21587 research outputs found
Sort by
Sensibilización sobre la protección de los mares y océanos
No full textEl 8 de junio se celebra el Día Mundial de los Mares y Océanos. Con este motivo, se pidió a los alumnos de magisterio de educación básica que crearan esculturas de tamaño medio hechas con materiales reciclables, muchos de ellos recogidos de playas y arroyos. El resultado fue sorprendente, con la creación de diversos animales marinos y monstruos imaginarios, que se expondrán próximamente en las escuelas para sensibilizar a la comunidad escolar sobre la necesidad de proteger los mares y océanos.N/
Conservation workshop in Okinawa: urgent action needed for land hermit crabs
No full textOn 21 April 2025, in support of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Invertebrate Conservation Committee’s efforts to address taxonomic gaps in underrepresented regions, a workshop was held in Okinawa, Japan, bringing together researchers and stakeholders to discuss challenges in land
hermit crab conservation. Recent cases of illegal trafficking of thousands of land hermit crabs from the Ryukyu Islands to Indonesia, Taiwan and China, as well as sales of Okinawaorigin crabs, are of serious concern. During the workshop, participants discussed the ecological roles, cultural values,
and management of land hermit crabs, highlighted smuggling incidents and considered future actions
Little migrants: assessment of stranded loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) source populations found in the north-east atlantic
No full textMaritime activities affect the migratory routes of marine organisms, including loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). The coastal waters of mainland Portugal lie along these routes, providing foraging grounds but lacking nesting beaches, making them ideal for studying turtle migration. This study presents the first assessment of the natal origins of loggerheads in the North-East Atlantic. We analysed the genetic diversity of 127 stranded loggerhead turtles along the Portuguese coast, sequencing the mitochondrial DNA control region (776 bp). Sixteen haplotypes were identified, including a previously unknown one. Mixed-stock analysis revealed that loggerhead turtles stranded in Portuguese mainland coastal waters appear to originate predominantly from the Western Atlantic, with possible contributions from other regions including Cape Verde and the Eastern Mediterranean, though the latter remains uncertain. The primary sources were Florida rookeries, particularly Canaveral National Seashore, Melbourne Beach, Juno Beach, and Ft. Lauderdale. Our findings underscore the role of oceanic circulation patterns in shaping migration routes, as turtles predominantly followed major currents across the Atlantic. The predominance of juveniles among stranded individuals in areas with known high fishing pressure indicates that Portuguese waters may pose significant anthropogenic risks for this life stage. This study highlights the vulnerability of juvenile loggerheads in Portuguese waters and underscores the need for conservation strategies, including bycatch mitigation and fisheries management. Further ecological studies, such as tag tracking, are essential to understanding migratory patterns and improving conservation efforts in this critical migratory corridor.UID/PRR/04326/202
Metabeliefs about worry, cognitive fusion, and acceptance: associations and mediations analysis
No full textBackground: Although metacognitive therapy (MCT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) are grounded in different theoretical frameworks, both target repetitive negative thinking (RNT) processes, such as worry and rumination, and share a focus on fostering psychological flexibility and reducing experiential avoidance. However, no integrated theoretical model currently exists to combine their potential strengths. Recent research highlights the importance of metacognitive beliefs and acceptance-related processes in maintaining maladaptive RNT. Objective: This study aimed to explore metacognitive and acceptance-based variables in relation to RNT. Methods: The sample consisted of 149 people (116 females), aged between 18 and 71 (M = 34.7; SD = 14.9) who answered the following questionnaires: PSWQ, The AAQ-II, The CFQ, The VQ, MCQ-30 and TCQ. Results: The mediation analysis reveals that cognitive fusion significantly mediated the relationship between metacognitive beliefs and worry, whereas acceptance had a weaker mediating effect. Conclusion: Beliefs about the uncontrollability of worry appear to play a pivotal role in sustaining worry, primarily through their influence on cognitive fusion. These findings provide preliminary support for conceptual overlaps between MCT and ACT in addressing RNT. However, as this is an exploratory and crosssectional study, conclusions about treatment mechanisms should be drawn cautiously, and future longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to strengthen these insights
