Transprejudice in access to employment

Following the recent LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) movements, the first three acronyms have been increasingly targeted for greater workplace inclusion, but the latter (transgender) has been mostly overlooked (Beauregard et al., 2018). According to an analysis developed by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (2007), more than one in three transgender respondents felt discriminated for being transgender when looking for a job (37%). Therefore, this study targets transgender people discrimination in the labour market, namely, in having access to a job. This is a contribution to a research gap that has been putting less emphasis on transgender people and, thus has generated the least knowledge and awareness to promote their social inclusiveness. With a sample of 151 individuals, we tested a 2x2 factorial model where the first factor is expressed as gender identity (transgender vs. cisgender) and the second factor is expressed as gender (male vs. female) to explain two decisions: ascribed qualifications relative to expected minimum to apply for the job and hiring decision as most unfavorable up to favorable in an ordinal scale. The respective results went out of the expectations, showing a higher chance of being hired for ciswomen comparing to cismen, which goes counter to the literature and a higher chance of being hired for transmen comparing to transwomen. Results call attention to the boundary conditions pertaining to population segments and positive discrimination as a personal strategy.Na sequência dos recentes movimentos LGBT (lésbicas, gays, bissexuais e transgéneros), os três primeiros acrónimos têm sido cada vez mais associados a uma maior inclusão no local de trabalho, à exceção do último (transgénero), que tem sido maioritariamente ignorado (Beauregard et al., 2018). De acordo com uma análise desenvolvida pela European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (2007), mais de um em cada três inquiridos transgénero sentiu- se discriminado por ser transgénero quando procurava emprego (37%). Assim, este estudo foca- se na discriminação das pessoas transgénero no mercado de trabalho, nomeadamente no acesso ao emprego. Este é um contributo para uma lacuna de investigação que tem dado menos ênfase às pessoas transgénero e, por conseguinte, tem gerado menos conhecimento e sensibilização para promover a sua inclusão social. Com uma amostra de 151 indivíduos, testámos um modelo fatorial 2x2 em que o primeiro fator é representado como identidade de género (transgénero vs. cisgénero) e o segundo fator é apresentado como género (masculino vs. feminino) para explicar duas decisões: qualificações atribuídas relativamente ao mínimo esperado para se candidatar ao emprego e decisão de contratação, do mais desfavorável até ao mais favorável numa escala ordinal. Os respetivos resultados afastaram-se das expetativas, mostrando uma maior probabilidade de contratação para mulheres cisgénero em relação a homens cisgénero, o que contraria a literatura, e uma maior probabilidade de contratação para homens transgénero em relação a mulheres transgénero. Os resultados salientam as condições de fronteira criadas por segmentos populacionais e a discriminação positiva enquanto uma estratégia pessoal

Multilayer Coatings for temperature management through glass windows of buildings

Infrared (IR) blocking windows are considered to have an important role in reducing the building’s energy consumption by providing better insulation due to their transparency to visible light and ability to block heat. This work reports on visible light transmitting IR filters formed by a metallic layer between transparent conductive oxides (TCO). GZO as TCO and Cu as the metal layer were the focus of this work. Copper‐based low‐emissivity coatings are being considered as an alternative to that of Ag due to their lower cost and durability for heat reflectors. The TCOs were deposited by sputtering and the metallic layer by resistive thermal evaporation. Depending on the TCO required thickness (from 20 to 269 nm), different deposition times and powers were used and their influence on the optical properties studied. Results showed that the GZO (20 nm)/Metal/GZO (20 nm) multilayers obtained a transmittance at 550 nm of about 78.1% and 63.1% and a NIR reflection of 80.1% and 72.7% for the Ag (11 nm) and Cu (5 nm), respectively. The best performance was accomplished with the GZO (20 nm)/Ag (11 nm)/GZO (20 nm) film. CuS or Ag2S nanoparticles have been added to the coatings as an attempt to absorb NIR radiation and achieve IR‐shielding. These have been synthetized by microwave‐assisted synthesis (MW) and Ag2S also via ultrasonic irradiation (UI). Their optical characteristics were obtained before and after deposition on GZO substrates and GZO‐metal structures by electrospray. The optical properties revealed that adding those nanoparticles causes the metal films to lose their IR reflective properties and some visible transmission.As janelas que bloqueiam os infravermelhos (IR) têm um papel importante na redução do consumo energético dos edifícios, pois proporcionam um melhor isolamento devido à transparência à luz visível e capacidade de bloquear o calor. Este trabalho relata os filtros IR de transmissão de luz visível formados por uma camada metálica entre óxidos condutores transparentes (TCO). O foco incidiu no GZO como TCO e Cu como camada metálica. Os revestimentos de baixa emissividade à base de cobre estão a ser consi‐ derados uma alternativa aos de Ag devido ao seu menor custo e durabilidade para refletores de calor. Os TCO foram depositados por pulverização catódica e a camada metálica por evaporação térmica resistiva. Dependendo da espessura do TCO pretendida (entre 20 e 269 nm), foram utilizados diferentes tempos e potências de deposição e estudada a sua influência nas propriedades ópticas. Os resultados mostraram que as multicamadas GZO (20 nm)/Metal/GZO (20 nm) obtiveram uma transmitância nos 550 nm de cerca de 78.1% e 63.1% e uma reflexão no NIR de 80.1% e 72.7% para o Ag (11 nm) e Cu (5 nm), respetivamente. O melhor desempenho foi obtido com o filme GZO (20 nm)/Ag (11 nm)/GZO (20 nm). As nanopartículas CuS ou Ag2S foram adicionadas aos revestimentos como uma tentativa de absorver a radiação NIR e conseguir uma proteção IR. Estas foram obtidos por síntese assistida por micro‐ondas (MW) e o Ag2S ainda por irradiação ultrassónica (UI). As suas características ópticas foram obtidas antes e após as deposições por electrospray em substratos GZO e estruturas GZO‐metal. No que respeita às propriedades óticas, a adição das nanopartículas fez com que as películas metálicas perdessem as suas propriedades refletoras do IR e alguma transmissão visível

The pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, in Portugal: possible introductions and spread routes of a serious biological invasion revealed by molecular methods

The pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causal agent of pine wilt disease (PWD), is a major world-wide pathogen and pest of pine, with impacts on forest health, natural ecosystem stability and international trade. In Portugal, PWN was first diagnosed in 1999, the first occurrence also for Europe. The disease was recently detected on the island ofMadeira and in northern Spain. In an attempt to search for more reliable and robust molecular markers that enable the study of intraspecific variability of B. xylophilus from different geographic locations, the intergenic spacer (IGS) region of the 5S rRNA gene and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) analysis were used to determine the genetic relationships among 43 B. xylophilus isolates from Portugal, China, Japan, South Korea and USA. IGS sequence analysis showed that this region can only be used to establish interspecific relationships, since no differences were detected among Portuguese isolates from different geographic locations. Fingerprints obtained with ISSR show high genetic variability among Portuguese isolates, except for the ones obtained prior to 2008. The ISSR dendrogram suggests the spread of the disease inside continental Portugal and to Madeira. Until 2008, B. xylophilus populations found in continental Portugal showed low genetic diversity, pointing to a single introduction, probably from Asia, whereas recent populations from continental Portugal (2009-2010) and Madeira show high genetic diversity, suggesting multiple introductions from different origins

Are Bursaphelenchus xylophilus-associated bacteria playing a role in pine wilt disease?

Pine wilt disease (PWD), presently the most severe coniferous disease worldwide, is caused by the plant parasitic nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pinewood nematode (PWN). Although PWN is considered the major pathogenic factor in PWD, its associated bacterial community is not ruled out as potential helpers in this complex and still little understood disease. This work presents the characterization of PWN-associated bacteria and plant pathogenicity trials in the pine host Pinus pinaster. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing of PWN-associated bacteria revealed the presence of bacteria from two phyla Proteobacteria (Burkholderiales, Pseudomonadales, Enterobacteriales and Xanthomonadales) and Firmicutes (Lactobacillales and Bacilalles). Phenotypic characterization revealed the presence of a heterogeneous bacterial community associated with PWN, exhibiting plant pathogenic traits common in wilting diseases. Our results suggest the intriguing possibility that some PWN-associated bacteria may play a significant role in the development of PWD

Heterogeneous microbial community associated with Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is a complex disease integrating three major factors: the causal agent, the pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus; the insect-vector Monochamus spp.; and the host pine tree, Pinus sp. Since the early 80’s, the notion that another pathogenic agent involved, namely bacteria, may play a role in PWD has been gaining traction, however the role of bacteria in PWD is still unknown. The present work suggests the intriguing possibility that some B. xylophilus-associated bacteria may play a significant role in the development of this disease. This is inferred as a consequence of: (i) the phenotypic characterization, of a collection of 35 isolates of B. xylophilus-associated bacteria, in different tests broadly used to test plant pathogenic and plant growth promoting bacteria, and (ii) greenhouse experiments that infer pathogenicity of these bacteria in in maritime pine, Pinus pinaster. The results illustrate the presence of a heterogeneous microbial community associated with B. xylophilus and the traits exhibited by at least some of these bacteria appear to be related to PWD symptoms. The inoculation of four specific B. xylophilus-associated bacteria in P. pinaster seedlings resulted in the development of some PWD symptoms suggesting that these bacteria likely play an active role with B. xylophilus in PWD

The role of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus associated bacteria in pine wilt disease

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is a complex disease integrating three major factors: the causal agent, the pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus; the insect-vector Monochamus spp.; and the host pine tree, Pinus sp. Since the early 80’s, the notion that another pathogenic agent involved, namely bacteria, may play a role in PWD has been gaining traction, however the role of bacteria in PWD is still unknown. The present work suggests the intriguing possibility that some B. xylophilus-associated bacteria may play a significant role in the development of this disease. This is inferred as a consequence of: (i) the phenotypic characterization, of a collection of 35 isolates of B. xylophilus-associated bacteria, in different tests broadly used to test plant pathogenic and plant growth promoting bacteria, and (ii) greenhouse experiments that infer pathogenicity of these bacteria in in maritime pine, Pinus pinaster. The results illustrate the presence of a heterogeneous microbial community associated with B. xylophilus and the traits exhibited by at least some of these bacteria appear to be related to PWD symptoms. The inoculation of four specific B. xylophilus-associated bacteria in P. pinaster seedlings resulted in the development of some PWD symptoms suggesting that these bacteria likely play an active role with B. xylophilus in PWD

3-Bromopyruvate induces cytotoxicity, inhibits glycolysis and decreases migratory capacity in glioblastomas and colorectal cancer cell lines

CESPU project BioCat-CESPU-201

Evidence for the involvement of ACC deaminase from Pseudomonas putida UW4 in the biocontrol of pine wilt disease caused by Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Abstract Pine wilt disease, caused by the nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is responsible for devastation of pine forests worldwide. Until now, there are no effective ways of dealing with this serious threat. The use of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase (encoded by the acdS gene)-producing plant growth-promoting bacteria has been shown to be a useful strategy to reduce the damage due to biotic and abiotic stresses. Pinus pinaster seedlings inoculated with the ACC deaminase-producing bacterium Pseudomonas putida strain UW4 showed an increased root and shoot development and reduction of B. xylophilus induced symptoms. In contrast, a P. putida UW4 acdS mutant was unable to promote pine seedling growth or to decrease B. xylophilus induced symptoms. This is the first report on the use of ACC deaminase-producing bacteria as a potential biological control agent for a tree disease, thus suggesting that the inoculation of pine seedlings grown in a tree nursery might constitute a novel strategy to obtain B. xylophilus resistant pine trees

Estação de metro da zona Franca Litoral: proposta arquitectónico-urbana para a zona Franca Portuária: Barcelona, Espanha

A presente dissertação/projecto tem como principal finalidade a criação de uma estação de metro do tipo viaduto, na cidade de Barcelona, em Espanha, pertencente à nova linha de metro L10, que é uma bifurcação da também nova linha de metro L9. Estas novas linhas de metro irão percorrer toda a cidade, e têm em vista a ligação de alguns bairros de Barcelona, que ainda carecem de transportes públicos, até à Zona de Actividades Logísticas do porto (ZAL), situada na frente de água Oeste. A estação que irá ser pro-jectada é a estação da Zona Franca Litoral. A zona onde se está a projectar a nova estação de metro ainda se encontra pouco rela-cionada com o resto da cidade, pois é uma zona portuária, de estacionamento de conten-tores e, por isso, muito pouco atractiva para a população em geral. Para tentar resolver este problema, neste momento está a ser construído o novo bairro Marina del Prat Ver-mell, que até 2020 irá albergar cerca de 30.000 pessoas. Este bairro está situado numa área entre a montanha de Montjuic e o sector industrial da Zona Franca. É limitado pelo Carrer de la Metal- lúrgia, pelo Carrer del Foc, pelo Carrer del Cisell e pelo Carrer de la Mare de Déu de Port. Este novo bairro e a estação de metro da zona Franca Litoral ainda não têm uma via de ligação pedonal aparente. Por este motivo, nesta dissertação/projecto também se vai projectar uma via que terá a estrutura de uma rambla (com um largo corredor pedonal arborizado ao centro, por onde as pessoas circulam). A rambla tem o objectivo de criar uma ligação pontual do bairro até à estação, possibilitando um percurso mais atractivo entre os dois