Gastrointestinal symbionts of wild chimpanzees and sympatric colobus monkeys living in close proximity of humans in Liberia and Uganda

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina VeterináriaEsta dissertação teve como objetivo principal caracterizar a fauna de simbiontes de chimpanzés (Pan troglodytes), e colobos pretos e brancos (Colobus sp.) de diferentes localidades Africanas (Parque Nacional de Sapo, na Libéria e em Bulindi, no Uganda), comparar resultados entre eles e estudos prévios e teorizar sobre as possíveis implicações zoonóticas dos simbiontes encontrados. Recorrendo a técnicas de coprologia como sedimentação MIF modificada e a flutuação de Sheather, e um teste de imunofluorescência direta para deteção de oocistos de Crypstosporidium e cistos de Giardia, 47 amostras fecais preservadas de chimpanzé e 15 de colobos pretos e brancos foram examinadas. Os protozoários detetados incluíram Troglodytella abrassarti, Entamoeba spp., Blastocystis sp. e Iodamoeba buetschlii; e nematodes, Trichuris sp, Colobenterobius sp., strongylideos e várias larvas de nematodes. Todas as amostras foram negativas no teste de imunofluorescência directa. Em geral, o espectro de simbiontes encontrado no presente estudo está de acordo com o que é regularmente descrito em estudos que abordam chimpanzés e colobos pretos e brancos de vida selvagem. Contudo, pequenos microrganismos aquáticos denominados Rotifera ou rotíferos foram observados pela primeira vez em amostras fecais de chimpanzé e colobos pretos e brancos. Considerando o contato próximo entre os primatas estudados e seres humanos, é importante realizar futuras pesquisas recorrendo a técnicas moleculares nos simbiontes assinalados por este trabalho e avaliar o seu real potencial zoonótico.ABSTRACT - Gastrointestinal symbionts of wild chimpanzees and sympatric colobus monkeys living in close proximity of humans in Liberia and Uganda - This dissertation aimed to characterize the symbiont fauna of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and black and white colobus (Colobus sp.) from different African localities, (Sapo National Park in Liberia and Bulindi in Uganda), compare results between them and previous studies, and theorize about possible zoonotic implications of the found symbionts. Using coprologic techniques as modified MIF sedimentation and Sheather’s flotation, and a direct immunofluorescence teste for detection of Crypstosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts, 47 chimpanzee and 15 black and white colobus preserved fecal samples were examined. Detected protozoans included Troglodytella abrassarti, Entamoeba spp., Blastocystis sp. and Iodamoeba buetschlii; and nematodes, Trichuris sp., Colobenterobius sp., strongylids and various nematodes larvae. All samples were negative for the direct immunofluorescence test. Overall, the spectrum of symbionts found in the present study is in accordance with what is regularly described in studies addressing the free ranging chimpanzees and black and white colobus. However, small aquatic microorganisms denominated Rotifera or rotifers were observed for the first time in chimpanzee and in black and white colobus faecal samples. Considering the close contact between the studied primates and humans, it is important to conduct further research using molecular techniques in the found symbionts to assess the real zoonotic potential.N/

Framework for assessing collective irrigation systems resilience to climate change—The Maiorga case study

In order to increase water productivity at the Collective Irrigation System (CIS) level it is crucial to adapt the existing irrigation infrastructure, enhancing water intake at the source, as well as its transport and delivery efficiency. Rehabilitation may involve structural changes and thus, a large capital investment. This investment should be proportionate to the increase in climate resilience associated to different rehabilitation alternatives. A methodology framework was developed to evaluate CIS resilience to climate change considering different rehabilitation alternatives. The assessed components were: (i) crop production systems; (ii) on-farm irrigation systems; and (iii) project rehabilitation alternatives for the conveyance and distribution of the irrigation water from the source to the farmer fields. This framework was applied to the Maiorga CIS, in central Portugal, to test the methodology performance in assessing the impacts of climate change on the supply-demand balance of the proposed rehabilitation alternatives and to evaluate their climate resilience, for the representative concentration pathways, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, and two time periods, 2041–2070 and 2071–2100. For each scenario, period, and rehabilitation alternative, irrigation requirements at the source (demand) and stream flows (supply) were computed and the supply-demand balance was performed. Projected increases in irrigation water demand varied between 5.5% for RCP4.5/2071–2100 and 35.7% for RCP8.5/2071–2100. For RCP4.5, 11% (2050) and 9% (2080) reductions in irrigation water supply were projected, while for RCP8.5 the reduction ranges between 13% (2050) and 30% (2080). The proposed framework determined that the rehabilitation alternatives considering just one type of water source, without flow regularization and with open channel distribution to the farmer’s field, have proved to be unviable due to low resilience to climate change.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Store atmosphere: Comparing super and hypermarket customer perception

In the competitive market that we live in, managers need to be empowered with the right tools to use in order to turn their business into an outstanding one. In the retail market, especially in a recession situation, price cannot be the only battle tool. The service and environment that each store provides to its customers can be used to create a unique combination, offering customers with a specific formula that they will not find anywhere else. But does a specific formula based on environment variables have the same perception effect on super and hypermarket customers? Does the store format influence the atmosphere perception when the same elements are used? This study aims to pursue this issue and provide some insights into which of the interior atmospheric variables are not sensitive to store format.No mercado competitivo em que vivemos, os gestores precisam estar habilitados com as ferramentas certas para usar de modo a transformar os seus negócios em excepcionais. No mercado retalhista, especialmente em situação de recessão, o preço não pode ser a única ferramenta de batalha. O serviço e o ambiente que cada loja oferece aos seus clientes, pode ser usado para criar uma combinação única, oferecendo aos clientes uma fórmula específica que não vai encontrar em qualquer outro lugar. Mas será que uma fórmula específica com base em variáveis de ambiente tem o efeito na percepção sobre os clientes de super e hipermercados? Será que o formato de loja influencia a percepção da atmosfera de loja quando os mesmos elementos são utilizados? Este estudo visa prosseguir esta questão e fornecer alguma perspectiva sobre qual das variáveis atmosféricas interiores não são sensíveis à formato da loja

O ensino da língua e da cultura : que materiais utilizar no nível A1

O presente relatório de investigação-ação pretende analisar alguns processos de aprendizagem da língua e da cultura por parte de alunos de Português Língua Estrangeira no nível inicial, espaço heterogéneo de experiências e culturas. Tendo por base a pergunta "Que materiais devemos utilizar no ensino da língua e da cultura nas aulas de PLE no nivel A1?" pretendemos, com a realização deste trabalho, investigar a funcionalidade e a aplicabilidade da escolha e seleção de alguns materiais didáticos, enquanto recursos e suportes de aprendizagem, que reforçam e potencializam o desenvolvimento da competência comunicativa em LE e facilitam a introdução de uma perspetiva intercultural na aula de língua estrangeira. Após a definição de material didático e a descrição de diferentes tipologias de materiais didáticos, referindo a sua importância e as várias perspetivas e recomendações sobre o seu uso nas aulas de PLE, centramo-nos sobretudo na pratica profissional docente face ao material didático, optando por realizar urn estudo de natureza qualitativa, realizando entrevistas a 3 docentes que exerciam a sua actividade letiva na FLUP. As entrevistas recolheram a opinião dos professores sobre as seguintes questões: (1) 0 que entendem os professores por materiais didáticos? (2) Qual é a função dos materiais na aula de PLE? (3) Que tipo de materiais didáticos utiliza nas aulas de PLE? (4) Quais são os critérios utilizados na seleção dos materiais? (5) Encontra dificuldades na seleção e utilização dos materiais audiovisuais?(6) Encontra dificuldades na seleção e utilização dos materiais informáticos? (7) Encontra dificuldades na seleção e utilização de textos literários ou poemas? [...

How to de-commoditize a successful existing B2B business in the wine and sangria segment and bring it to the mass consumer market, without compromising Super bock group's existing business?

In order to introduce SBG’s sangria to the mass market, a new concept was developed and will be promoted under a new brand. For it to be successful and sustainable in the long run, marketing mix and financial considerations were taken into account and put together in a marketing plan with a five-year scope. Decisions were based on secondary (data and benchmarking) and primary research (both qualitative and quantitative). Shortly, the three main marketing objectives are (1) creating and growing brand familiarity, as well as (2) dynamizing the sangria category and (3) obtaining a significant market share out of it

Europe and Africa, face to face: intercultural dialogues

Proyecto realizado con alumnos de los Grados en Lenguas Modernas y sus Literaturas y en Estudios Ingleses y del Máster en Lengua Francesa AplicadaEste Proyecto de Innovación Docente se propone ampliar los conocimientos de los alumnos de varias asignaturas troncales, obligatorias y optativas de Grado y Máster a través de la lectura de obras literarias y del acercamiento a obras artísticas de autores africanos y europeos en los que se plasma la idea de un Otro más allá de clichés y estereotipos. Asimismo, se propone una inmersión en la realidad literaria y cultural de ambos continentes desde la perspectiva de los Estudios Culturales, un pilar fundamental del proceso de adquisición de destrezas interculturales.Depto. de Estudios Románicos, Franceses, Italianos y TraducciónFac. de FilologíaFALSEsubmitte

Anoplocephalid tapeworms in mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) inhabiting the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.

Cestodes of the family Anoplocephalidae parasitize a wide range of usually herbivorous hosts including e.g. rodents, ungulates, primates, elephants and hyraxes. While in some hosts, the epidemiology of the infection is well studied, information is lacking in others. In this study of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massif, an extensive sample set comprising adult cestodes collected via necropsies, proglottids shed in feces, and finally, fecal samples from both night nests and identified individuals were analysed. Anoplocephala gorillae was the dominant cestode species detected in night nest samples and individually known gorillas, of which only 1 individual hosted a Bertiella sp. It was shown that the 2 species can be distinguished through microscopy based on egg morphology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for diagnostics of both species were provided. Sequences of mitochondrial (cox 1) and nuclear (ITS1, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA) markers were used to evaluate the phylogenetic position of the 2 cestodes detected in mountain gorillas. Both types of fecal samples, from night nests and from identified individuals, provided comparable information about the prevalence of anoplocephalid cestodes, although the analysis of samples collected from identified gorilla individuals showed significant intra-individual fluctuation of A. gorillae egg shedding within a short period. Therefore, multiple samples should be examined to obtain reliable data for wildlife health management programmes, especially when application of anthelmintic treatment is considered. However, while A. gorillae is apparently a common symbiont of mountain gorillas, it does not seem to impair the health of its host