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Effective integration of artificial intelligence in medical education
No full textWith the increasing popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in medical practices, the integration of AI technologies into medical education has garnered significant attention. However, there exists a noticeable research gap when it comes to providing comprehensive guidelines and recommendations for its successful integration into this domain. Addressing this research gap is crucial as the responsible and effective incorporation of AI in medical education not only ensures that current and future healthcare professionals are well-prepared for the demands of modern medicine but also upholds ethical standards, maximizes the potential benefits of AI, and minimizes potential risks. The objective of this chapter is to fill this gap by offering practical tips and actionable insights for incorporating AI into medical education, encompassing practical, ethical, pedagogical, and professional implications. Consequently, it equips medical educators and learners alike with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the evolving landscape of medical education in the age of AI.N/
Piggery wastewater treatment by solar photo-Fenton coupled with microalgae production
No full textPig farming generates highly polluted wastewater that requires effective treatment to minimize environmental damage. Microalgae can recover nutrients from piggery wastewater (PWW), but excessive nutrient and turbidity levels inhibit their growth. Solar photo-Fenton (PF) offer a sustainable and cost-effective pretreatment to allow microalgal growth for further PWW treatment. This study optimized the concentrations of PF reagents to minimise water and nutrient inputs while maintaining microalgae-based treatment efficiency. PF trials were conducted in pilot-scale raceway ponds under solar radiation, testing different concentrations of FeSO4 (4.48 and 8.95 mM) and H2O2 (77, 154, and 309 mM). Following PF, Tetradesmus obliquus was used in a biological treatment of PWW to recover the remaining nutrients. PF achieved high removal efficiencies for turbidity (97.6-99.5 %), total organic carbon (59.2-77.1 %), and chemical oxygen demand (83.8-94.7 %), but ammonium was not significantly removed. Phosphorus was almost completely removed through iron precipitation during neutralisation. Lowering the H2O2 concentration from 309 to 77 mM did not compromise removal efficiency but reducing FeSO4 below 8.95 mM negatively affected the process. Consequently, 8.95 mM FeSO4 and 77 mM H2O2 were selected for microalgae production. The pretreated PWW could be recycled at least once for microalgal production, without nutrient supplementation, improving biomass productivity and PWW treatment, especially targeting ammonium. Phosphorus supplementation, however, did not significantly boost biomass productivity or treatment efficiency. Moreover, the iron sludge generated from PF pretreatment contained enough NPK to be repurposed as an organic fertilizer boosting sustainable agricultural practices. These findings encourage further investigation of this emerging combined technology towards wastewater treatment at large-scale.LA/P/0092/2020; CPRE2023-007; CPRE2023-076; SFRH/BD/144.122/201
Common dolphin's shipping noise risk assessment on the Portuguese coast
No full textOcean noise generated by human activities at sea has been increasing over the decades, affecting marine eco systems. Ship traffic flow between the Mediterranean or South Atlantic and northern Europe makes the coast of Portugal one of the most intense shipping highways on a global scale. Among the cetaceans of the coast of Portugal, the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) was selected as a target species. Based on 15 years of obser vations, the common dolphins' habitat suitability was estimated, together with the shipping noise maps for the year 2019, to produce seasonal risk maps for the same year. A large number of areas with a high noise risk index (≥0.85) were found in Portugal's southern and southwestern coasts, especially during the summer and fall seasons. Comparably, the 0.50 risk index exceeds 7 % and 3.5 % of the total area in summer and fall, respec tively. These percentages decrease to 1 % in spring and winter.EAPA 52/201
Designing a coastal monitoring marine biodiversity survey, using trammel nets and gillnets in Portugal
No full textAlthough coastal areas are of great importance, they often lack long term monitoring surveys, which are essential for effective management, fisheries sustainability, and marine spatial planning. To address this, we conducted two experimental surveys aimed at assessing communities and their biodiversity, with the objective of designing a monitoring program for marine coastal biodiversity, based on gear type, depth, sampling arrangement, total net length, and panel position within the haul. Depth was found to be the most important factor shaping biodiversity, while gear type had the greatest impact on assessing species richness. Overall, both number of species and diversity increased with depth, though significant differences were only found between hauls deployed at 10 m and deeper (30-50 m). Trammel nets caught a larger number of species compared to gillnets, and there was evidence of an interaction between depth and gear, in terms of abundance and at the community level; samples taken deeper than 10 m showed more gear-related differences. We found that neither the panel position within the haul nor the number of nets had any impact on species diversity or abundance. Similarly, there was no evidence for an effect related to the arrangement of nets, as results were consistent whether using separated or continuous net panels. However, the number of nets used as a sampling unit significantly influenced the results, as the variation in species abundance and diversity with depth and gear type was similar, when 20 or 30 nets were used, but became more variable when only 10 nets were used, even with increased replication. We concluded that both trammel nets and gillnets should be included in a coastal biodiversity monitoring program, as each catches a different set of species, including both demersal and pelagic taxa. Further, we recommend using a minimum of 20 nets (ideally 30+) per station, with replication. The evaluated monitoring system has a minimal impact on the ecosystem, can be easily deployed using commercial vessels and effectively captures a large number of species, being thus, highly recommended to be used in coastal monitoring surveys.MAR-01.03.02-FEAMP-0007; DL57; MAR-01.03.02-FEAMP-002
Current distribution of the African citrus psyllid Trioza erytreae in Portugal: relation to climatic conditions
No full textThe onset of Trioza erytreae, the African citrus psyllid, in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula (north of Portugal and northwest of Spain) caused great concern among citrus growers in Europe. This insect is a vector of the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter spp., the causal agent of huanglongbing, one of the most devastating citrus diseases. The first report of T. erytreae presence in mainland Europe refers to an area with isolated citrus trees and no significant citrus orchards. However, it was predictable that T. erytreae could spread quickly reaching the most important citrus growing area, in the south. Therefore, the Portuguese citrus industry is the first to be threatened in Europe, but the entire European citrus industry is at risk.
In addition to the containment measures taken by the Portuguese and Spanish Phytosanitary Services, several models were made to predict how the African citrus psyllid could advance through the territory of the two countries. Releases of the parasitoid Tamarixia dryi were used for psyllid control. Despite that, T. erytreae has moved south and is on the verge of reaching the most important Portuguese citrus-producing area, which is connected to the citrus-growing areas of the other Mediterranean countries. This advance took place along the coast, without reaching interior regions of the country, where, according to some models, a high-water vapor pressure deficit hinders the insect's development in warmer areas. Populations of T. erytreae dropped significantly in 2021 and 2022, making it difficult to detect even in previously infested areas.
This doesn't give farmers peace of mind because the presence of T. erytreae, even in low populations, could lead to a quick spread of huanglongbing, if or when the disease arrives in Europe. Therefore, it is crucial to continue to monitor T. erytreae populations and implement the necessary containment measures for the vector.LIFE G.A. LIFE18 CCA/ES/001109; Horizon 2020, G. A. 817526info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
Transcriptional regulation of Synaptonemal complex assembly and disassembly during meiosis
No full textHuman female meiosis can take several decades to be concluded, as the oocytes enter meiosis before birth and stay arrested in prophase I in a dormant state until puberty. We aim to better understand the mechanisms responsible for the correct awakening of the oocyte, and the way they ensure successful meiotic progression and oocyte maturation. We and others showed that the prophase I-arrested Drosophila oocyte is transcriptionally quiescent for approximately 36 hours, and similarly to human oocytes, its reactivation is associated with a poorly understood global remodelling of its chromatin architecture. A screen for endogenously GFP-tagged transcription factors allowed the identification of Polycomb as being highly enriched in the oocyte chromatin and we will present our ongoing work related with the function of this protein complex and our attempts to visualize oocyte reactivation using live-cell imaging techniques.
Additionally, the synaptonemal complex (SC) is a proteinaceous scaffold that is assembled between the paired homologous chromosomes during the onset of meiosis. The SC stabilizes chromosome pairing and is important for crossovers formation, recombination and accurate segregation of meiotic chromosomes. Timely expression of SC genes is essential for SC assembly and successful meiosis. However, SC components have an intrinsic tendency to self-organize into alternative repetitive structures (polycomplexes), being potentially deleterious for meiosis and gametogenesis. In this work, we show that Sfmbt, is required to avoid excessive expression of SC genes during prophase I and consequently formation of polycomplexes during SC disassembly. Overexpression of Corona and depletion of other Polycomb group proteins are similarly associated to polycomplexes formation during SC disassembly. These polycomplexes are highly dynamic and have a well-defined periodic structure. Further confirming the importance of Sfmbt for female gametogenesis, germ line depletion of this protein is associated to significant metaphase I defects and a reduction of female fertility.meiose feminina humana pode levar várias décadas para ser concluída, pois os oócitos entram na meiose antes do nascimento e permanecem dormentes na prófase I até a puberdade. Neste trabalho procurámos compreender os mecanismos responsáveis pelo correto despertar do oócito e a forma como garantem a progressão e maturação meiótica. Foi demonstrado que o oócito de Drosophila preso na prófase I é transcricionalmente quiescente aproximadamente 36 horas e, de maneira semelhante aos oócitos humanos, a reativação está associada à remodelação global da arquitetura da cromatina. Usufruindo de uma seleção de fatores de transcrição marcados com GFP endógenos permitiu identificámos o Polycomb altamente enriquecido na cromatina do oócito e procurámos descobrir a função desta proteína bem como a visualizar oócitos através de técnicas de imagem ex vivo.
Mais ainda, o complexo sinaptonémico (CS) é uma estrutura proteica que se forma entre os cromossomas homólogos durante o início da meiose. O CS estabiliza o emparelhamento de cromossomas sendo importante para a formação de crossingovers, recombinação e segregação dos cromossomas meióticos. A expressão correta dos genes do CS é essencial para a formação do CS e para o sucesso meiótico. No entanto, estes componentes têm uma tendência intrínseca de se auto-organizarem em estruturas repetitivas alternativas de ordem superior (policomplexos), sendo potencialmente perigosos para a meiose e a gametogénese. Neste trabalho, mostramos que o Sfmbt é necessário para evitar a expressão excessiva destes genes e, consequentemente, a formação de policomplexos durante a desmontagem do SC. A sobre expressão de Corona e a depleção de outras proteínas do grupo Polycomb estão também associadas à formação de policomplexos durante a desmontagem do SC. Estes policomplexos são altamente dinâmicos e possuem uma estrutura periódica bem definida. A depleção de Sfmbt está também associada com defeitos de metafase I e a uma redução da fertilidade feminina
Effects of hypoxia on the olfactory sensitivity of gilt-head seabream (Sparus aurata)
No full textCoastal environments around the world are becoming increasingly hypoxic owing to anthropogenic effects. We hypothesized that, because the olfactory epithelium is in contact with the external environment, decreased external oxygen will impair olfaction. We performed electro-olfactograms on juvenile gilt-head seabream (Sparus aurata) and measured the response to three amino acids at five different concentrations (1×10−7 to 1×10−3 mol l−1) in normoxic (20 kPa O2) and two hypoxic conditions (12.5 and 5.7 kPa O2). For the first time, we show that both mild and moderate hypoxia decreased the olfactory response to two out of three odorants. As more coastal areas become hypoxic, it is important to understand how hypoxia may impair the sensory systems of fishes, which can have individual- and population-level effects and important implications for our food supply.RGPIN-2021-0350
Reducing cetacean interactions with bottom set‐nets and purse seining using acoustic deterrent devices in Southern Iberia
No full textIn southern Iberia (NE Atlantic), cetacean bycatch is reported in several fisheries, whereas depredation by bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is commonly observed in bottom set-net fisheries. This study tested the effectiveness of acoustic deterrent devices in discouraging small cetaceans from approaching bottom set-nets and purse seine to reduce interactions. The acoustic deterrent devices used in the study were dolphin deterrent devices and dolphin interactive devices for the bottom set-net fishery to reduce dolphin bycatch and depredation and dolphin deterrent devices in the purse seine fishery to reduce common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) bycatch. Data collection was carried out by at-sea observers and trained fishing vessel crew observers. Hauls with and without acoustic deterrent devices were compared and analysed to investigate differences in catch per unit effort, factors affecting the interaction, probability of interaction and habituation (in bottom set-nets only). In bottom set-nets, the depredation rate was significantly lower and reduced by about 50% in hauls using acoustic deterrent devices. Habituation of the bottlenose dolphins to the devices was observed but was gradual. In the purse seine fishery, common dolphin bycatch was reduced by 100% when using the acoustic deterrent devices. Overall, the results are promising, but the different interaction reduction efficiencies observed between gear types indicate that the potential application of acoustic deterrent devices should be considered on a m & eacute;tier-by-m & eacute;tier basis. Other mitigation measures should be developed, especially for static gears, in collaboration with the fishing sector in an inclusive management approach to reduce direct interactions between fisheries and cetaceans.projects Mar2020- iNOVPESCA (DGRM/MM, MAR2020: MAR-01.03.01-FEAMP-0020; CetAMBICion (EU, DGENV/MSFD 2020) and LIFE Ilhas Barreira (LIFE18/NAT/PT/000927
A novel shortcut to cubical perspective drawing
No full textThe article introduces a novel construction that simplifies the drawing of cubical perspectives. A recent work described a method for drawing cubical perspectives which classifies lines into several types and renders each type systematically. Some of these types require an auxiliary external construction, hindering the drawing process. This research proposes a novel method that shortcuts this step with an internal construction. This method both accelerates and simplifies the studio process, reduces systematic errors, and makes freehand sketching more viable and precise. Next, the shortcut is applied through the case of the Solimene factory (Italy), an organic architecture that highlights both the issues inherent to cubical representation and the advantages of the proposed shortcut
Arqueologia e antropologia forense em contextos de violência política
No full textA Arqueologia e Antropologia Forense têm-se tornado mais relevantes em casos de significância médico-legal e humanitária, em grande parte impulsionadas pelo seu papel crucial em investigações de violência política do século passado. Este texto revê estes temas e seu enquadramento geral nas Ciências Forenses e Ciências Sociais. Para tal, é feito um breve histórico do desenvolvimento da Arqueologia e Antropologia Forense no mundo e apresentados casos emblemáticos de aplicação delas em contextos de violência política, com destaque para o Brasil. Por fim, são discutidos os desenvolvimentos mais recentes na área, sublinhando como a Arqueologia e a Antropologia Forense podem contribuir para o estudo de formas diversas de violência política.GTP; 2022.03020.CEECIND; .CEECIND/CP1731/CT0006info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio