from estuaries and lagoons in the Rio Grande do Sul Coastal Plain to understand the nature and quality of biological information preserved in fossil associations in Holocene lagoon facies. Dissolution appears to be a leading taphonomic agent in lagoonal environments according to the study. The shells are within the taphonomically active zone and, due to intense dissolution, they will most likely leave no geological record. Nonetheless, the preservation of living species in FA was 100% and species present in DA are not as good preserved in recent (Holocene) fossil record as originally thought from the literature. The present results indicate that both DAs and FAs from estuarine-lagoons environments are composed basically by nonindigenous species, with live-dead mismatch than for continental shelves. The fidelity pattern here observed for estuarine mollusks have been driven by (i) high temporal and spatial variability in the LAs, (ii) spatial mixing in the DAs and (iii) differential preservation of shells, due to long residence times in the taphonomically active zone. Dissolution is the main taphonomic process altering biological information in those environments, but differential preservation may be, perhaps, the responsible for introducing bias from living to fossil assemblages.

Esta dissertação se insere no contexto do debate em torno da tradução e apresenta dois objetivos: o primeiro, mais geral, é fazer o (re)conhecimento da poética do traduzir, projeto teórico do pensador francês Henri Meschonnic (1932-2009); o segundo, mais específico, é revisitar, a partir desse (re)conhecimento da poética do traduzir, três temas clássicos no debate em torno da tradução à luz dessa teoria, a saber, a própria tradução, a fidelidade e a equivalência. Justifica-se a inserção desta discussão no debate sobre a tradução pelo fato de a poética do traduzir apresenta um posicionamento bastante distinto daqueles mais reconhecidos hoje tanto na discussão acadêmica quanto no senso comum sobre o que é a tradução. Isso se deve ao fato de a poética do traduzir supor e indicar uma reflexão sobre a linguagem que modifica a visão do traduzir. A linguagem, no âmbito poético, não é tomada a partir dos termos comuns da língua (como forma e sentido, por exemplo), que representam uma visão redutora da linguagem, descontínua por natureza. Pelo contrário, a poética do traduzir situa a tradução – e a própria linguagem – no terreno do discurso, que é da ordem do contínuo, e, por aí, modifica o pensamento sobre o que é a linguagem e, consequentemente, o que é o traduzir. Desse modo, esta dissertação apresenta, inicialmente, as bases do pensamento poético, que dizem respeito a uma visão não-redutora da linguagem. Nesse contexto, a leitura meschonniquiana dos pensamentos de Wilhelm von Humboldt, Ferdinand de Saussure e Émile Benveniste é apresentada para embasar essa visão não-redutora. A partir dessa construção, passo aos elementos da poética do traduzir para que se faça claro o posicionamento teórico que Meschonnic apresenta para debater a tradução. Esse é um ponto de extrema relevância pois indica como funciona o sistema do pensamento poético, permitindo seu (re)conhecimento. Por fim, a discussão final se dá como consequência das reflexões anteriores. Se a poética modifica o saber sobre o traduzir, cumpre demonstrar como isso se dá em comparação com o pensamento sobre os temas propostos a partir da visão da Tradutologia para que se compreenda como a poética do traduzir introduz elementos que renovam o debate em torno desses temas comumente difundidos em discussões dessa natureza. / This dissertation is inserted in the context of the debate regarding translation and has two objectives: the first, more general, is to make the (re)acknowledgement of the poetics of translating, the theoretical project of the French thinker Henri Meschonnic (1932-2009); the second, more specific, is to revisit, based on this (re)acknowledgment of the poetics of translating, three classic themes in the debate regarding translation in the light of this theory, namely: translation itself, fidelity and equivalence. The insertion of this discussion in the debate about translation is justified by the fact that the poetics of translating presents a different point of view from those most recognized today in both academic discussion and common sense about what translation is. This is due to the fact that the poetics of translating assumes and indicates a reflection on language that modifies the idea of translating. Language, in the poetic scope, is not regarded by the common terms of a language (such as form and meaning, for example), which represent a reductive view of language, discontinuous in nature. On the contrary, the poetics of translating places translation – and language itself – in the field of discourse, which is of the order of the continuum, hence modifying the general idea about what language is, and consequently what is there to translate. In this way, this dissertation presents initially the bases of the poetic thought, which concern a non-reductive view