Association of acute COVID-19 severity and long COVID fatigue and quality of life: prospective cohort multicenter observational study
No full textLong COVID, or post-COVID-19 condition, is characterized by symptoms persisting beyond 12 weeks after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, affecting individuals regardless of acute disease severity. Fatigue – often linked with depression and anxiety – is among its most debilitating manifestations. However, the associations between fatigue subtypes (physical vs mental), mental health symptoms, and acute disease severity on long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) remain unclear. This study examines the relationships between long COVID fatigue, depression, anxiety, acute disease severity, and HRQoL in a post-COVID-19 cohort. This prospective observational cohort study was conducted across 5 Portuguese hospitals between November 2020 and June 2022. Adults (≥18 years) with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection ≥6 months prior and fulfilling World Health Organization criteria for long COVID were included. Acute Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity was classified per World Health Organization definitions. The sampling strategy included patients across the severity spectrum. At 3 months postinfection (T1), patients received physician-led clinical assessments. At 6 months (T2), they attended in-person follow-up visits, completing standardized forms and validated questionnaires assessing post-acute sequelae. Fatigue was reported both binarily (yes/no) and via the chalder fatigue scale (11-item version). Anxiety and depression were assessed using the hospital anxiety and depression scale; post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms with the 14-item post-traumatic stress scale; and HRQoL with the EuroQol-5 dimensions. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, chi-square, and correlation analyses (Pearson’s or Spearman’s) were used to evaluate associations. Analyses were performed using SPSS (v27; IBM Corp., Amonk). Among 208 patients, fatigue was significantly associated with anxiety and depression (P < .001). Physical fatigue correlated more strongly with depression (r = 0.65, P < .001) and anxiety (r = 0.58, P < .001) than mental fatigue (r = 0.50 and R = 0.48, respectively; P < .001). Surprisingly, severe acute COVID-19 cases reported lower fatigue (CFQ: 13.3 ± 8.4) than mild (17.7 ± 7.2) or moderate (17.4 ± 8.0) cases (P < .005), and higher HRQoL (EuroQol visual analog scale: 74.3 ± 20.3, P = .002). Anxiety symptoms were more common in mild cases (P < .001); post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms did not differ by severity. Long COVID fatigue – especially physical – is strongly linked to depression and anxiety. Mild/moderate acute COVID-19 cases show greater fatigue and lower HRQoL than severe cases, highlighting the need for tailored long-term care regardless of initial severity
Impermanência prístina da imagem-serpente
No full textAo coligir elementos centrais neste estudo, apontamos, a priori, pequenas centelhas fundantes presentes em algumas das imagens produzidas pelo artista Siegbert Franklin1 (1957-2011). Nestas, colhemos como herança poética e conceitual.
Para tanto, gostaríamos de evidenciar pequenas orientações e traços dessa composição assentada em texto.
Entendemos o território da pesquisa em Artes Visuais como anômalo, notadamente a História da Arte com suas instâncias e entradas, vias sinalizadas e, sobretudo, seus desvios.
Dizemos como quem olha um espelho e não se vê: nosso desígnio será mais próximo de uma ensaística, afinal não há vontade de verdade em nosso intento. Contudo, os vestígios miram situações aqui demarcadas como propósitos, a saber, a montagem como saber visual (Didi-Huberman, 2013), percebida em Siegbert Franklin como estímulo da presença arcaizante
Functional algal feeds for aquaculture: micro- and macroalgae promote gut recovery in gilthead seabream
No full textGut health is essential for optimal growth, immune function, and robustness in aquaculture. This study evaluated the potential of dietary supplementation with micro- and macroalgae to promote intestinal recovery following an insult. Four experimental diets were formulated for gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) juveniles (176 } 0.32 g): a control commercial-like diet (CTRL), and the same diet supplemented with either microalgae (Phaeodactylum tricornutum; PHA) or macroalgae (Gracilaria gracilis; GRA) at 2.5%, or a 5% blend of both (50:50; BLEND). To induce an intestinal insult, fish from each dietary group were assisted-fed with gelatine capsules containing soy saponins (CTRL + S, PHA, GRA, BLEND), while control fish received empty capsules (CTRL). After 72 h, CTRL and CTRL + S groups were fed the control diet, while PHA, GRA, and BLEND received their respective algaesupplemented diets. After 20 days, CTRL + S fish had significantly increased mucus cell numbers and submucosal cellular infiltration compared to CTRL fish, indicating intestinal disruption. PHA diet significantly upregulated igm, il10, and gpx. Fish fed GRA displayed a significant increase in mucosal vacuolation. BLEND diet showed synergistic effects, significantly upregulating il1b and pcna and reducing ALP activity. These results highlight the potential of combining micro- and macroalgae compounds to enhance gut recovery and immune activation.UID/PRR/04326/2025; ALG-01-0247-FEDER-0471
Black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo) longline fishery off the Portuguese continental coast: Spatial information in support of deep-sea fisheries regulations
No full textThe main objective of this study is to provide, for the first time, fisheries-dependent, spatially explicit information on the activity for the black scabbard fish (Aphanopus carbo) longline fleet operating off the Portuguese coast. Fisheries monitoring data were analysed, covering the period 2014-2016, aiming at identifying deep-sea fishing grounds, gaining a better understanding of the fleet spatial dynamics, quantifying fishing effort and providing information on the species distribution and abundance. E-logbooks were used to define general patterns of fishing activity, while the combined analysis of Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) data allowed to spatially identify fishing trips and define haul-back trajectories corresponding to fishing events. A total of 19 vessels were found to be involved in this fishery, mainly operating at depths from 1000 to 1500 m, landing the black scabbard fish in two main ports located in the centre and three secondary ports in the northern region. Fishing effort and catch per unit of effort (CPUE) were estimated and mapped for the period in study and the geographic extension of the fishery in the Portuguese continental slope was highlighted. Vessels keep their activity spatially restricted, in a clear strategy to avoid competition; their areas of activity are contiguous and generally related to the closest port. Some recommendations are drawn in support of a continuous monitoring programme for this fishery
Air pollution forecasting using autoencoders: a classification-based prediction of NO2, PM10, and SO2 concentrations
No full textThis study aims to evaluate and compare the performance of Autoencoders (AEs) and Sparse Autoencoders (SAEs) in forecasting the next-hour concentration levels of various air pollutants—specifically NO2(t + 1), PM10(t + 1), and SO2(t + 1)—in the Bay of Algeciras, a highly complex region located in southern Spain. Hourly data related to air quality, meteorological conditions, and maritime traffic were collected from 2017 to 2019 across multiple monitoring stations distributed throughout the bay, enabling the analysis of diverse forecasting scenarios. The output variable was segmented into four distinct, non-overlapping quartiles (Q1–Q4) to capture different concentration ranges. AE models demonstrated greater accuracy in predicting moderate pollution levels (Q2 and Q3), whereas SAE models achieved comparable performance at the lower and upper extremes (Q1 and Q4). The results suggest that stacking AE layers with varying degrees of sparsity—culminating in a supervised output layer—can enhance the model’s ability to forecast pollutant concentration indices across all quartiles. Notably, Q4 predictions, representing peak concentrations, benefited from more complex SAE architectures, likely due to the increased difficulty associated with modelling extreme values
PLA-based films reinforced with cellulose nanofibres from Salicornia ramosissima By-Product with proof of concept in high-pressure processing
No full textBiocomposite films based on polylactic acid (PLA) reinforced with cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) extracted from Salicornia ramosissima by-products were developed and characterised using solvent casting (SC) and electrospinning (ES) techniques. The primary objective was to assess their suitability as sustainable food packaging materials that are compatible with high-pressure processing (HPP). The SC films exhibited a transparent, homogeneous morphology with superior ductility and water vapour barrier performance, whereas the ES films displayed a fibrous, porous structure with enhanced tensile strength and rigidity. The incorporation of CNFs significantly improved the mechanical properties, particularly the tensile strength and Young’s modulus, with optimal reinforcement achieved at a loading of 0.5%. Thermal and spectroscopic analyses confirmed the effective integration of CNF without compromising the thermal stability of PLA. Pouch-type packages from CNF-reinforced SC films withstood industrial HPP conditions without rupture or leakage, demonstrating their technical feasibility for food packaging applications. This study presents the first demonstration of Salicornia ramosissima by-product valorisation for CNF production and its application in HPP-compatible food packaging, addressing both circular economy goals and emerging food processing technologies.SFRH/BD/146009/201