"He said Ireland has more than one story": multiple belongings in perspective

Focusing on non-fictional and fictional memoirs, respectively Hugo Hamilton's The Speckled People (2003), and Jennifer Johnston's The Gingerbread Woman (2000), this paper addresses the experience of those who find themselves perceiving the world from outside the walls of the Palace of Sans Souci, and who has a result try to work out how their perception may both belong to, and change, the prevailing picture of the world they inhabit

Cytochrome P450 endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD): therapeutic and pathophysiological implications.

The hepatic endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-anchored cytochromes P450 (P450s) are mixed-function oxidases engaged in the biotransformation of physiologically relevant endobiotics as well as of myriad xenobiotics of therapeutic and environmental relevance. P450 ER-content and hence function is regulated by their coordinated hemoprotein syntheses and proteolytic turnover. Such P450 proteolytic turnover occurs through a process known as ER-associated degradation (ERAD) that involves ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal degradation (UPD) and/or autophagic-lysosomal degradation (ALD). Herein, on the basis of available literature reports and our own recent findings of in vitro as well as in vivo experimental studies, we discuss the therapeutic and pathophysiological implications of altered P450 ERAD and its plausible clinical relevance. We specifically (i) describe the P450 ERAD-machinery and how it may be repurposed for the generation of antigenic P450 peptides involved in P450 autoantibody pathogenesis in drug-induced acute hypersensitivity reactions and liver injury, or viral hepatitis; (ii) discuss the relevance of accelerated or disrupted P450-ERAD to the pharmacological and/or toxicological effects of clinically relevant P450 drug substrates; and (iii) detail the pathophysiological consequences of disrupted P450 ERAD, contributing to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) under certain synergistic cellular conditions

Critical dialogues: slow readings of English literary texts

The reader will find gathered together in this volume a selection of articles and essays that have been separately published over the past three decades as a result of my teaching practice and research activity. In chronological terms, they span a period from 1985 until May 2008. These texts were chosen because they are considered to be representative of the type of work I usually do in my classes, undoubtedly as a result of my own academic background, based on a deliberate and specific form of approach to literary texts, my own choice of English authors and, lastly, my most recent interest in inter-art studies.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologi

A implementação do PROCOM e a competitividade das cidades periféricas

O PROCOM foi um dos grandes instrumentos à disposição dos agentes económicos locais para proceder a essas adaptações com vista a uma melhor integração da economia global. Este apresenta-se como um instrumento importante para promover o desenvolvimento das cidades e dinamizar o comércio das zonas centrais, em especial, no que concerne à revitalização das áreas centrais dos núcleos urbanos. Com este trabalho pretende-se analisar o estudo de caso de Vila Real com vista a apontar as implicações dos projectos de natureza individual, colectiva e urbana ocorridas face à implementação deste programa

Estratégias de manejo químico e cultural de capim-amargoso resistente ao glifosato no Brasil Central

The objective of this work was to evaluate different chemical treatments, associating herbicide combinations with the maintenance of forage species in the off-season, for the management of glyphosate-resistant sourgrass (Digitaria insularis) in a soybean crop. The experimental design was a randomized complete block in a 4×5 split-plot arrangement, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of: four combinations of the clethodim, glyphosate, haloxyfop-p-methyl, glufosinate ammonium, and s-metolachlor herbicides in the plots; green covers with the Massai, BRS Tamani, and BRS Zuri cultivars of Panicum maximum and with Urochloa ruziziensis, as well as fallow, in the subplots; and a control with the isolated application of glyphosate at the desiccation and post-emergence of the soybean crop infested with sourgrass and weeded. The herbicides tested before sowing and at post-emergence of soybean promoted a control above 90% of adult sourgrass plants until grain harvest. After harvest, there was a new emergence of sourgrass, mainly in the plots without green cover in the off-season. Overseeding soybean with forage species allowed of the establishment of these plants, which consequently interfered in sourgrass emergence and growth. The chemical treatments with herbicide combinations associated with the maintenance of forage species in the off-season are effective for the control of adult glyphosate-resistant sourgrass plants.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar diferentes tratamentos químicos, com a associação de combinações de herbicidas à manutenção de espécies forrageiras no período de entressafra, para o manejo de capim‑amargoso (Digitaria insularis) resistente ao glifosato em cultura de soja. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso, em arranjo de parcela subdividida 4×5, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de: quatro combinações dos herbicidas cletodim, glifosato, haloxifop-p-metil, glufosinato de amônio e s-metolacloro nas parcelas; de coberturas verdes com as cultivares de Panicum maximum Massai, BRS Tamani e BRS Zuri e com Urochloa ruziziensis, além de pousio, nas subparcelas; e controle com a aplicação isolada de glifosato na dessecação e na pós-emergência da cultura de soja infestada com capim-amargoso e capinada. Os herbicidas testados antes da semeadura e na pós-emergência da soja promoveram um controle acima de 90% de plantas adultas de capim-amargoso até a colheita dos grãos. Após a colheita, houve nova emergência de capim-amargoso, principalmente nas parcelas sem cobertura verde na entressafra. A sobressemeadura da soja com espécies forrageiras permitiu o estabelecimento dessas plantas, que, consequentemente, interferiram na emergência e no crescimento do capim-amargoso. Os tratamentos químicos com combinações de herbicidas associados à manutenção de espécies forrageiras no período da entressafra são eficazes para o controle de plantas adultas de capim-amargoso resistente ao glifosato

Tools for the management and conservation of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla): an application to Santo André lagoon

The critical status of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) population is an ongoing concern for fisheries and environmental managers. The European Eel Regulation approved in 2007 established the framework for the eel recovery, although incomplete knowledge about the stock hampers management that ensure the species’ sustainability. The present research investigated the dynamics of the European eel in a coastal lagoon, contributing to increase the knowledge about the species and to the assessment of the status of the stock in Portuguese inland waters. The information gathered on eel recruitment, and on the species exploitation and life history traits in a Portuguese brackish system, the Santo André lagoon, provided relevant data to develop stock assessment tools, and to analyse and understand the impact of management decisions on the local eel stock. Data on glass eel from the rivers Minho and Lis provide insights on recruitment trends in Portugal in recent decades and on the drivers of glass eel ingress into Portuguese coastal systems and were used as a proxy to the recruitment dynamics in Santo André lagoon. Results suggest that eel recruitment shows no evidence of a dramatic decline in Portugal, compared to trends reported for other European rivers. The dynamics of the eel population in continental waters was studied from a socio-economic and biological perspective in Santo André lagoon, where the eel yield is significant. The fishery statistics since the 1980’s and the field work conducted in 2011/12 and in 2015/16 have made possible to gather relevant information on the exploitation and biology and have provided the necessary data to characterize the local eel population. Data collected were used to calibrate a Bayesian state-space Integral Projection Model (SSIPM) that described the eel dynamics in the lagoon and estimated relevant eel biomass indicators. The eel population in the lagoon is male-skewed and characterized by a relatively young population (average age is 2.3 years), with only 13.7 % of individuals above 350 mm (13.7%). Eel growth in the lagoon is among the fastest reported for the species and explains the early onset of maturity in males, which metamorphose into silver eels, on average, at three years of age. The male dominance in the lagoon is most likely related to the high eel density estimates obtained with the SSIPM, ranging between 6 and 139 kg ha-1 in the years studied (2008-2017). The high productivity of the system supports one of the highest eel fishing yields in the species’ range, which represents a substantial share (50%) of local fishermen’s income. The increase in the catch per unit effort between 2006 and 2017 obtained from fisheries statistical data, was hypothesized to be a consequence of fishing effort reduction under the eel regulation, combined with an increase in natural recruitment. These results point out to the positive signs of the adaptive approach adopted in local fisheries management, although the eel regulation targets (silver eel biomass escapement) may be compromised. The closed nature of the lagoon translates into a late escapement of silver eels, which occurs only in the spring when the connection to the sea is artificially re-established, making them very vulnerable to capture by the fishery. Despite being an illegal activity, silver eel fishing occurs, showing that the management system must be improved. There are conditions to implement fisheries co-management in this socio-ecological system, and the estimated fishing yield and silver eel escapement under different management scenarios suggest that there are opportunities to improve the sustainability of the local European eel population. The SSIPM developed proved to be a useful tool to describe the European eel population in Santo André lagoon and can be used to support the evaluation of the Portuguese eel management plan, particularly in coastal brackish systems. The framework can be adapted to other eel habitats where eel abundance time-series are available, ideally incorporating information on sex ratio, growth, and length at silvering of the local population, since those life history traits are environmentally dependent

Da gestão da sala de aula à aprendizagem: o uso da fenomenografia na análise das conceções de gestão de sala de aula dos formandos

Classroom management is a critical area in the curriculum of teacher education programs. Student teachers’ conceptions of the role of the teacher as a class leader are frequently backed by their intuition and experience as students and socio-cultural context rather than evidence-based. This paper examines the conceptions of classroom management held by a multicultural group of forty-four student teachers attending a teacher education program at a higher education institute in Macao. The study aims at understanding the patterns of variation expressed by student teachers regarding the purpose and relevance of the object of learning. It compares a) the patterns of variation in students’ views of classroom management, and b) the students’ learning progress based on the pre-and post-test. The phenomenographic approach was adopted as the conceptual framework. Participants handwritten transcripts from student teachers at the first and last sessions of the course are the primary type of data collection. The findings show that changes in student teachers’ understanding of the conceptions of classroom management occurred during the course. The initial preferences for disciplinary approaches to classroom leadership have given way to conceptions of promoting the integration of classroom management into learning. The participants expressed increasing adherence to classroom management systems targeting and providing behavioural and academic supports and interventions to children and adolescents with and without special needs.A gestão de sala de aula é uma área central no curriculum dos programas de formação de professores. As conceções dos formandos sobre o papel do professor enquanto líder são mais vezes fundadas em experiências e intuições pessoais e influenciadas pelo contexto cultural do que cientificamente fundamentadas. Este estudo examina as conceções de gestão da sala de aula de um grupo multicultural de 44 formandos inscritos num programa de formação profissional em contexto universitário. O estudo visa compreender os padrões de variância em relação ao objetivo e à relevância do objeto em estudo. Compara a) os padrões de variância relativamente às conceptualizações dos aprendentes sobre a gestão de sala de aula e b) as mudanças ocorridas após a frequência do curso. A investigação adotou como enquadramento conceptual uma abordagem fenomenográfica. A principal fonte de recolha de dados é constituída por textos redigidos pelos participantes no início e no final do curso. Os resultados evidenciam mudanças na compreensão das conceções de gestão da sala de aula ocorridas entre o início e o final do curso. As preferências iniciais por modelos disciplinares deram lugar a conceções promotoras da gestão da sala de aula como parte integrante do processo de aprendizagem. Os participantes expressaram um apoio crescente a sistemas de gestão da sala de aula inclusivos, contemplando apoios e intervenções de natureza comportamental, social e académica

Tools for the management and conservation of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla): an application to Santo André lagoon

The critical status of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) population is an ongoing concern for fisheries and environmental managers. The European Eel Regulation approved in 2007 established the framework for the eel recovery, although incomplete knowledge about the stock hampers management that ensure the species’ sustainability. The present research investigated the dynamics of the European eel in a coastal lagoon, contributing to increase the knowledge about the species and to the assessment of the status of the stock in Portuguese inland waters. The information gathered on eel recruitment, and on the species exploitation and life history traits in a Portuguese brackish system, the Santo André lagoon, provided relevant data to develop stock assessment tools, and to analyse and understand the impact of management decisions on the local eel stock. Data on glass eel from the rivers Minho and Lis provide insights on recruitment trends in Portugal in recent decades and on the drivers of glass eel ingress into Portuguese coastal systems and were used as a proxy to the recruitment dynamics in Santo André lagoon. Results suggest that eel recruitment shows no evidence of a dramatic decline in Portugal, compared to trends reported for other European rivers. The dynamics of the eel population in continental waters was studied from a socio-economic and biological perspective in Santo André lagoon, where the eel yield is significant. The fishery statistics since the 1980’s and the field work conducted in 2011/12 and in 2015/16 have made possible to gather relevant information on the exploitation and biology and have provided the necessary data to characterize the local eel population. Data collected were used to calibrate a Bayesian state-space Integral Projection Model (SSIPM) that described the eel dynamics in the lagoon and estimated relevant eel biomass indicators. The eel population in the lagoon is male-skewed and characterized by a relatively young population (average age is 2.3 years), with only 13.7 % of individuals above 350 mm (13.7%). Eel growth in the lagoon is among the fastest reported for the species and explains the early onset of maturity in males, which metamorphose into silver eels, on average, at three years of age. The male dominance in the lagoon is most likely related to the high eel density estimates obtained with the SSIPM, ranging between 6 and 139 kg ha-1 in the years studied (2008-2017). The high productivity of the system supports one of the highest eel fishing yields in the species’ range, which represents a substantial share (50%) of local fishermen’s income. The increase in the catch per unit effort between 2006 and 2017 obtained from fisheries statistical data, was hypothesized to be a consequence of fishing effort reduction under the eel regulation, combined with an increase in natural recruitment. These results point out to the positive signs of the adaptive approach adopted in local fisheries management, although the eel regulation targets (silver eel biomass escapement) may be compromised. The closed nature of the lagoon translates into a late escapement of silver eels, which occurs only in the spring when the connection to the sea is artificially re-established, making them very vulnerable to capture by the fishery. Despite being an illegal activity, silver eel fishing occurs, showing that the management system must be improved. There are conditions to implement fisheries co-management in this socio-ecological system, and the estimated fishing yield and silver eel escapement under different management scenarios suggest that there are opportunities to improve the sustainability of the local European eel population. The SSIPM developed proved to be a useful tool to describe the European eel population in Santo André lagoon and can be used to support the evaluation of the Portuguese eel management plan, particularly in coastal brackish systems. The framework can be adapted to other eel habitats where eel abundance time-series are available, ideally incorporating information on sex ratio, growth, and length at silvering of the local population, since those life history traits are environmentally dependent

Evolution of the landscape of Madeira Island: long-term vegetation dynamics

The aim of this thesis was to evaluate historical change of the landscape of Madeira Island and to assess spatial and temporal vegetation dynamics. In current research diverse “retrospective techniques”, such as landscape repeat photography, dendrochronology, and research of historical records were used. These, combined with vegetation relevés, aimed to gather information about landscape change, disturbance history, and vegetation successional patterns. It was found that landscape change, throughout 125 years, was higher in the last five decades manly driven by farming abandonment, building growth and exotic vegetation coverage increase. Pristine vegetation was greatly destroyed since early settlement and by the end of the nineteenth century native vegetation was highly devastated due to recurrent antropogenic disturbances. These actions also helped to block plant succession and to modify floristical assemblages, affecting as well as species richness. In places with less hemeroby, although significant growth of vegetation of lower seral stages was detected, the vegetation of most mature stages headed towards unbalance between recovery and loss, being also very vulnerable to exotic species encroachment. Recovery by native vegetation also occurred in areas formerly occupied by exotic plants and agriculture but it was almost negligible. Vegetation recovery followed the successional model currently proposed, attesting the model itself. Yet, succession was slower than espected, due to lack of favourable conditions and to recurrent disturbances. Probable tempus of each seral stage was obtained by growth rates of woody taxa estimated through dendrochronology. The exotic trees which were the dominant trees in the past (Castanea sativa and Pinus pinaster) almost vanished. Eucalyptus globulus, the current main tree of the exotic forest is being replaced by other cover types as Acacia mearnsii. The latter, along with Arundo donax, Cytisus scoparius and Pittosporum undulatum are currently the exotic species with higher invasive behaviour. However, many other exotic species have also proved to be highly pervasive and came together with the ones referred above to prevent native vegetation regeneration, to diminish biological diversity, and to block early successional phases delaying native forest recovery.ARDITI; Rumos; QRE

An Empirical Investigation of Debt Contract Design: The Determinants of the Choice of Debt Terms in Eurobond Issues

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the determinants for the optimal choice of contract terms on Eurobonds issued by UK companies. We examine predictions of extant theories that associate the choice of debt features namely, maturity, call options, convertible options, and protective covenants to firm and market characteristics. Like in Correia (2003), a simultaneous equations approach is adopted to test the alternative use of contract features for mitigating debt-contracting costs. The evidence provides strong support to the prediction that both callable and short-term debt and convertible and debt with protective covenants are used as alternative control devises to mitigate agency costs. Further evidence suggests, however, that contrary to the fundamentals guiding the choice of maturity and callability structures, the use of conversion options and protective covenants in Eurobond contracts seems to be determined by equity agency costs rather than debt agency costs. Also, some support is found for the risk uncertainty theory underlying the use of convertibles and for liquidity risk arguments regarding the choice to include protective covenants.