of language. In this context, the meschonniquian reading of the ideas of Wilhelm von Humboldt, Ferdinand de Saussure and Émile Benveniste is presented to support this non-reductive view of language. From this construction, I turn to the elements of the poetics of translating so that the theoretical positioning that Meschonnic presents to discuss translation becomes clear. This is a point of extreme relevance because it indicates how the system of poetic thinking works, allowing its (re)acknowledgement. Lastly, the final discussion comes as a consequence of these previous reflections. If poetics modifies the knowledge about translation, it is necessary to demonstrate how this is done in comparison with the ideas about the themes proposed from the point of view of Traductology so that one understands how the poetics of translating introduces elements that renew the debate around these subjects commonly disseminated in discussions of this nature.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of basic communication fidelity (BCF) upon the perceptions of national observers toward national and international communicators across a variety of group interaction variables. Research is presented which indicates that (1) international students are typically perceived less favorably than national students across a variety of interpersonal variables; (2) as BCF increases, more favorable ratings are attributed to communicators across interpersonal variables; and (3) increased BCF may be able to mitigate the less favorable impressions national observers attribute to international communicators.

Considering current levels of overweight and obesity in the population and the associated adverse health consequences, engaging people with chronic exercise programmes is of heightened importance. During chronic structured exercise programmes, some adults experience adaptive compensatory behavioural responses through increased dietary intake and/or decreased free-living physical activity. These responses can negate the benefits of an exercise-induced energy deficit. However, it is unclear whether young people experience similar responses during chronic structured exercise. Therefore, the experimental research presented in this thesis examined the existence and extent of exercise-induced energy compensation in adolescent girls. To achieve this, a total of 92, 12 to 15 year old girls and 26 adults were recruited into six experimental studies. The Medical Research Council guidance for designing complex interventions was used to structure the experimental chapters into development (Chapters 4 to 7), piloting (Chapter 8) and evaluation (Chapter 9). The first experimental study (Chapter 4) demonstrated that typical daily variation of total energy expenditure (TEE) in adolescent girls is ~3% when estimated by the Actiheart. Physical activity energy expenditure (AEE) variation was found to be ~10%. In the second experimental study (Chapter 5) the agreement and variability of laboratory buffet meals test days was investigated. The results demonstrated typical daily variation of 8.7% in laboratory-based energy intake (EI) in adolescent girls aged 12 to 15 years. Furthermore, a buffet meals familiarisation day is recommended to reduce the variability in EI. Estimation of EI was further explored in Chapter 6 using a digital photography method. This study demonstrated potential for EI assessment using digital photography, but highlighted that, at present, a supplementary written record of EI is required to overcome the limitations associated with missing photographs. Chapter 7 explored themes related to recruitment and retention of adolescent girls to chronic exercise intervention studies. The seven recommendations identified were used to recruit and retain participants in a twelve week pilot exercise intervention study with adolescent girls (Chapter 8). There was no evidence of energy compensation behaviours on a group level; however, high individual variability in both EI and EE behaviours was apparent. The final experimental chapter (Chapter 9) evaluated the fidelity of the exercise intervention and compliance with the measurement of primary outcome variables. Intervention fidelity was largely upheld. On average, participants attended 94% of exercise sessions and 73% of the participants met their individual target heart rate zone. Focus groups with the participants and parents highlighted preference for school-based exercise sessions due to increased variety and convenience, and recommendations for future estimation of free-living EI and EE. Collectively, these studies suggest there is value in pursuing the investigation of energy compensation behaviours in adolescent girls using a mixed methods approach. These studies demonstrate the factors requiring attention when designing and delivering complex interventions to investigate exercise-induced energy compensation in adolescent girls. In particular, methods for estimating free-living EI and EE require further attention before attempting to conduct such research in a larger sample.

[pt] As relações amorosas são revestidas por diversos paradoxos, podendo ser encaradas como um dos maiores dilemas com os quais o ser humano precisa lidar. As ambiguidades existentes nas relações amorosas podem ser amplamente encontradas na temática da fidelidade e infidelidade. O presente estudo tem como objetivo geral investigar como os jovens adultos solteiros concebem e vivenciam a questão da fidelidade em seus relacionamentos amorosos. Para atingir esses objetivos, foram entrevistados dez jovens adultos solteiros, universitários, das camadas médias da população carioca, sendo cinco homens e cinco mulheres heterossexuais. Os sujeitos são independentes, e possuem entre 18 e 25 anos de idade. Foi utilizada uma metodologia qualitativa, com a realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas. Da análise das entrevistas, feita através do método de análise de conteúdo (Bardin, 2011), emergiram diversas categorias. Constatou-se que os sujeitos concebem as relações amorosas na atualidade como superficiais, passageiras, vazias e banais. Os mesmos consideram a fidelidade um aspecto fundamental da relação e esperam que seus parceiros sejam fiéis. Uma pessoa é reconhecida como fiel quando é transparente e sincera, e quando cumpre os acordos preestabelecidos com o parceiro. Alguns sujeitos destacam a existência de uma infidelidade consigo mesmos, e muitos têm dificuldades em estabelecer os limites entre o que é fidelidade ou infidelidade. Conclui-se que, apesar das diversas transformações sociais, a fidelidade continua sendo um aspecto fundamental dos relacionamentos amorosos e os jovens esperam que seus parceiros sejam fiéis. Ser fiel significa não somente manter a exclusividade sexual, como também a transparência, a honestidade e a sinceridade com o parceiro. / [en] Romantic relationships are characterized by several paradoxes and can be understood as one of the biggest dilemmas that human beings must deal with. Romantic relationships ambiguities can be broadly found in the theme of fidelity and infidelity. This study aims to investigate the way young single adults conceive and experience fidelity in their romantic relationships. To this end, we interviewed five heterosexual men and women. The subjects of the study were middle class single college students living in Rio de Janeiro, between the ages of 18 and 25. Qualitative method and semi-structured interview (Bardin, 2011) were used. We found that the subjects conceive romantic relationships in the present as superficial, temporary, empty, and trivial. They also consider fidelity a pivotal trait in any relationship and expect fidelity from their partners. One is perceived to be faithful when he/she is transparent and sincere, and when pre-established agreements with the partner are met. Some subjects highlight that they are unfaithful to themselves, and many have difficulties in establishing boundaries between fidelity and infidelity. It was concluded that, despite the many social transformations, fidelity remains a key aspect of romantic relationships, and young people expect their partners to be faithful. Being faithful means not only maintain sexual exclusivity, as well as transparency, honest and sincerity with partner.

abstract: This investigation develops small-size reduced order models (ROMs) that provide an accurate prediction of the response of only part of a structure, referred to as component-centric ROMs. Four strategies to construct such ROMs are presented, the first two of which are based on the Craig-Bampton Method and start with a set of modes for the component of interest (the β component). The response in the rest of the structure (the α component) induced by these modes is then determined and optimally represented by applying a Proper Orthogonal Decomposition strategy using Singular Value Decomposition. These first two methods are effectively basis reductions techniques of the CB basis. An approach based on the “Global - Local” Method generates the “global” modes by “averaging” the mass property over α and β comp., respectively (to extract a “coarse” model of α and β) and the “local” modes orthogonal to the “global” modes to add back necessary “information” for β. The last approach adopts as basis for the entire structure its linear modes which are dominant in the β component response. Then, the contributions of other modes in this part of the structure are approximated in terms of those of the dominant modes with close natural frequencies and similar mode shapes in the β component. In this manner, the non-dominant modal contributions are “lumped” onto the dominant ones, to reduce the number of modes for a prescribed accuracy. The four approaches are critically assessed on the structural finite element model of a 9-bay panel with the modal lumping-based method leading to the smallest sized ROMs. Therefore, it is extended to the nonlinear geometric situation and first recast as a rotation of the modal basis to achieve unobservable modes. In the linear case, these modes completely disappear from the formulation owing to orthogonality. In the nonlinear case, however, the generalized coordinates of these modes are still present in the nonlinear terms of the observable modes. A closure-type algorithm is then proposed to eliminate the unobserved generalized coordinates. This approach, its accuracy and computational savings, was demonstrated on a simple beam model and the 9-bay panel model. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Mechanical Engineering 2017

Esta dissertação se insere no contexto do debate em torno da tradução e apresenta dois objetivos: o primeiro, mais geral, é fazer o (re)conhecimento da poética do traduzir, projeto teórico do pensador francês Henri Meschonnic (1932-2009); o segundo, mais específico, é revisitar, a partir desse (re)conhecimento da poética do traduzir, três temas clássicos no debate em torno da tradução à luz dessa teoria, a saber, a própria tradução, a fidelidade e a equivalência. Justifica-se a inserção desta discussão no debate sobre a tradução pelo fato de a poética do traduzir apresenta um posicionamento bastante distinto daqueles mais reconhecidos hoje tanto na discussão acadêmica quanto no senso comum sobre o que é a tradução. Isso se deve ao fato de a poética do traduzir supor e indicar uma reflexão sobre a linguagem que modifica a visão do traduzir. A linguagem, no âmbito poético, não é tomada a partir dos termos comuns da língua (como forma e sentido, por exemplo), que representam uma visão redutora da linguagem, descontínua por natureza. Pelo contrário, a poética do traduzir situa a tradução – e a própria linguagem – no terreno do discurso, que é da ordem do contínuo, e, por aí, modifica o pensamento sobre o que é a linguagem e, consequentemente, o que é o traduzir. Desse modo, esta dissertação apresenta, inicialmente, as bases do pensamento poético, que dizem respeito a uma visão não-redutora da linguagem. Nesse contexto, a leitura meschonniquiana dos pensamentos de Wilhelm von Humboldt, Ferdinand de Saussure e Émile Benveniste é apresentada para embasar essa visão não-redutora. A partir dessa construção, passo aos elementos da poética do traduzir para que se faça claro o posicionamento teórico que Meschonnic apresenta para debater a tradução. Esse é um ponto de extrema relevância pois indica como funciona o sistema do pensamento poético, permitindo seu (re)conhecimento. Por fim, a discussão final se dá como consequência das reflexões anteriores. Se a poética modifica o saber sobre o traduzir, cumpre demonstrar como isso se dá em comparação com o pensamento sobre os temas propostos a partir da visão da Tradutologia para que se compreenda como a poética do traduzir introduz elementos que renovam o debate em torno desses temas comumente difundidos em discussões dessa natureza. / This dissertation is inserted in the context of the debate regarding translation and has two objectives: the first, more general, is to make the (re)acknowledgement of the poetics of translating, the theoretical project of the French thinker Henri Meschonnic (1932-2009); the second, more specific, is to revisit, based on this (re)acknowledgment of the poetics of translating, three classic themes in the debate regarding translation in the light of this theory, namely: translation itself, fidelity and equivalence. The insertion of this discussion in the debate about translation is justified by the fact that the poetics of translating presents a different point of view from those most recognized today in both academic discussion and common sense about what translation is. This is due to the fact that the poetics of translating assumes and indicates a reflection on language that modifies the idea of translating. Language, in the poetic scope, is not regarded by the common terms of a language (such as form and meaning, for example), which represent a reductive view of language, discontinuous in nature. On the contrary, the poetics of translating places translation – and language itself – in the field of discourse, which is of the order of the continuum, hence modifying the general idea about what language is, and consequently what is there to translate. In this way, this dissertation presents initially the bases of the poetic thought, which concern a non-reductive view of language. In this context, the meschonniquian reading of the ideas of Wilhelm von Humboldt, Ferdinand de Saussure and Émile Benveniste is presented to support this non-reductive view of language. From this construction, I turn to the elements of the poetics of translating so that the theoretical positioning that Meschonnic presents to discuss translation becomes clear. This is a point of extreme relevance because it indicates how the system of poetic thinking works, allowing its (re)acknowledgement. Lastly, the final discussion comes as a consequence of these previous reflections. If poetics modifies the knowledge about translation, it is necessary to demonstrate how this is done in comparison with the ideas about the themes proposed from the point of view of Traductology so that one understands how the poetics of translating introduces elements that renew the debate around these subjects commonly disseminated in discussions of this nature.

Acumulações de restos de moluscos são muito comuns tanto em ambientes marinhos plataformais quanto em depósitos lagunares e estuarinos da América do Sul, principalmente entre o Brasil e a Argentina. A formação destas concentrações conchíferas pode prover grande oportunidade para estudos tafonômicos, os quais ainda são raros nesta região. Existem ainda questões a serem respondidas, por exemplo, quanta informação biológica está preservada nestas concentrações? Ou, qual é a probabilidade de uma associação viva deixar um registro fóssil análogo? Os principais objetivos deste estudo foram: (i) investigar a influência dos processos ambientais na destruição de remanescentes biológicos, através da descrição das assinaturas tafonômicas presentes em conchas de moluscos de dois afloramentos da Laguna Tramandaí, nordeste do Rio Grande do Sul; e (ii) testar o potencial de preservação de associações de moluscos vivos, mortos e fósseis de lagunas e estuários da Planície Costeira do Rio Grande do Sul, com o intuito de compreender a qualidade da informação biológica preservada nestas associações fósseis de fácies lagunares holocênicas. O principal processo tafonômico é a dissolução. As conchas estão inseridas na zona tafonomicamente ativa e experimentam intensa dissolução, o que reduz a probabilidade de deixarem um registro fóssil. Todavia, a preservação de espécies da associação viva nos depósitos fósseis foi de 100% em nível regional, e as espécies presentes na associação morta não apresentaram boa preservação no registro fóssil recente (Holoceno), ao contrário do que é usualmente predito na bibliografia. Isso indica que a associação morta é enriquecida por espécies não indígenas, e parte deste aumento relativo da riqueza é transferida para a associação fóssil. O padrão observado na fidelidade de moluscos estuarinos é ocasionado pela (i) alta variabilidade temporal e espacial nas associações vivas, (ii) mistura espacial nas associação mortas e (iii) preservação diferencial, devido à destruição durante uma longa permanência na zona tafonomicamente ativa. Portanto, a dissolução é o principal processo tafonômico que altera a informação biológica em ambientes transicionais, embora a preservação seletiva possa introduzir vieses das associações vivas às fósseis. / Molluscan shell accumulations (shell beds) are very common in shallow marine and estuarine environments in South America and also on the continental shelf from Southern Brazil through Argentina. The development of these shell beds can provide a great opportunity to taphonomic studies, which are uncommon in this geographic location. For example, how much biological information is preserved within these shell beds? Or, what is the actual probability a local living community has to leave a fossil record corresponding to these shell deposits? The aims of this study are (i) to investigate the influence of environmental processes on the destruction of biological remains in a subtropical lagoonal setting by describing the taphonomic signatures occurring in the mollusk shells from the Tramandaí Lagoon, northeastern Rio Grande do Sul State; and (ii) to compare living assemblages (LAs), death assemblages (DAs) and fossil assemblages (FAs) from estuaries and lagoons in the Rio Grande do Sul Coastal Plain to understand the nature and quality of biological information preserved in fossil associations in Holocene lagoon facies. Dissolution appears to be a leading taphonomic agent in lagoonal environments according to the study. The shells are within the taphonomically active zone and, due to intense dissolution, they will most likely leave no geological record. Nonetheless, the preservation of living species in FA was 100% and species present in DA are not as good preserved in recent (Holocene) fossil record as originally thought from the literature. The present results indicate that both DAs and FAs from estuarine-lagoons environments are composed basically by nonindigenous species, with live-dead mismatch than for continental shelves. The fidelity pattern here observed for estuarine mollusks have been driven by (i) high temporal and spatial variability in the LAs, (ii) spatial mixing in the DAs and (iii) differential preservation of shells, due to long residence times in the taphonomically active zone. Dissolution is the main taphonomic process altering biological information in those environments, but differential preservation may be, perhaps, the responsible for introducing bias from living to fossil assemblages.