D. Francisco de Lemos de Faria Pereira Coutinho, uma biografia (1735-1822)

Francisco de Lemos, nascido no Rio de Janeiro, tornou-se uma das personalidades mais importantes da realidade setecentista portuguesa, principalmente na área do ensino e da administração civil e eclesiástica. Próximo de Pombal, acaba por ter uma enorme projeção alcançando posições de destaque, principalmente reitor da Universidade de Coimbra e bispo. Mas sua capacidade de adaptação acaba por permitir que sua carreira se mantenha na ribalta com alguma regularidade. Neste trabalho pretendo fazer uma análise detalhada sobre Francisco de Lemos, desde a sua vinda para Coimbra até o ano da sua morte, 1822, focando-me principalmente nos pontos chave de sua carreira e rede de influências.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Ordem Natural nas reformas universitárias de Salamanca e Coimbra (1769-1820)

As reformas universitárias que ocorreram na Europa ao longo do século XVIII foram um importante momento de mudança na história destas instituições. Na Península Ibérica, esta vaga de reformas deixou a sua marca em Coimbra e Salamanca (alcançando posteriormente as restantes congéneres espanholas). Portugal e Espanha não foram estranhos às motivações e mesmo às linhas gerais desta vaga de reformas. Inseparáveis das ideias do Iluminismo, e com uma vontade clara de combater o atraso e decadência destas instituições, surgiram relevantes projetos de renovação embora, em graus diferentes. Coimbra enfrentou uma situação inicial bastante disruptiva, enquanto que em Salamanca os planos posteriores (1807, por exemplo) demonstraram ser também bastante ambiciosos. Apesar de sujeitas a mudanças impostas por ordem superior, as Universidades foram agentes ativos nos processos de reforma. A título individual ou em nome de órgãos coletivos, foram várias as iniciativas e propostas de reforma que surgiram durante este período em ambas as Universidades. Para além disso, a participação de docentes nos estatutos e planos que surgem desde 1771 é recorrente. Simultaneamente, não será forçado afirmar que o aspeto curricular foi a marca mais significativa destas reformas. Assim, escolhemos estudar de forma comparada cadeiras que procurassem explicar o conceito de natureza e os seus produtos. Com o objetivo claro de preparar um corpo de técnicos capaz de proporcionar uma exploração racional e eficaz dos vários produtos naturais, surgiram assim as faculdades de matemática e filosofia. No caso da medicina, os produtos naturais eram essenciais para a produção de medicamentos e, nesse sentido, a reforma deste saber trouxe, entre outras alterações, cadeiras ligadas aos estudos farmacêuticos. Na área do direito, uma introdução relevante foi o direito natural. A perceção deste direito não foi semelhante em ambos os países, e uma consequência evidente foi a maior instabilidade desta cadeira em Salamanca. Indissociável dos aspetos curriculares foi a adoção de compêndios estrangeiros e o incentivo à escrita de compêndios próprios, da responsabilidade dos docentes. A adoção de livros de estudo foi bastante similar, e demonstra-nos com clareza as linhas que os reformadores procuraram seguir no sentido de modernizar estas instituições universitárias.The university reforms that took place in Europe throughout the 18th century were an important moment of change in the history of these institutions. In the Iberian Peninsula, this wave of reforms left its mark in Coimbra and Salamanca (later reaching the other Spanish universities). Portugal and Spain were no strangers to the motivations and even to the general lines of this wave of reforms. Inseparable from the ideas of the Enlightenment, and with a clear will to combat the backwardness and decadence of these institutions, rather ambitious projects emerged, albeit in different degrees. Coimbra faced a rather disruptive initial situation while in Salamanca later plans (1807, for example) proved to be quite ambitious as well. All having a mandatory nature, it would not be correct to say that these Universities did not participate in these processes of reform. Individually or on behalf of collective bodies, several initiatives and proposals emerged during this period in both Universities. In addition, the participation of professors in the statutes and plans that were launched since 1771 is recurrent. Beyond this aspect, it will not be forced to state that the curricular aspect was the most significant mark of these reforms. Thus, we chose to study in a comparative way subjects that sought to explain the concept of nature and its products. With the clear objective of preparing a body of technicians capable of providing a rational and effective exploitation of the various natural products, the faculties of mathematics and philosophy emerged. In the case of medicine, natural products were essential to produce medicines and in this sense the reform of this knowledge brought, among other changes, matters linked to pharmaceutical studies. In the area of law, a relevant introduction was natural law. The perception of natural law was not similar in both countries, and an evident consequence was the greater instability of this chair in Salamanca. Inseparable from the curricular aspects was the adoption of foreign compendia and the encouragement given to the teachers to write their own textbooks. The adoption of textbooks was quite similar, and clearly shows us the lines that reformers sought to follow to modernize these university institutions. Keywo

Título da página eletrónica: Guerra Colonial 1961 – 1974

Dinamizado pela Associação 25 de Abril, este sítio eletrónico pretende abordar o fenómeno histórico da Guerra Colonial nas suas diferentes facetas. Para os interessados no tema, a página disponibiliza um vasto manancial de informações – baseado sobretudo em obras já publicadas sobre o tema, como é o caso da Guerra Colonial, de Aniceto Afonso e Carlos Matos Gomes – que acaba por oferecer variadas perspetivas sobre as guerras travadas em África, perspetivas essas que vão desde as operações no t..

Título da página eletrónica: Luís Graça & Camaradas da Guiné

Criada em abril de 2004, é desde então dirigido por Luís Graça e tem como coeditores Carlos Vinhal, Eduardo J. Magalhães Ribeiro e Virgínio Briote. Tendo como objetivo primordial a divulgação das memórias da Guerra Colonial, sobretudo a que se desenrolou em solo guineense, opta por obedecer a uma política editorial que procura incentivar a partilha dessas mesmas memórias na lógica de tornar visível e partilhável um passado comum baseado na experiência da guerra. A plataforma pretende funciona..

Control of zootechnology leads to improved Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis, L.) reproduction performance up to pre-industrial levels

Cephalopods are gaining momentum as an alternate group for aquaculture species diversification, not only because they are a good food source (highly appreciated in some worldwide markets) but they also have the potential to quickly reach a market size. However, there are some bottlenecks impeding the transition of culture technology from the laboratory to industry. One is related to control over reproduction in captivity. The objective of the present experiment was to verify the effects of tanks with different bottom areas/volumes on the reproduction performance of S. officinalis breeding stocks, when sex ratios were controlled a priori; and the food cost associated with such performance when individuals are fed a natural frozen diet. One hundred and ninety two juvenile cuttlefish were used to compare three different round-shaped tanks: one type with 3000L volume and two types with 9000L volume (with differences in bottom areas and water column). Individuals had their sex and maturity stage determined to establish a sexual ratio of 2 female:1 male per tank and assure that cuttlefish were still immature. Biological data was collected during both growth and reproduction stages and until the death of all females in each tank. The experiment lasted nearly 300 days. Temperature differences between tank types were registered during both stages. The optimizing of rearing conditions has allowed for higher growth and a higher amount of cuttlefish available for breeding purposes. A total of 123,751 eggs (in 85 batches) was obtained during this experiment, which is a number that may meet a small scale cuttlefish commercial hatchery facility requirements. The present conditions contributed to a better and predictable reproduction performance in specific 9000L tanks, with values reaching pre-industrial numbers (approximate to 24,000 eggs/tank). Moreover, both the amount of eggs per batch and the overall quality of eggs has increased. Three of these 9000L tanks have an overall consumption of approximate to 38.64 Kg tank(-1), which translates in an investment in feed of approximate to 193 (sic) tank(-1), 8.40 (sic) per cuttlefish and an overall daily tank expense of 1.76 (sic) d(-1).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes by extreme values of first trimester screening markers

Background To determine the association between extreme values of first trimester markers and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 916 women who underwent first-trimester combined screening during 2015 was performed. Extreme values of NT, pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and free -hCG, and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes were analyzed. Results Low PAPP-A (<10th percentile) was associated with an increased risk for preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.13), fetal growth restriction (AOR 3.94) and abruptio placentae (AOR 52.63). Abnormally low or high free -hCG, high PAPP-A or increased NT was not associated with an increased risk for adverse outcomes. Discussion PAPP-A <10th percentile could be associated with an increased risk for adverse outcomes. However, the majority of patients with these events do not have abnormal PAPP-A and few patients with PAPP-A <10th percentile will have an adverse outcome.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Application of benzo[a]phenoxazinium chlorides in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy of Candida albicans biofilms

The use of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy (APDT) as a new approach to treat localized Candida infections is an emerging and promising field nowadays. The aim of this study was to verify the efficacy of photodynamic therapy using two new benzo[a]phenoxazinium photosensitizers against Candida albicans biofilms: N-[5-(3-hydroxypropylamino)-10-methyl-9H-benzo[a]phenoxazin-9-ylidene]ethanaminium chloride (FSc) and N-(5-(11-hydroxyundecylamino)-10-methyl-9H-benzo[a]phenoxazin-9-ylidene)ethanaminium chloride (FSd). The photodynamic activity of dyes against C. albicans biofilms was evaluated by incubating biofilms with dyes in the range of 100-300 μM for 3 or 18 h followed by illumination at 12 or 36 J cm-2, using a xenon arc lamp (600 ± 2 nm). A total photoinactivation of C. albicans biofilm cells was achieved using 300 μM of FSc with18 h of incubation, followed by illumination at 36 J cm-2. Contrarily, FSd had insignificant effect on biofilms inactivation by APDT. The higher uptake of FSc than FSd dye by biofilms during the dark incubation may explain the greater photodynamic effectiveness achieved with FSc. The results obtained stresses out the FSc-mediated APDT potential use to treat C. albicans infections.This work was supported by the research grant SFRH/BD/72742/2010 from "Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia" (FCT), Portugal. The authors also thank the Project "BioHealth - Biotechnology and Bioengineering approaches to improve health quality", Ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000027, co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 - 0 Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER and the FCT Strategic Project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013. In addition, financial to Centre of Chemistry and Centre of Physics through CQ/UM [PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2013 (FCOMP-01-0124FEDER-037302)] and CFUM [PEst-C/FIS/UI0607/2013 (F-COMP-01-0124-FEDER-037291)], as well as a post-doctoral grant to B.R. Raju (SFRH/BPD/62881/2009) is also acknowledged to FCT, POPH-QREN, FSE

Conservation Management of EU Priority Habitats after Collapse of Traditional Pastoralism: Navigating Socioecological Transitions in Mountain Rangeland

Agricultural abandonment is a major driver of change in rural landscapes. Assumed to provide beneficial results to the environment and the conservation of biota, rural abandonment triggers landscape and biotic homogenization and loss of valuable species and habitats. This article focuses on the ecological effects and conservation challenges of shifts in extensive grazing regimes on marginal pastureland of Mediterranean mountains. We conceptualize a navigated socioecological transition toward conservation-oriented management after the collapse of historical land systems. The article provides examples from the LIFE+ project “Higro,” developed in mountainous protected areas in Portugal, of how management for conservation could sustain disturbance-dependent habitats. We argue that actively and regularly managing large habitat areas should be envisaged as a short-term approach to limit the immediate effects of rural abandonment. A gradual integration of conservation targets with other activities in changing rural economies is necessary to foster long-term conservation of species and habitats, building on the link between conservation-oriented habitat management and ecosystem services in rural landscapes. Conservation goals should run alongside recovery of social systems and innovation applied to traditional sources of income. This parallel development would contribute to building up social-ecological resilience by maintaining a diversity of social and ecological capital in rural areas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Staphylococcus aureus in Some Brazilian Dairy Industries: Changes of Contamination and Diversity

Staphylococcus aureus, a major food-poisoning pathogen, is a common contaminant in dairy industries worldwide, including in Brazil. We determined the occurrence of S. aureus in five dairies in Brazil over 8 months. Of 421 samples, 31 (7.4%) were positive for S. aureus and prevalence varied from 0 to 63.3% between dairies. Sixty-six isolates from the 31 samples were typed by Multi-Locus Sequence Typing to determine if these isolates were persistent or continuously reintroduced. Seven known sequence types (STs), ST1, ST5, ST30, ST97, ST126, ST188 and ST398, and four new ST were identified, ST3531, ST3540, ST3562 and ST3534. Clonal complex (CC) 1 (including the four new ST), known as an epidemic clone, was the dominant CC. However, there were no indications of persistence of particular ST. The resistance toward 11 antibiotic compounds was assessed. Twelve profiles were generated with 75.8% of strains being sensitive to all antibiotic classes and no Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains were found. The enterotoxin-encoding genes involved in food-poisoning, e.g., sea, sed, see, and seg were targeted by PCR. The two toxin-encoding genes, sed and see, were not detected. Only three strains (4.5%) harbored seg and two of these also harbored sea. Despite the isolates being Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), the presence of CC1 clones in the processing environment, including some harboring enterotoxin encoding genes, is of concern and hygiene must have high priority to reduce contamination

Cloning, purification, and biochemical characterization of an esterase from Aspergillus nidulans

A large accumulation of agro-industrial waste from different segments is generated daily and is often not properly managed. There are now other fronts in research to give a destination to these residues; these studies are generally aimed at obtaining new and better enzymes and the formulation of enzymatic cocktails that contain (for example, cellulases and hemicellulases) responsible for the degradation of lignocellulosic material. The plant cell wall is mainly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, forming a complex structure. Xylan is one of the main constituents of hemicellulose. To degrade this structure, enzymatic hydrolysis must occur synergistically with xylanolytic enzymes, such as endo-beta-1,4-xylanases, -xylosidases, and acetyl xylan esterase (AXE). In the current work, we reported the purification and biochemical characterization of an acetyl xylan esterase (AxeCE3) from Aspergillus nidulans. The axeCE3 gene was cloned into the pEXPYR vector and transformed into A. nidulans A773 for protein expression. The enzyme AxeCE3 was purified and characterized for its biochemical properties. AxeCE3 showed activity over a wide range of pH (3.0-9.0) and temperature (30-70 °C), with maximum activity at 55 °C, pH 7.0. Regarding the stability at temperature, AxeCE3 showed values above 90% of residual activity after 24 h of incubation at 45 and 50 °C. In relation to stability at pH, AxeCE3 maintained more than 90% of its residual activity after being incubated at 25 °C for 24 h between the pH range 3.0 to 9.0. It was also verified the effect of possible inhibitors (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), Furfural, and 5- Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF)) on the enzyme activity. AxeCE3 maintained 88% of relative activity at 5 mM EDTA, 43% and 82% at 50 mM furfural and 5-HMF, respectively. The results showed that AxeCE3 has interesting properties to use in the development in the formulation of enzymatic cocktails for the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic residues.The work was supported by the following: FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation, grants: 2014/50884 and 2018/07522-6) and National Institute of Science and Technology of Bioethanol, INCT, CNPq (grant: 465319/2014-9) and process 301963/2017-7. Research scholarships were granted to RCA and DA by FAPESP (Grant No: 2020/00081-4 and No: 2020/15510-8), to GSA by CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Finance Code 001).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio