Microhabitat use by endangered Iberian cyprinids nase Iberochondrostoma almacai and chub Squalius aradensis

Research ArticleOver the last decade there has been a major rise in the number of attempts at fish conservation and management as a response to the widespread degradation of aquatic ecosystems. The assessments involved are rarely planned and executed with inputs from the species life history, particularly their microhabitat use over space and time.The seasonal and sizerelated microhabitat use of two critically endangered cyprinids – the Iberian nase Iberochondrostoma almacai and Iberian chub Squalius aradensis – was examined at seven sites across four small catchments in southwest Portugal. Both species displayed nonrandom microhabitat use. In autumn, nase preferred more sheltered (>50% cover) habitats with small substrata (organic cover and silt) than in summer, while chub were found to occupy significantly fasterflowing habitats areas (>10 cm/s) with coarser substrata (>50 mm particle size) in the spring than in the rest of the year. Size-related analyses indicated that young-of-year (yoy) nase used coarser substrata (>5 mm particle size) and more exposed habitats (<50% cover) than adult nase. Adult chub, on the other hand, occupied coarser substrata (>50 mm particle size) and faster-flowing areas (>10 cm/s) than yoy and juveniles. Based on these findings, it was possible to assign the species to ecological guilds and to classify them as limnophilic (nase) and eurytopic and lithophilic (chub). Both species generally occupied distinct microhabitats, although resource- use overlap was significant in summer. During this season, overlap was found between yoy nase and chub, juvenile nase and juvenile/adult chub, and between adults of both species. The present study identified key factors in the species habitat requirements and helped develop management recommendations for river restoration that may have a wider application, particularly for other Mediterraneantype river

Monitoring fish passes using infrared beaming: a case study in an Iberian river

An application of a new automated fish counting device – the Riverwatcher System (RW) – was used to monitor upstream fish movements in a pool-and-weir fish pass in the River Zeˆ zere, Portugal, for 141 days from June 2002 to May 2003. Fish populations were also collected downstream using multimesh gillnets (5 different mesh sizes ranging from 30 mm to 85 mm knot to knot; ratio between mesh sizes of about 1.30) and electrofishing for comparison with fish records produced by the RW. More than 3000 individual Iberian nase Chondrostoma polylepis ascended the fish pass and moved through the RW during the study period. However, only 18% of the records produced by the RW contained silhouettes similar to fish; no individual smaller than 15 cm TL was recorded by the counter. Most seasonal movements (73.9%) occurred in spring and were associated with reproduction. Displacements seemed to occur independently of time of day. Water temperature (range: 12–22 C) was the only significant environmental variable (P < 0.01) influencing upstream movements of this species. Further development of hardware and software will be necessary to improve performance of the counter, particularly in Mediterranean rivers, where more turbid waters and a greater proportion of small-size species are presen

Teores De Diterpenos Em Bebidas De Café Espresso Preparadas Com Cápsulas Comerciais

The objective of this work was to quantify kahweol and cafestol diterpenes in coffee brews prepared from commercial capsules for espresso in the Brazilian market. Four types of brews, with five preparation replications, were evaluated. The capsules had differences in the amount and type of roasted and ground coffees used (blends of arabica and robusta coffee or 100% arabica coffee), and in the conditions of time and volume of extraction (dose) recommended by the manufacturer. The coffee brews presented 1.42 and 4.88 g of solids/100 mL. Concentration of solids decreased with the increase in time/volume extraction. Contents of 0.47 to 1.04 mg of kahweol and 0.38 to 0.92 mg of cafestol by dose (ranging from 35 to 120 mL) were observed. These contents corresponded to a range of 0.40 to 2.96 mg of kahweol/100 mL and 0.32 to 2.62 mg of cafestol/100 mL. The fraction of diterpenes extracted varied from 1.85 to 4.27% for kahweol and 1.87 to 4.16% for cafestol. Considering the contents of cafestol, there is no indication of a hypercholesterolemic effect due to a moderate consumption of coffee brews prepared from these commercial capsules. © 2016, Editora UFLA. All rights reserved.11227628

Home-Based Activities for Children with Speech Sound Disorders:Requirements for a Tangible User Interface for Internet of Things Artefacts

This paper presents the state of the art regarding the use of tangible user interfaces for internet of artefacts (IoA) targeting health applications, with a focus on speech and language therapy and related areas, targeting home-based interventions, including data security and privacy issues. Results from a systematic literature review, focus group, and a nationwide questionnaire have been used to determine the system requirements for an artefact prototype to be developed. The aim of this study was to understand what is the usual practice of clinicians and to contribute to a better intervention or post-intervention approach for children with Speech Sound Disorders (SSD). The literature review revealed that some studies proposed technological solutions while others used a social approach and/or gamified activities. We could conclude that more research is needed and that a unified method or framework to address SSD intervention or post-intervention tools is lacking. Clinicians need more and better tools to be able to quantify and qualitatively assess the activities developed at home

Stability of pelargonidin 3-glucoside in model solutions in the presence and absence of flavanols

The stability of pelargonidin 3-g1ucoside (Pg3g1uc), the main anthocyanin in strawberry, has been studied in model citrate solutions (PH 3.5, 25°C) in the absence and presence flavanols (catechin and procyanidin B3) and/or oxygen. Changes in the solutions were monitorized by HPLC-DAD/MS and UV-visible spectra.Governo Português e Fundo Social Europeu através da medida n.º 5/Acção nº5.3 - PRODEP (III)(referência 5.3/N/199.006/00-Doutoramento)

An update on the genera Longidorus , Paralongidorus and Xiphinema (Family Longidoridae) in Portugal

The tribe Longidorini within the subfamily Longidorinae (Longidorus spp. and Paralongidorus spp.) and the subfamily Xiphineminae (Xiphinema spp.) are two large nematode groups with about 260 and 230 known species, respectively. They are globally two important groups of ectoparasitic nematodes considered to be major pests because of their activity as vectors of important plant nepovirus, with some species included in the list of quarantine pathogenic organisms in many European countries. Knowledge of the biodiversity and occurrence of this nematode group is a prerequisite for the establishment of sound management strategies and control measures. According to data collected from the databases (such as EPPO, FSTA, and Web of Science) and published in specialised literature, a total of 15 Longidorus, 1 Paralongidorus and 40 Xiphinema species have been recorded as present in Portugal. However, the taxonomic status of some species is controversial, and thus needs to be clarified. A comprehensive review for unravelling the biodiversity and occurrence of nematode species of the genus Longidorus, Paralongidorus and Xiphinema in Portugal is herein provided. This review includes an updated checklist of species with information on the localities, host plants and geographical distribution. Additionally, maps on the species distributions of Longidorinae and Xiphineminae nematodes present in Continental Portugal and the Portuguese Macaronesian islands are provided, as well as unpublished data on authors and comments on the current taxonomic status. Finally, new insights and directions for future research on Longidoridae in Portugal are presented

The effect of level of knowledge accuracy of results on learning of motor skills in children and adults

The level of knowledge accuracy of results (KR) is a variable that interferes with the learning of motor skills, however such interference does not work the same way in adults and children. This study examined the effects of KR in children and adults during learning of a manipulative task with target accuracy. Forty adults (female = 21.13 ± 2.26 years; male = 20.97 ± 2.17 years) and forty children (female = 9.10 ± .83 years; male = 9.70 ± .48 years) practiced a task of hitting a target placed on a table by the thrown of metal discs. There were six experimental groups and two control groups (without KR) containing 10 subjects each. Experimental groups differed according to the individual's KR (less precise KR, precise KR and very precise KR) and development level (children and adult). Performance measure was the absolute error (AE). A three-way (age × groups × blocks) and two-way (groups × blocks) analysis of variance for the stabilization and adaptation phases were used. Results showed that adults perform better than children in low and intermediate KR and in high KR adults and children showed similar performance

Chronic Q fever with no elevation of inflammatory markers: a case report

Chronic q Fever with no elevation of inflammatory markers: a case report. Boattini M, Almeida A, Moura RB, Abreu J, Santos AS, Toscano Rico M. SourceDepartment of Internal Medicine, St. Marta's Hospital, 1169-024 Lisbon, Portugal. Abstract We describe the case of a 55-year-old man with a biological prosthetic aortic valve who suffered from epigastrium and right hypochondrium pain associated with intermittent night sweats. Liver biopsy showed infectious hepatitis pattern without pathognomonic features. Coxiella burnetii serology was suggestive of chronic Q fever, and modified Duke's criteria for endocarditis were also fulfilled. The authors present a brief literature review concerning chronic Q fever, emphasizing absent previous reports of chronic Q fever with hepatitis and endocarditis and no increase in inflammatory markers

Electrochemical and structural studies of nickel (II) Schiff base complexes derived from salicylaldehyde. Structural effects of bridge substituents on the stabilisation of the +3 oxidation state

The oxidative chemistry of three Ni(II) complexes with Schiff base ligands derived from salicylaldehyde and diamines with different steric demands, N,N9-2-methylpropane-2,3-diyl-bis(salicylideneiminate)nickel(II) (1), N,N9-1,2-cyclohexyl-1,2-dyil-bis(salicylideneiminate)- nickel(II) (2) and N,N9-2,3-dimethylbutane-2,3-diyl-bis(salicylideneiminate)nickel(II) (3), was studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry in N,N9-dimethylformamide and (CH3)2SO

Research project SerpaFlora: valorization of native microbiota of the Serpa cheese

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio