Future Projections of Fire Occurrence in Brazil Using EC-Earth Climate Model

Fire has a fundamental role in the Earth system as it influences global and local ecosystem patterns and processes, such as vegetation distribution and structure, the carbon cycle and climate. Since, in the global context, Brazil is one of the regions with higher fire activity, an assessment is here performed of the sensitivity of the wildfire regime in Brazilian savanna and shrubland areas to changes in regional climate during the 21st Century, for an intermediate scenario (RCP4.5) of climate change. The assessment is based on a spatial and temporal analysis of a meteorological fire danger index specifically developed for Brazilian biomes, which was evaluated based on regional climate simulations of temperature, relative humidity and precipitation using the Rossby Centre Regional Climate Model (RCA4) forced by the EC-Earth earth system model. Results show a systematic increase in the extreme levels of fire danger throughout the 21st Century that mainly results from the increase in maximum daily temperature, which rises by about 2 °C between 2005 and 2100. This study provides new insights about projected fire activity in Brazilian woody savannas associated to climate change and is expected to benefit the user community, from governmental policies to land management and climate researches

A new competitive implementation of the electromagnetism-like algorithm for global optimization

The Electromagnetism-like (EM) algorithm is a population- based stochastic global optimization algorithm that uses an attraction- repulsion mechanism to move sample points towards the optimal. In this paper, an implementation of the EM algorithm in the Matlab en- vironment as a useful function for practitioners and for those who want to experiment a new global optimization solver is proposed. A set of benchmark problems are solved in order to evaluate the performance of the implemented method when compared with other stochastic methods available in the Matlab environment. The results con rm that our imple- mentation is a competitive alternative both in term of numerical results and performance. Finally, a case study based on a parameter estimation problem of a biology system shows that the EM implementation could be applied with promising results in the control optimization area.Acknowledgments This work has been supported by FCT (Funda¸c˜ao para a Ciˆencia e Tecnologia, Portugal) in the scope of the project PEst-UID/CEC/00319/2013

New Brazilian pineapple leaf fibers for textile application: cottonization and dyeing performance

This work evaluates the dyeing performance associated with a cottonization and bleaching pretreatment of pineapple leaf fibers from two diferent species from Brazil: curaua (A. lucidus syn. A. erectifolius) and red pineapple (A. bracteatus (Lindl.) Schult. & Schult.f), aiming its application in textile materials for garments. Treated and untreated fibers were compared for their morphological, chemical, physical and color properties. The fibers underwent changes in their chemical and physical structural characteristics after pretreatment. The results of SEM, FTIR and whiteness index analysis indicated that the cottonization process improved the color and surface uniformity of fibers, reducing non-cellulosic matters, such as lignin and pectin. Treated fibers also presented low impurities content, i.e., oils, wax and fats (between 1.1 and 2.1%). However, compared to untreated fibers, treated curaua show an increase in impurities, supposedly caused by the removal of epidermal tissue from the fiber surface, which became the fiber bundle structure more accessible. Cottonization process also produced thinner, individualized and more resistant fiber bundles, which was evidenced by a decrease in linear density by 30 and 42% and an increase in tenacity by 12 and 23%. The dyeing behavior of fibers was investigated using blue, red and yellow reactive dyes. Fibers of both species demonstrated good dyeing behavior, with K/S values compatible with textile application standards (between 4 and 11) and an excellent color fastness to laundering.This work is also supported by FEDER funds through the Competitivity Factors Operational Programme-COMPETE and by national funds through FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136

Formar os farmacêuticos do futuro: uma experiência adaptada ao exercício da profissão

Poster apresentado no 12º Congresso das Farmácias – A Inovar Consigo, 14-16 Abril de 2016 Centro de Congressos de Lisboa, Portugal

Translational control of UIS4 protein of the host-parasite interface is mediated by the RNA binding protein Puf2 in Plasmodium berghei sporozoites

Copyright: © 2016 Silva et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.UIS4 is a key protein component of the host-parasite interface in the liver stage of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei and required for parasite survival after invasion. In the infectious sporozoite, UIS4 protein has variably been shown to be translated but also been reported to be translationally repressed. Here we show that uis4 mRNA translation is regulated by the P. berghei RNA binding protein Pumilio-2 (PbPuf2 or Puf2 from here on forward) in infectious salivary gland sporozoites in the mosquito vector. Using RNA immunoprecipitation we show that uis4 mRNA is bound by Puf2 in salivary gland sporozoites. In the absence of Puf2, uis4 mRNA translation is de-regulated and UIS4 protein expression upregulated in salivary gland sporozoites. Here, using RNA immunoprecipitation, we reveal the first Puf2-regulated mRNA in this parasite.This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) grants PTDC/SAU-MIC/122082/2010 and PTDC/BIA-BCM/105610/2008 to GRM, and SFRH/BPD/72619/2010 to PAGCS.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of a new chitosan hydrogel for wound dressing

Wound healing is a complex process involving an integrated response by many different cell types and growth factors in order to achieve rapid restoration of skin architecture and function. The present study evaluated the applicability of a chitosan hydrogel (CH) as a wound dressing. Scanning electron microscopy analysis was used to characterize CH morphology. Fibroblast cells isolated from rat skin were used to assess the cytotoxicity of the hydrogel. CH was able to promote cell adhesion and proliferation. Cell viability studies showed that the hydrogel and its degradation by-products are noncytotoxic. The evaluation of the applicability of CH in the treatment of dermal burns in Wistar rats was performed by induction of full-thickness transcutaneous dermal wounds. Wound healing was monitored through macroscopic and histological analysis. From macroscopic analysis, the wound beds of the animals treated with CH were considerably smaller than those of the controls. Histological analysis revealed lack of a reactive or a granulomatous inflammatory reaction in skin lesions with CH and the absence of pathological abnormalities in the organs obtained by necropsy, which supported the local and systemic histocompatibility of the biomaterial. The present results suggest that this biomaterial may aid the re-establishment of skin architecture

Edible alginate-based films with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity

© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).The viability of SARS-CoV-2 on food surfaces and its propagation through the food chain has been discussed by several stakeholders, as it may represent a serious public health problem, bringing new challenges to the food system. This work shows for the first time that edible films can be used against SARS-CoV-2. Sodium alginate-based films containing gallic acid, geraniol, and green tea extract were evaluated in terms of their antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. The results showed that all these films have strong in vitro antiviral activity against this virus. However, a higher concentration of the active compound (1.25%) is needed for the film containing gallic acid to achieve similar results to those obtained for lower concentrations of geraniol and green tea extract (0.313%). Furthermore, critical concentrations of the active compounds in the films were used to evaluate their stability during storage. Results showed that gallic acid-loaded films lose their activity from the second week of storage, while films with geraniol and green tea extract only show a drop in activity after four weeks. These results highlight the possibility of using edible films and coatings as antiviral materials on food surfaces or food contact materials, which may help to reduce the spreading of viruses through the food chain.This work received funding from EIT Food (Grant agreement ID: 20400), the innovation community on Food of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the EU, under Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Stability under humidity, UV-light and bending of AZO films deposited by ALD on Kapton

H2020-ICT-2014-1 ERC-CoG-2014 CapTherPV, 647596Aluminium doped zinc oxide (AZO) films were grown by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on yellow Kapton and transparent Kapton (type CS) substrates for large area flexible transparent thermoelectric applications, which performance relies on the thermoelectric properties of the transparent AZO films. Therefore, their adhesion to Kapton, environmental and bending stability were accessed. Plasma treatment on Kapton substrates improved films adhesion, reduced cracks formation, and enhanced electrical resistance stability over time, of importance for long term thermoelectric applications in external environment. While exposure to UV light intensity caused the films electrical resistance to vary, and therefore their maximum power density outputs (0.3–0.4 mW/cm3) for a constant temperature difference (∼10 °C), humidity exposure and consecutive bending up to a curvature radius above the critical one (∼18 mm) not. Testing whether the films can benefit from encapsulation revealed that this can provide extra bending stability and prevent contacts deterioration in the long term.publishersversionpublishe

Configuração da procura para a formação Pós Graduada em Enfermagem de Cuidados Paliativos

INTRODUÇÃO: A formação é considerada um dos principais alicerces para a prestação de cuidados no âmbito dos Cuidados Paliativos. Sendo o atual contexto social e político pouco favorável à procura da formação pós graduada por parte dos enfermeiros, quisemos perceber as razões que levam alguns destes profissionais a frequentarem a formação pós graduada neste domínio. OBJETIVOS: Este estudo pretendeu analisar a configuração da procura da formação pós graduada em enfermagem de cuidados paliativos, refletindo sobre as motivações dos enfermeiros e o seu alinhamento com a perceção de conceitos centrais nomeadamente, conceito de cuidados paliativos e os significados sobre o cuidar em cuidados paliativos. O estudo serviu ainda o propósito de conciliar e direcionar a formação pós-graduada em enfermagem de cuidados paliativos no sentido de uma maior consonância com as expetativas dos enfermeiros. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Este estudo de cariz qualitativo e interpretativo teve como principal técnica de recolha de dados um questionário especificamente criado para o efeito, constituído por duas partes, uma respeitante à caracterização sociodemográfica da amostra e outra constituída por 5 questões abertas, de teor concordante com o objeto de estudo, das quais, três integraram o corpus de análise deste estudo. Recorreu-se a uma amostra de conveniência, constituída por 10 enfermeiros que frequentavam o curso de formação especializada em enfermagem de cuidados paliativos, numa instituição de ensino superior. Todos os participantes eram do género feminino, solteiros, licenciados, com uma média de idades de 23,78 anos (DP = 1.99), oscilando entre um mínimo de 21 e um máximo de 26 anos. Em média apresentavam 1,22 anos (DP = 1.09) de experiência profissional, sendo os contextos de exercício da atividade, de natureza muito diversa. Nenhum dos participantes apresentava experiência profissional em unidades de cuidados paliativos. Para o alcançar dos objetivos apresentados, no primeiro dia da formação, os formandos foram convidados a responderem ao questionário, mediante consentimento escrito e informado, para a divulgação de resultados. A informação foi obtida por resposta direta à solicitação efetuada, e os dados analisados e tratados, obedecendo aos pressupostos defendidos por Bardin. RESULTADOS: Da análise efetuada, centrada nas três dimensões consideradas - motivações que levaram os formandos a procurarem a formação pós graduada; concetualização de cuidados paliativos e representações sobre o cuidar em cuidados paliativos, emergiram as categorias e os temas os quais permitiram a compreensão do fenómeno em estudo. Face à questão, “O que o(a) motivou para a procura do curso de formação especializada em enfermagem de cuidados paliativos?”, obtivemos as categorias: Interesse pela área; Razões familiares; Défice de conhecimentos. Em resposta à questão, “O que entende por cuidados paliativos?”, obtivemos: Cuidados prestados por equipas multidisciplinares; Cuidados alternativos aos cuidados curativos; Cuidados à pessoa em fim de vida. Perante a questão, “O que é para si cuidar em cuidados paliativos?”, emergiram as categorias: Cuidar de forma holística; Promover a qualidade de vida; Respeitar o rigor científico e relacional; Excelência dos cuidados. Os resultados demonstraram que a procura do referido curso de formação especializada em enfermagem de cuidados paliativos deve-se, por um lado, ao interesse despertado pela área, circunscrevendo-se este interesse aos domínios profissional, pessoal e familiar, e por outro, à necessidade sentida por estes atores, seja pelo défice de conhecimentos obtidos durante a graduação, seja pelo reconhecimento da importância da referida formação como forma de desenvolverem competências neste âmbito. Quanto às concetualizações, os resultados obtidos foram no sentido do reforço da importância da qualidade de vida, seja pelo controlo da dor e do sofrimento, seja pela ajuda necessária à família. A importância do olhar holístico e da intervenção consertada pela equipa multidisciplinar constituem também conceitos relevantes, emergentes da análise efetuada. CONCLUSÕES: Os dados deste estudo poderão constituir uma orientação para uma reorganização curricular do curso de formação pós-graduada em enfermagem de cuidados paliativos, direcionada quer para as expectativas, quer para necessidades de formação dos enfermeiros. Espera-se desta forma contribuir para uma melhoria dos cuidados de enfermagem prestados aos doentes/famílias que se encontram no contexto de cuidados paliativos.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Determining factors of functioning in hemodialysis patients using the international classification of functioning, disability and health

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) treatment affects functioning, physical activity level, clinical biomarkers, and body composition. However, the association between these variables with functioning, considering International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domains remains unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between physical activity, biomarkers, and body composition with functioning in HD patients in reference to the ICF. Methods: Eighty HD patients performed different tests grouped according to ICF domain: Body structure and function – handgrip strength (HS), 5-repetition sit-to-stand test, and 60-s sit-to-stand test (5-STS, 60-STS, respectively); Activity – short physical performance battery (SPPB); and Participation – participation scale questionnaire. Physical activity [Human Activity Profile questionnaire (HAP)], body composition (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), Parathormone (PTH), and alkaline phosphatase were analyzed as possible variables associated with ICF domains. Data analyses were performed using simple and multiple regression models adjusted for age, duration of HD, and diuresis volume. Results: In the body structure and function domain, appendicular lean mass, PTH level, and age were associated with HS ( R2 = 0.558); HAP and PTH were associated with 5-STS ( R2 = 0.263); and HAP, PTH, duration of HD, and age were associated with 60-STS ( R2 = 0.337). In the activity domain, HAP, PTH, alkaline phosphatase, duration of HD, age, and body fat were associated with SPPB ( R2 = 0.689). Finally, only HAP was associated with the participation scale ( R2 = 0.067). Conclusion: Physical activity and PTH levels are determinant protagonists of functioning in all ICF domains in hemodialysis patients