Assessment of the distribution of two sympatric rail species in relation to habitat composition and disturbance on Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos

The Galápagos archipelago is a biodiversity hotspot with relatively few extinctions recorded. However, a negative trend for Galápagos rail’s population in Santa Cruz Island was confirmed. We aim to evaluate the species’ population status, assess the role of habitat composition on its distribution and describe the first insights about which factors affects its distribution and the paint-billed crake’s distribution. Point counts with fixed distance were used in four areas to census both species, using 197 points from 2007 and an additional 111 points. We also assessed the vegetation cover in the tree, shrub, and ground layers. The Galápagos rail detection and abundance significantly increased in Highlands Media Luna since 2007 due to a significant decrease in the occurrence of the red-barked quinine tree. However, the hill blackberry had significantly increased. The Galápagos rail seems to be related with dense ground vegetation. Its population is at the same levels as in 1986, but there is little evidence of about the factors influencing the distribution of both species, based only on habitat requirements; Avaliação da distribuição de Laterallus spilonota em relação ao habitat e a Mustelirallus erythrops, na ilha de Santa Cruz, Galápagos - Resumo: As ilhas Galápagos são consideradas um “hotspot” de biodiversidade onde ocorreram poucas extinções, apesar da população de Laterallus spilonota ter reduzido acentuadamente em Santa Cruz. Os nossos objetivos são avaliar o status da sua população e o papel que a composição do habitat tem na sua distribuição, bem como apresentar as primeiras evidências sobre quais os fatores que afetam a distribuição de L. spilonota e Mustelirallus erythrops. Para realizar os censos de ambas as espécies foram utilizados pontos com distância fixa em 4 áreas de Santa Cruz. Foram usados os mesmos 197 pontos de 2007 e 111 pontos adicionais. Foi também avaliada a cobertura vegetal no estrato arbóreo, arbustivo e herbáceo. A deteção e abundância de L. spilonota aumentaram significativamente em Highlands Media Luna desde 2007, devido a uma diminuição significativa da ocorrência de Cinchona pubescens. Porém, a ocorrência de Rubus niveus aumentou significativamente. Laterallus spilonota parece ser mais abundante em locais onde a vegetação herbácea é densa, estando a sua população nos mesmos níveis de 1986. Além disso, existem poucos indícios sobre a distribuição das duas espécies apenas com base na composição do habitat; Evaluación de la distribución del Pachay en relación con el hábitat y la Gallareta de Pico Rojo, en la isla Santa Cruz, Galápagos - Resumen: Las islas Galápagos son un “hotspot” de biodiversidad con pocos registros de extinciones, aunque la población del pachay se ha reducido notablemente en Santa Cruz. Nuestros objetivos son evaluar el estado de su población y el papel que la composición del hábitat tien en su distribución, así como presentar las primeras pruebas sobre qué factores afectan a la distribución del pachay e de la gallareta de pico rojo. Para realizar los censos de ambas especies se utilizaron puntos con distancia fija en 4 zonas de Santa Cruz. Se utilizaron los mismos 197 puntos de 2007 y 111 puntos adicionales. También se evaluó la cobertura vegetal en el estrato arbóreo, arbustivo y herbáceo. La detección y la abundancia del pachay aumentaron significativamente en Media Luna desde 2007, debido a una disminución significativa de la presencia de cascarilla. Sin embargo, la presencia de mora aumentó significativamente. El pachay parece ser más abundante en los lugares donde la vegetación herbácea es densa y su población se encuentra en los mismos niveles que en 1986. Además, hay pocas pruebas sobre la distribución de las dos especies basándose únicamente en la composición del hábitat

The effect of a nutrition education intervention on school-age boys attending a sports camp

RESUMOIntrodução: Modificações nos padrões alimentares e nos estilos de vida a nível mundial estão a levar ao aumento daprevalência da obesidade infantil, tornando-se imperativo explorar estratégias eficazes para prevenir e tratar esta doença.Objectivos: Este estudo não randomizado controlado avaliou a eficácia de uma intervenção de educação alimentar de curtaduração (4 horas, distribuídas por 5 dias) na melhoria dos conhecimentos dietéticos, qualidade alimentar e z-score de IMC de26 meninos em idade escolar (6 a 11 anos) a frequentar um campo de férias desportivo.Metodologia: Tanto o grupo de intervenção (n=26) como o grupo controlo (n=39) foram avaliados imediatamente antes e6 semanas após a intervenção (Índice de Massa Corporal e KIDMED foram avaliados em ambos os grupos; questionário deconhecimentos de nutrição foi aplicado apenas no grupo de intervenção).Resultados: No grupo de intervenção, foi observada uma diminuição significativa no z-score de Índice de Massa Corporal(p<0.05), sem alterações significativas nos conhecimentos nem na qualidade alimentar. No grupo controlo, não se verificaramalterações significativas em nenhuma das variáveis.Conclusões: Os campos de férias desportivos que integram intervenções de educação alimentar podem ser uma estratégiapromissora no combate à obesidade infantil.ABSTRACTIntroduction: Changes in dietary and lifestyle patterns worldwide have led to an increased prevalenceof childhood obesity, becoming imperative to explore e"ective strategies to both prevent andtreat this disease.Objectives: This non-randomized controlled trial evaluated the e"ectiveness of a short-term nutritioneducation intervention (4 hours, distributed over 5 days) on improving the dietary knowledge, dietquality and Body Mass Index-for-age z-score of 26 school-age boys (6 to 11 years old) attending aholiday sports camp.Methodology: Both intervention (n=26) and control (n=39) groups were evaluated immediatelybefore and 6 weeks after the intervention (Body Mass Index and KIDMED were evaluated for bothgroups; while nutrition knowledge questionnaire was only for intervention group).Results: In the intervention group, a significant decrease was observed in BMI z-score (p<0.05), butthe overweight and obesity prevalence remained unchanged. No significant changes in knowledgeand diet quality were found in both groups. In the control group, there were not significant changesfor any variable.Conclusions: Holiday sports camps with nutrition education interventions can be a promising strategyto combat childhood obesit

Social Control From the Perspective of Agency Conflict in the Public Sector

Purpose: This work has the general objective of analyzing how transparency, as an instrument of social control, can act as a mitigating element of agency conflict. &nbsp; Theoretical Background: The present study is based on the theoretical assumption that the presence of greater social control reveals a greater level of society's control over public managers, reducing agency conflicts. To validate this assumption, Transparency will be analyzed as one of the control instruments, since, in a scenario of greater social control, managers tend to be more transparent and there is a better social environment. &nbsp; Methodology: A quantitative methodology was used with correlation between the Transparency Index (IT), carried out by the Federal Public Ministry, with other social data, such as the socioeconomic indicators of the States (Human Development Index – HDI, Per Capita Income – RPC and Gini Index -GINI) and the number of police investigations against public administration opened in the States. &nbsp; Results and Conclusion: It was possible to note that the Transparency Index analyzed is significantly correlated, with a positive sign, to the indicators of wealth and socioeconomic development, signaling possible evidence that more developed and richer locations tend to be more transparent. &nbsp; Research Implications: The study advances in the verification of social control factors and the agency conflict that exists in the public sector, a fact still little explored in previous national literature. &nbsp; Originality/Value: The lack of social control over the actions of its representatives ends up contributing to weak control in the effective solution of the agency conflict that exists in the public sector

A wireless user- computer interface to explore various sources of biosignals and visual biofeedback for severe motor impairment

Severe speech and motor impairments caused by several neurological disorders can limit communication skills to simple yes/no replies. Variability among patients’ physical and social conditions justifies the need of providing multiple sources of signals to access to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems. Our study presents the development of a new user-computer interface that can be controlled by the detection of various sources of biosignals. Wireless sensors are placed on the body and users learn to enhance the control of detected signals by visual biofeedback, on a switch based control approach. Experimental results in four patients with just few residual movements showed that different sensors can be placed in different body locations and detect novel communication channels, according to each person’s physiological and social condition. Especially in progressive conditions, this system can be used by therapists to anticipate progression and assess new channels for communication.Peer Reviewe

Mulheres artificiais contra a corrupção: em busca de legitimidade no Tribunal de Contas da União

Este estudo descreve a busca pela legitimidade de quatro artefatos de tecnologia da informação para auxiliar auditores na vigilância contra fraude e corrupção no Tribunal de Contas da União (TCU). ALICE, ADELE, MONICA e SOFIA são sistemas de Inteligência Artificial (IA) propostos para auxiliar os processos de auditoria no setor público. Um questionário online foi utilizado para reunir as respostas de 60 auditores de todo o Brasil, com entrevistas semiestruturadas com o Diretor de Dados, três desenvolvedores de TI e cinco gerentes de auditoria do TCU selecionados por amostragem intencional (purposive sampling). A pesquisa demonstra que o uso dos sistemas baseados em IA é baixo entre os auditores do TCU devido a um limitado benefício percebido. Embora alguns respondentes reconheçam as vantagens dos sistemas baseados em IA, o seu uso é adiado por uma fraca teorização e difusão em relação ao significado e ao uso desses sistemas dentro da organização; os auditores mostraram uma prioridade no uso dos métodos tradicionais de auditoria em detrimento da inovação digital, restringindo o potencial de controle do uso dos artefatos tecnológicos contra a corrupção.This study depicts the search for legitimacy by four information technology artifacts in helping auditors in the surveillance against fraud and corruption by the Brazilian Supreme Audit Institution (TCU). ALICE, ADELE, MONICA, and SOFIA are Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems proposed to aid auditing processes in the public sector. A web-based survey has been used to gather the responses from 60 auditors across Brazil and semi-structured interviews with the Chief Data Officer, three IT Developers and five TCU Audit Managers selected by purposive sampling. The research finds that the use of AI-based systems is low among auditors at the TCU due to the perceived limited benefit. While some respondents recognized the advantages of the AI-based systems, they are put off by the weak theorization and diffusion regarding the meaning and the use of AI-based systems within the organization; they showed a priority for using traditional auditing methods instead of digital innovation, restricting the potential of anticorruption control by technological artifacts

Considerations (and unconsidered issues) on urban school gardens and their goals for science education and health education

A proliferação, no Brasil, de hortas escolares, pelo seu reconhecimento como facilitadoras do desenvolvimento de hábitos alimentares saudáveis, contrasta com as raras publicações científicas sobre o tema. O artigo baseia-se em resultados parciais de pesquisa que pretende elaborar parâmetros para intervenções com hortas em escolas públicas urbanas no Brasil que favoreçam a Educação em Ciências e em Saúde. Sob a perspectiva pedagógica emancipatória pautada em fundamentos do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar, da Sociologia das Ausências, da Complexidade, da Agroecologia e da Agricultura urbana procedeu-se à análise textual discursiva de relatórios sobre uma experiência com horta em escola pública urbana. São identificados aspectos para sua estruturação físico-pedagógica desconsiderados em grande parte das intervenções: a conjunção entre empenho intelectual e físico, a horizontalidade das relações e conhecimentos, escolha de cultivares com impacto pedagógico e, ainda, conformação ergonômica, equipamentos de segurança e composição de ambiente favorável à experimentação gustativa.The proliferation in Brazil of school gardens as being recognized as facilitating the development of healthy eating habits, contrasts with the few scientific studies about of these practices. The article is based on partial results of a research that aims to develop principles for interventions with vegetable gardens in urban public schools in Brazil to promote science education and health education. Upon the emancipatory pedagogical perspective grounded in the National Programme of School Nutrition, of the Sociology of Absences, Complexity, Agroecology and Urban Agriculture, textual analysis of reports on an intervention in a urban public school was carried out. Aspects that have been disregarded in most interventions, such as the physical and pedagogical structuring of school vegetable gardens were identified: intellectual and physical commitment, the horizontality of relationships and knowledge, choice of cultivars with pedagogical impact, as well as ergonomic conformation, safety equipment and structuring supportive environments for gustatory experimentation.CIEC - Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, UM (UI 317 da FCT

Velocity and structural model of the Lower Tagus Basin according to the study of environmental seismic noise

Along his history the Lower Tagus Valley (LTV) region was shaken by several earthquakes, some of them produced in large ruptures of offshore structures located southwest of the Portuguese coastline. Among these is the Lisbon earthquake of 1 November 1755 (M∼8.5-8.7), and other moderates earthquakes that were produced by local sources such as the 1344 (M6.0), 1531 (M7.1) and 1909 (M6.0) earthquakes. Previous simulations [1] have shown high velocity amplification in the region. The model used in the simulations was updated from low to high resolution using all the new available geophysical and geotechnical data on the area (seismic reflection, aeromagnetic, gravimetric, deep wells and geological outcrops) [2]. To confirm this model in the areas where it was derived by potential field methods we use broadband ambient noise measurements collected in about 200 points along seven profiles on the LTV basin, six perpendicular and one parallel to the basin axis. We applied the horizontal to vertical (H/V) spectral ratio method [3] to the seismic noise profiles in order to estimate the distribution of amplification in the basin. The H/V curves obtained reveals the existence of two low frequency peaks centered on 0.2 and 1 Hz [4]. These peaks are strongly related with the thickness of Cenozoic and alluvial sediments. The velocity model obtained by inversion of the H/V curves is in good agreement with borehole data, and results obtained using seismic reflection and gravimetric methods. However, aeromagnetic data overestimates the depth of the base of Cenozoic in the areas where it overlies directly the paleozoic basement, which we attribute either to the existence of Mesozoic units or higher magnetic susceptibilities than expected for the Paleozoic. References: [1] Bezzeghoud, M., Borges, J.F., M., Caldeira (2011). Ground motion simulations of the SW Iberia margin: rupture directivity and earth structure effects. Natural Hazards, pages 1–17. doi:10.1007/s11069-011-9925-2 [2] Torres, R.J.G., (2012). Modelo de velocidade da Bacia do Vale do Tejo: uma abordagem baseada no estudo do ruído sísmico ambiental, Master Thesis, Universidade de Évora, 83pp. [3] Nakamura, Y., 1989. A method for dynamic characteristics estimations of subsurface using microtremors on the ground surface, Quarterly Report, RTRI, Japan, v. 30, p. 25-33. [4] J.A. Furtado, Confirmação do modelo da estrutura 3D do Vale Inverior do Tejo a partir de dados de ruído sísmico ambiente, Master Thesis, Universidade de Évora, 136pp, 2010

Mark-Release-Recapture of Aedes albopictus in Portugal: the influence of climatic factors

Aedes albopictus mosquitoes spread diseases like dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), which is based on production of male sterile mosquitoes through radiation and in the release in target areas, can be used as a prevention and control tool against Ae. albopictus native populations. Mark-Release-Recapture trials (MRR) estimate the number of mosquitoes to release during the SIT, but weather conditions can affect results. Thus, we aimed to understand the influence of climatic factors on mosquito collection. MRRs were conducted in October 2022 in Faro, Southern Portugal. Mosquito sterilisation, marking and transport followed protocols from the International Atomic Energy Agency. Releases occurred weekly for three consecutive weeks at two different sites, and mosquitoes were collected using Human Landing Collections (HLC) one, two, four and six days after release. Climatic data, such as temperature, humidity, wind intensity (moderate 15-35 km/h vs weak <15 km/h) and precipitation, were obtained from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere. We used generalised linear models with a negative binomial family and log function to estimate factors associated with the number of captured mosquitoes, estimated prevalence ratios (PRs), and the 95% confidence intervals (CI). We released 84 000 marked sterile male mosquitoes and recaptured 528 marked males (0.7%) by HLC. The prevalence of captured mosquitoes was 23% lower when the wind intensity was moderate compared with a weak wind intensity (PR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.61−0.98). We did not find a statistically significant association between the number of captured mosquitoes and humidity (PR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96−1.00), temperature (PR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.83−1.28) and precipitation (PR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.60−2.03). Conclusion: It is crucial to plan MRRs carefully and consider weather conditions during their execution to avoid underestimating the population needed for the SIT and compromising the effectiveness of this control method.This work has been supported by IAEA project RER5026 Enhancing the Capacity to Integrate Sterile Insect Technique in the Effective Management of Invasive Aedes Mosquitoes. Patrícia Soares received funding from CEECINST/00049/2021/CP2817/CT0001.N/

Abordagens e perspectivas interdisciplinares: ensino de geografia e educação ambiental

Geography Teaching carries with itself the theoretical and practical bases of the geographic science, which are fundamental to subsidize the analysis of reality in its social and environmental complexity. Environmental Education, in its interdisciplinary approach, aims at overcoming epistemological and methodological obstacles, considering the multiple realities and students’ current knowledge. Thus, this article has as its objective to relate Geography Teaching and Environmental Education in order to present theoretical and methodological tools that empower the learning process. The methodology is compound by a bibliographic review of the authors who align with the critical and emancipatory perspective. Furthermore, we present some actions that have been developed in the Capital District (Brazil) and contribute to the accomplishment of the essential objectives and contents due to the students’ citizen formation. We have witnessed that the evidenced examples denote the interdisciplinary strength of Environmental Education and its effective relation with Geography Teaching. We also defend that interdisciplinarity, by means of the Environmental Education, be anchored at the school’s daily exertion.La Enseñanza de la Geografía se sustenta en las bases teórico-prácticas de la ciencia geográfica, elementos fundamentales para lograr el análisis de la realidad en su complejidad social y ambiental. La Educación Ambiental (EA), desde su enfoque interdisciplinario, busca superar algunos obstáculos epistemológicos y metodológicos, considerando las múltiples realidades y los saberes cotidianos de los estudiantes. Así, este artículo tiene como objetivo estabelecer la relación entre la Enseñanza de la Geografía y la Educación Ambiental con el fin de presentar los instrumentos teórico-metodológicos que permitan fortalecer el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. La metodología se basa en una revisión bibliográfica de autores que se acercan a la perspectiva crítica emancipadora. Además, se presentan algunas acciones que se desarrollan en el Distrito Federal y que contribuyen al logro de objetivos y contenidos esenciales para la formación ciudadana de los estudiantes. Constatamos que los ejemplos evidenciados denotan la fuerza interdisciplinaria de la Educación Ambiental y su efectiva relación con la Enseñanza de la Geografía. Resaltamos, también la interdisciplinariedad, a través de la Educación Ambiental, como fundamento en el trabajo diario de la escuela.O Ensino de Geografia carrega consigo as bases teórico-práticas da ciência geográfica, fundamentais para subsidiar a análise da realidade em sua complexidade social e ambiental. A Educação Ambiental (EA), em sua abordagem interdisciplinar, busca transpor os obstáculos epistemológicos e metodológicos, considerando as múltiplas realidades e o conhecimento cotidiano dos estudantes. Deste modo, este artigo tem o objetivo de relacionar o Ensino de Geografia e a Educação Ambiental no sentido de apresentar instrumentos teórico-metodológicos para fortalecer o processo de ensino-aprendizagem. A metodologia é composta por revisão bibliográfica de autores que se alinham à perspectiva crítica emancipatória. Além disso, apresentamos algumas ações que são desenvolvidas no Distrito Federal e contribuem para o alcance dos objetivos e conteúdos essenciais para a formação cidadã dos estudantes. Testemunhamos que os exemplos evidenciados denotam a força interdisciplinar da Educação Ambiental e sua relação efetiva com o Ensino de Geografia. Defendemos, também, a interdisciplinaridade, por meio da Educação Ambiental, que esteja alicerçada na lida cotidiana da escola

An intelligent decision support system for road freight transport

This paper presents an Intelligent Decision Support System (IDSS) to optimize transport and logistics activities in a set of Portuguese companies currently operating in the freight transport sector. This IDSS comprises three main modules that can be used individually or chained together, dedicated to: a geographic clustering detection of transport services; a transport driver suggestion; and a route and truck-load optimization. The IDSS was entirely designed and developed to support real-time data and it consists of an end-to-end solution (E2ES), given that it covers all the main transport and logistics processes since the registration in the database to the optimized transport plan. The entire set of functionalities inserted in the IDSS was designed and validated by freight transport sector experts from the different companies that will use the proposed system.ERDF - European Regional Development Fund(undefined)The authors would like to express the most significant recognition to the project on which this IDSS has arisen, “aDyTrans - Dynamic Transportations Platform” reference NORTE-01-0247-FEDER-045174, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERD