First records of 13 echinoderm species on the southwest coast of Portugal

En el ámbito de un análisis de caracterización del área marina adyacente al Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano y Costa Vicentina (PNSACV) se ha estudiado material biológico diverso proveniente de campañas del programa SEPLAT (SEdimentos de la PLATaforma), del que es responsable el Instituto Hidrográfico de la Marina Portuguesa. Las muestras se obtuvieron en el área de plataforma continental adyacente al PNSACV, entre Sines y el cabo de San Vicente, a profundidades comprendidas entre los 15 y los 387 metros. Los equinodermos constituyeron, en esas campañas, un grupo bien representativo de la fauna marina presente en esta área de la plataforma continental. Se recogieron 60 especies de equinodermos distribuidos en las clases siguientes: 2 Crinoidea, 2 Asteroidea, 32 Ophiuroidea, 12 Echinoidea y 12 Holothurioidea. Trece de las 60 especies tienen aquí su primera cita para la costa portuguesa.As part of a characterisation study of the marine area contiguous to the Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina Natural Park (PNSACV), biological material proceeding from cruises of the SEPLAT (PLATform SEdiments) programme (Portuguese Navy's Hydrographic Institute) has been studied. The sampling took place on the continental shelf contiguous to the PNSACV, between Sines and Cape St Vicente, at water depths ranging from 15-387 m. During these cruises, equinoderms were found to be a well-represented faunal group. Sixty echinoderm species were identified, distributed as follows, by classes: 2 crinoids, 2 asteroids, 32 ophiuroids, 12 equinoids and 12 holothuroids. Thirteen of the 60 species are first records on the Portuguese coast.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Bioactives and extracellular enzymes obtained from fermented macrofungi cultivated in cotton and Jatropha seed cakes.

This work focused on obtaining fermented oil cake (cotton or Jatropha) via macrofungi growth with potential characteristics for animal feed formulations, such as the presence of extracellular enzymes, bioactive (ergosterol and antioxidants), and detoxification of antinutritional compounds. The concentration of phorbol esters was reduced by four macrofungi in Jatropha seed cake (JSC) to non-toxic levels. At least two macrofungi efficiently degraded free gossypol in cottonseed cake (CSC). Fermentation with Coriolopsis sp. INPA1646 and Tyromyces sp. INPA1696 resulted in increased ergosterol concentrations, antioxidant activity reduction, and high activity of laccases and proteases. Bromatological analysis indicated high crude protein concentrations, with partial solubilization by fungal proteases. Fermented products from Coriolopsis sp. and Tyromyces sp. in JSC or CSC can be considered important biological inputs for monogastric and polygastric animal feed

Aqueous extracts of fermented macrofungi cultivated in oilseed cakes as a carbon source for probiotic bacteria and potential antibacterial activity.

Plant biomass colonized by macrofungi can contain molecules with bioactive properties with applications to human/animal health. This work aimed to verify antibacterial activities from aqueous extracts from oil seed cakes of Jatropha curcas (JSC) and cottonseed (CSC), fermented by macrofungi for probiotic bacteria cultivation. Coriolopsis sp., Tyromyces sp., Panus lecomtei, and Pleurotus pulmonarius were cultivated in solid and submerged media. The aqueous extract of unfermented JSC was more efficient than glucose for the growth of all probiotic bacteria. Extracts from four macrofungi fermented in CSC favored Lactobacillus acidophilus growth. In solid fermentation, macrofungi extracts cultivated in JSC favored Bifidobacterium lactis growth. All fungi extracts showed more significant growth than carbohydrates among the four probiotic bacteria evaluated. Regarding antimicrobial activities, no fungal extract or bacterial supernatant showed a more significant inhibition halo for enteropathogenic bacteria than ampicillin (control). Extracts from P. lecomtei and Coriolopsis sp. in CSC showed inhibition halos for Salmonella enterica. Supernatants from L. acidophilus, B. lactis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus resulted in more significant inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus than the control, which indicates possible antimicrobial activity. Unfermented JSC supernatant showed better results for bacterial growth, while supernatants and aqueous extracts from CSC fermentation can be used for probiotic bacteria culture

Avaliação da Vergonha em Adolescentes: ‘The Other as Shamer Scale’

Shame, as a self-conscious, multidimensional and socially focused emotion, plays a central role in the mental health of individuals. In adolescents, shame is also a frequent experience and its assessment is important for research and clinical practice. This study aims to validate a brief measure of external shame (Other as Shamer Scale – brief version for adolescents: (OASB-A). The participants were 834 adolescents with a mean age of 15 years. The final model of the OASB-A (8 items), obtained through CFA, presents a good fit to the data. The OASB-A shows a good internal consistency and an adequate temporal reliability. The OASB-A also reveals significant correlations with traumatic shame experiences (IES-R) and psychopathological symptoms (DASS-21). The OASB-A is an economic and reliable measure to assess external shame in adolescents

A social and ecological assessment of tropical land uses at multiple scales: the Sustainable amazon network

Science has a critical role to play in guiding more sustainable development trajectories. Here, we present the Sustainable Amazon Network (Rede Amazônia Sustentável, RAS): a multidisciplinary research initiative involving more than 30 partner organizations working to assess both social and ecological dimensions of land-use sustainability in eastern Brazilian Amazonia. The research approach adopted by RAS offers three advantages for addressing land-use sustainability problems: (i) the collection of synchronized and co-located ecological and socioeconomic data across broad gradients of past and present human use; (ii) a nested sampling design to aid comparison of ecological and socioeconomic conditions associated with different land uses across local, landscape and regional scales; and (iii) a strong engagement with a wide variety of actors and non-research institutions. Here, we elaborate on these key features, and identify the ways in which RAS can help in highlighting those problems in most urgent need of attention, and in guiding improvements in land-use sustainability in Amazonia and elsewhere in the tropics. We also discuss some of the practical lessons, limitations and realities faced during the development of the RAS initiative so far