Evaluation of the simultaneous removal of organic matter, nitrogen and suspended solids in a SSHF constructed wetland in Capinha, Portugal

Comparing with other countries there is still a lack of experience in applied constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in Portugal. Among all Mediterranean countries only France and Italy established the guidelines on Constructed Wetlands (CWs). In most of those countries as well as in Portugal there are no specific regulations and design criteria of CWs for the treatment of wastewater [1]. Most of the CWs applied in Mediterranean countries were designed basing on northern countries experience; therefore there is a great need to establish regulations suitable for warm climate conditions. Additionally, the extending popularity of CW systems and a need to make more researches is forced by the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) and Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EEC), which set the goals to achieve certain standards of discharge water in Europe by the 2015 year. The advantages of CWs application in Portugal are unquestionable: low energy and maintenance requirements, low cost and appropriateness for domestic wastewater treatment for small and rural communities. Moreover, the land availability and temperature are not the limiting factors. As almost 25% of 5 Mirosława Arendacz, Hanna Obarska-Pempkowiak, Antonio Albuquerque, Maria Correia, Miguel Borges the population of central Portugal lives in small and rural agglomerations CWs seem to be very attractive solution. The majority of constructed wetlands in Portugal are designed as surface horizontal flow systems for secondary treatment of municipal and domestic sewage [2, 3]. There is very little date on the treatment efficiency of CWs in Portugal so far, however it had been reported that they show good performance in terms of BOD5 , TSS and lower effectiveness for total P and N removal. High capacity to remove low concentration of organic substances was also observed [2]. Data obtained on the treatment efficiency of CWs in Mediterranean countries also proved good potential of CWs to organic removal (COD, BOD5, and TSS) as well as to ammonia removal, which enabled meeting discharge criteria set by governments [1]. The survey conducted for CWs in Spain reported that the loadings applied for horizontal flow systems were in range of 0.8÷20.3 g BOD5 /m2day and 3÷17 g TSS/ m2day [4]. Data obtained in Spain showed that the average load applied to horizontal flow constructed wetlands is higher that ones cited in the literature and proved that those systems perform very well in terms of organic matter removal comparing to the other European countries [4]. This conclusion could also apply to Portugal due to similar climate conditions, close localization and similar regulations and criteria taken into account for sizing. However, more accurate data must be provided in order to approve it and to establish the most guidelines criteria. The objective of the paper was to evaluate the performance of the subsurface horizontal flow (SSHF) submerged constructed wetland in Capinha, located in the central Portugal, mostly in terms of organic matter (COD), nitrogen forms (total N, ammonia and nitrate) and suspended solids (TSS). The aim of the work was also to study the effect of loads on the removal of above pollutants.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The geography of high-value biodiversity areas for terrestrial vertebrates in Western Europe and their coverage by protected area networks

We identified high-value biodiversity areas (HVBAs) of terrestrial vertebrates according to a combined index of biodiversity (CBI) for each major taxon and a standardized biodiversity index (SBI) for all taxa in 2195 cells of 50 × 50 km in Western Europe to evaluate whether these areas are included in the current protected area networks. The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and NATURA 2000 protected area network were used to assess the protected area cover in HVBAs. WDPA and NATURA 2000 were geographically quite complementary as WDPA is more densely represented in Central and Northern Europe and NATURA 2000 in the Mediterranean basin. A total of 729 cells were identified as HVBAs. From the total of these HVBA areas, NATURA 2000 network was present in more cells (660) than the WDPA network (584 cells). The sum of protected land percentages across all the HVBA cells was 28.8%. The identified HVBA cells according to the SBI included 603 or 78.2% of all vertebrate species in the study region, whereas the identified HVBA cells according to the SBI for individual taxa included 47 (90.4%) species of amphibians, 79 (74.5%) of reptiles, 417 (88.5%) of birds, and 130 (91.5%) of mammals. However, neither network was present in 7 or 3% of the identified HVBA cells. Thus, we recommend expanding protected areas in Europe to fill this gap and improve coverage of vertebrate species to strengthen biodiversity conservation.This research was supported by the\ud Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (grants CGL2010-\ud 18312 to JMRB, and CGL2010-22119 to MAR), and the\ud Madrid Government REMEDINAL project (S2009AMB-1783).\ud M. J. T. Assunc¸ao-Albuquerque was supported by the Brazil- ˜\ud ian Ministry of Education, through CAPES (Coordenac¸ao de ˜\ud Aperfeic¸oamento de Pessoal de N´ıvel Superior) Doctorate\ud scholarship and FSA was supported by BIOTREE-net-project\ud funded by BBVA Foundation. We are indebted to two anonymous\ud reviewers that greatly improved a former version of this manuscrip

As diferenças em torno dos valores culturais: um estudo empírico a partir de entidades listadas em índices europeus.

Artigo em revista científica internacional com arbitragem científicaA influência do fator cultural no âmbito da subcultura da Contabilidade é reconhecida pela literatura, que não descura os seus eventuais impactos na comparabilidade do relato financeiro. A presente investigação visa aferir a eventual existência de distintos níveis de valores culturais propostos por Gray (1988) em função de agrupamentos regionais. Adicionalmente, pretende-se testar a existência de uma eventual associação entre os referidos valores culturais. A recolha dos dados foi realizada a partir dos relatórios e contas consolidados anuais, referentes a 2013 e 2014, divulgados pelas entidades cotadas (grupos não financeiros) nos índices bolsistas relativos a mercados financeiros da União Europeia (UE), tendo sido utilizada a análise de conteúdo como metodologia. Após a aplicação de critérios específicos de seleção, a população final deste estudo é constituída por 137 entidades. Os resultados obtidos a partir da aplicação de técnicas de análise não-paramétricas bivariadas sugerem que o conservadorismo distingue-se em função de alguns agrupamentos regionais. Constata-se ainda a existência de uma conexão positiva entre o conservadorismo e o secretismo. Um dos contributos desta investigação consiste, entre outros, na identificação do potencial impacto da cultura sobre o julgamento profissional, mesmo no contexto do avançado processo de harmonização contabilística internacional em curso.The influence of cultural factor within the subculture of accounting is recognized by the literature, that does not neglect its possible impact on comparability of financial reporting. This research seeks to analyze the possible existence of distinct levels of cultural values proposed by Gray (1988) on the basis of regional groups. Additionally, it is intended to test the existence of a possible association between the cultural values, as well as between these and the qualitative characteristics. Data collection was carried out from the reports and consolidated annual accounts, for 2013 and 2014, disclosed by non-financial entities listes in stock indexes relating to financial markets of the European Union, having been used as content analysis methodology. After the application of the selection criteria, the final population of this study encompasses 137 entities. The findings based on the application of non-parametric bivariate analysis techniques suggest that the conservatism could be distinguished on the basis of some regional groups. The existence of a positive connection between conservatism and secrecy is equally noticed. One of the contributions of this investigation is constituted by, among others, the identification of the potential impact of culture in the context of professional judgment, even in the context of advanced international accounting harmonisation process.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Culture and the qualitative characteristics of financial information: an empirical study of firms traded on different European stockmarkets

Artigo em revista científica internacional com arbitragem científicaA presente investigação visa aferir a eventual existência de associação entre os valores culturais propostos por Gray (1988) e as características qualitativas no relato financeiro, no âmbito da revisão da Estrutura Conceitual conjuntamente desenvolvida entre o Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) e o International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). A recolha dos dados foi realizada a partir dos relatórios e contas consolidados anuais, relativos a 2013 e 2014, divulgados pelas entidades não financeiras cotadas nos índices bolsistas referentes a mercados financeiros da União Europeia (UE): PSI-20, IBEX-35, FTSE-100, DAX-30 e OMX-S30. Após a aplicação dos critérios de seleção, a população final deste estudo engloba 137 entidades. Foi utilizada a análise de conteúdo como método de pesquisa. Os resultados obtidos a partir da aplicação do teste estatístico de Mann-Whitney-U sugerem que o conservadorismo encontra-se negativamente associado à relevância da informação financeira. Avaliar o impacto da cultura no processo de convergência internacional, bem como dos elementos que se encontram associados a essa problemática, constitui um dos contributos científicos desta investigação.This research investigates the possible existence of an association between the cultural values proposed by Gray (1988) and the qualitative characteristics of financial reporting found in the Review of the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting jointly developed by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). Data was collected from the annual reports and consolidated accounts for 2013 and 2014 disclosed by non-financial firms listed in the following stock indexes for financial markets of the European Union: PSI-20, IBEX-35, FTSE-100, DAX-30 and OMX-S30. After screening for determined selection criteria, the final population of this study was made up of 137 entities. Content analysis was carried out and, after applying the Mann-Whitney-U test, findings suggest that conservatism is negatively associated with the relevance of financial information. The assessment of the impact of culture on the process of international convergence, as well as the elements associated with this question, are among the scientific contributions of this study.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Concretização de uma Arquitectura de Suporte à Geração de Cenas Animadas com Agentes Inteligentes

Este relatório descreve a arquitectura e opções tomadas no projecto MAGO2 relativamente à tarefa sobre animação de agentes inteligentes. A arquitectura deverá permitir a criação de ambientes virtuais onde se movimentam agentes inteligentes. Esta arquitectura faz a articulação de várias aplicações software de modelação tridimensional (Blender), motor gráfico (Ogre), motor físico (ODE) e bancada de agentes (JADE

Innate immunity induced by Plasmodium liver infection inhibits malaria reinfections

© 2015 American Society for Microbiology. The authors have paid a fee to allow immediate free access to this article.Following transmission through a mosquito bite to the mammalian host, Plasmodium parasites first invade and replicate inside hepatocytes before infecting erythrocytes and causing malaria. The mechanisms limiting Plasmodium reinfections in humans living in regions of malaria endemicity have mainly been explored by studying the resistance induced by the blood stage of infection. However, epidemiologic studies have suggested that in high-transmission areas, preerythrocytic stages also activate host resistance to reinfection. This, along with the recent discovery that liver infections trigger a specific and effective type I interferon (IFN) response, prompted us to hypothesize that this pre-erythrocyte-stage-induced resistance is linked to liver innate immunity. Here, we combined experimental approaches and mathematical modeling to recapitulate field studies and understand the molecular basis behind such resistance. We present a newly established mouse reinfection model and demonstrate that rodent malaria liver-stage infection inhibits reinfection. This protection relies on the activation of innate immunity and involves the type I IFN response and the antimicrobial cytokine gamma IFN (IFN-γ). Importantly, mathematical simulations indicate that the predictions based on our experimental murine reinfection model fit available epidemiological data. Overall, our study revealed that liver-stage-induced innate immunity may contribute to the preerythrocytic resistance observed in humans in regions of malaria hyperendemicity.This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) grants PTDC-SAU-MIC-117060-2010 (to Miguel Prudêncio) and EXCL/IMI-MIC/0056/2012 (to M.M.M.). P.L. was supported by Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale and FCT (fellowship SFRH/BPD/41547/2007). P.M. was supported by FCT (fellowship SFRH/BD/71098/2010). Miguel Prudêncio and M.P.D. are supported by an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant (DP120100064). M.P.D. is an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Host cell transcriptional profiling during malaria liver stage infection reveals a coordinated and sequential set of biological events

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Plasmodium </it>sporozoites migrate to the liver where they traverse several hepatocytes before invading the one inside which they will develop and multiply into thousands of merozoites. Although this constitutes an essential step of malaria infection, the requirements of <it>Plasmodium </it>parasites in liver cells and how they use the host cell for their own survival and development are poorly understood.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To gain new insights into the molecular host-parasite interactions that take place during malaria liver infection, we have used high-throughput microarray technology to determine the transcriptional profile of <it>P. berghei</it>-infected hepatoma cells. The data analysis shows differential expression patterns for 1064 host genes starting at 6 h and up to 24 h post infection, with the largest proportion correlating specifically with the early stages of the infection process. A considerable proportion of those genes were also found to be modulated in liver cells collected from <it>P. yoelii-</it>infected mice 24 and 40 h after infection, strengthening the data obtained with the <it>in vitro </it>model and highlighting genes and pathways involved in the host response to rodent <it>Plasmodium </it>parasites.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data reveal that host cell infection by <it>Plasmodium </it>sporozoites leads to a coordinated and sequential set of biological events, ranging from the initial stage of stress response up to the engagement of host metabolic processes and the maintenance of cell viability throughout infection.</p

C-glycosyl flavones and a comparative study of the antioxidant, hemolytic and toxic potential of Jatropha multifida leaves and bark

The ethyl acetate extract from Jatropha multifida (Euphorbiaceae) leaves yielded two C-glycosyl flavones. Their structures were elucidated through spectroscopic methods, including UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR, and compared with the related known compounds. The structures of the two flavonoids were determined as Vitexin (1) and Isovitexin (2). The ethanol extracts of leaves and bark and their fractions did not interfere in the integrity of erythrocytes, not even 1 and 2. In the Brine shrimp lethality method, bark extracts showed greater toxic potential than the leaf extracts. Both flavonoids are not toxic. The Phosphomolybdenum and DPPH assays were used in order to investigate the antioxidant activity of both compounds and fractions of leaf and bark extracts. The ethyl acetate fraction of bark showed excellent activity, with IC50 17.23 μg/mL-1, equivalent to the standard values, Vitamin C and Rutin. Compounds 1 - 2 demonstrated good activity with IC50 values of 54.37 and 87.27μg/mL-1.  In the Phosphomolybdenum test, the ethyl acetate fraction of bark showed 86.18% of antioxidant activity compared with Rutin, and the chloroform fraction of leaves, 103.29%. In all tests the bark extracts were more bioactive than the leaf extracts

C-glycosyl flavones and a comparative study of the antioxidant, hemolytic and toxic potential of Jatropha multifida leaves and bark

The ethyl acetate extract from Jatropha multifida (Euphorbiaceae) leaves yielded two C-glycosyl flavones. Their structures were elucidated through spectroscopic methods, including UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR, and compared with the related known compounds. The structures of the two flavonoids were determined as Vitexin (1) and Isovitexin (2). The ethanol extracts of leaves and bark and their fractions did not interfere in the integrity of erythrocytes, not even 1 and 2. In the Brine shrimp lethality method, bark extracts showed greater toxic potential than the leaf extracts. Both flavonoids are not toxic. The Phosphomolybdenum and DPPH assays were used in order to investigate the antioxidant activity of both compounds and fractions of leaf and bark extracts. The ethyl acetate fraction of bark showed excellent activity, with IC50 17.23 μg/mL-1, equivalent to the standard values, Vitamin C and Rutin. Compounds 1 - 2 demonstrated good activity with IC50 values of 54.37 and 87.27μg/mL-1.  In the Phosphomolybdenum test, the ethyl acetate fraction of bark showed 86.18% of antioxidant activity compared with Rutin, and the chloroform fraction of leaves, 103.29%. In all tests the bark extracts were more bioactive than the leaf extracts

Arquitectura de Suporte à Geração de Cenas Animadas com Agentes Inteligente

Este relatório apresenta uma proposta de arquitectura que permite a criação de ambientes virtuais onde se movimentam agentes inteligentes. Esta arquitectura faz a articulação de várias aplicações software de modelação tridimensional, motor gráfico e motor físico e a sua definição é uma importante etapa no progresso da tarefa 7 do projecto MAGO 2 , Modelação de Agentes em Organizações, que tem vindo a ser concretizada desde Fevereiro de 2004 por uma equipa de trabalho do LabMA