T-Life: um programa de treino da capacidade de reconhecimento emocional em pessoas com perturbações do espectro autista

Os indivíduos com défices de relacionamento interpessoal, especificamente com Perturbação do Espectro Autista (PEA), apresentam dificuldades em reconhecer emoções em si e nos outros, evidenciando claro prejuízo no funcionamento social e tarefas interpessoais do quotidiano. O Reconhecimento das Expressões Faciais (REF) tem sido estudado na tentativa de compreensão dos défices no reconhecimento emocional. Inúmeros trabalhos tentam promover o reconhecimento emocional facial em indivíduos com PEA, mas não através da síntese da face em tempo real. As novas tecnologias, nomeadamente a Realidade Virtual, parecem ser muito promissoras no trabalho com as PEA (Eynon, 1997, cit. in Beardon et al., 2001; Strickland et al., 1996), pois vão ao encontro das necessidades/características destes indivíduos ao permitirem: o controlo na apresentação dos estímulos; a introdução de modificações graduais para permitir a generalização; a garantia de situações seguras de aprendizagem, a intervenção individualizada e customizada e a interacção com computadores, factor motivador que permite a aprendizagem de forma não ansiogénica (Strickland, 1997). A abordagem que estamos a desenvolver e a testar reflecte todos estes pressupostos e enquadra-se numa tipologia de jogo. What a feeling é um videojogo que apresenta como finalidade melhorar a capacidade de indivíduos, social e emocionalmente diminuídos, no reconhecimento de emoções através da expressão facial. O jogo desenvolvido permite, através de um conjunto de exercícios, que qualquer pessoa de qualquer idade possa interagir com modelos 3D e aprender sobre as expressões da face. O jogo é baseado em síntese facial em tempo real. Nesta comunicação descreveremos a mecânica da nossa metodologia de aprendizagem e apresentaremos algumas linhas de orientação para trabalho futuro, resultante dos estudos desenvolvidos com os protótipos testados

Characterization of desmodesmus pleiomorphus isolated from a heavy metal-contaminated site: biosorption of zinc

Microalgae have been proven efficient biological vectors for heavy metal uptake. In order to further study their biosorption potential, a strain of Desmodesmus pleiomorphus (L) was isolated from a strongly contaminated industrial site in Portugal. Under different initial Zn2? concentrations, metal removal by that strain reached a maximum of 360 mg Zn/g biomass after 7 days, at 30 mg Zn/l, after an initial rapid phase of uptake. Comparative studies were carried out using a strain of the same microalgal species that is commercially available (ACOI 561): when exposed to 30 mg Zn/l, it could remove only 81.8 mg Zn/g biomass. Biosorption experiments using inactivated biomass of the isolated strain reached a maximum Zn2? uptake of 103.7 mg/g. Metal removal at various initial pH values was studied as well; higher removal was obtained at pH 5.0. The microalga strain L, isolated from the contaminated site, exhibited a much higher removal capacity than the commercial strain, and the living biomass yielded higher levels of metal removal than its inactivated form

Biofortified Diets Containing Algae and Selenised Yeast: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilization, and Tissue Composition of Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)

Efforts have been made to find natural, highly nutritious alternatives to replace fish meal (FM) and fish oil (FO), which can simultaneously promote fish health and improve the nutritional quality of filets for human consumption. This study evaluated the impact of biofortified diets containing microalgae (as replacement for FM and FO), macroalgae (as natural source of iodine) and selenised yeast (organic source of selenium) on gilthead seabream growth, nutrient utilization, tissue composition and gene expression. A control diet (CTRL) with 15% FM and 5.5% FO was compared with three experimental diets (AD1, AD2, and AD3), where a microalgae blend (Chlorella sp., Tetraselmis sp., and DHA-rich Schizochytrium sp.) replaced 33% of FM. Diet AD1 contained 20% less FO. Diets were supplemented with Laminaria digitata (0.4% AD1 and AD2; 0.8% AD3) and selenised yeast (0.02% AD1 and AD2; 0.04% AD3). After feeding the experimental diets for 12 weeks, growth was similar in fish fed AD1, AD2, and CTRL, indicating that microalgae meal can partially replace both FM and FO in diets for seabream. But AD3 suppressed fish growth, suggesting that L. digitata and selenised yeast supplementation should be kept under 0.8 and 0.04%, respectively. Despite lower lipid intake and decreased PUFAs bioavailability in fish fed AD3, compared to CTRL, hepatic elovl5 was upregulated resulting in a significant increase of muscle EPA + DHA. Indeed, filets of fish fed AD2 and AD3 provided the highest EPA + DHA contents (0.7 g 100 g–1), that are well above the minimum recommended values for human consumption. Fish consuming the AD diets had a higher retention and gain of selenium, while iodine gain remained similar among diets. Upregulation of selenoproteins (gpx1, selk, and dio2) was observed in liver of fish fed AD1, but diets had limited impact on fish antioxidant status. Overall, results indicate that the tested microalgae are good sources of protein and lipids, with their LC-PUFAs being effectively accumulated in seabream muscle. Selenised yeast is a good fortification vehicle to increase selenium levels in fish, but efforts should be placed to find new strategies to fortify fish in iodineThis work has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programe under Grant Agreement No. 773400 (SEAFOODTOMORROW) and from the project ATLANTIDA (ref. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000040), supported by the Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement and through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This work received financial support from REQUIMTE/LAQV national funds (FCT) through project UID/QUI/50006/2019. LV acknowledges national funds provided by FCT to CIIMAR (UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020), PP-F acknowledges MAR2020 national funds provided to IPMA (DIVERISAQUA project - 16-02-01-FEAM-66) and MF acknowledges FCT for the grant SFRH/BD/144843/2019.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Modelling the distribution of a commercial NE-Atlantic sea cucumber, Holothuria mammata : demographic and abundance spatio-temporal patterns

Funding: This study was financed by the Operational Programme Mar2020, MAR-02.01.01-FEAMP-0052, “Newcumber – Avanços para o cultivo sustentável de pepinos do mar”. It received further financial support from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (projects UIDB/04292/2020, UIDB/00006/2020, CoastNet – PINFRA/22128/2016, AB with the Scientific Stimulus Programme – CEECIND/00095/2017 and FA with the individual research grant 2020.09563.BD). This publication was financed by Portuguese national funds through FCT – Fundação IP under project reference UIDB/04292/2020, and by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under grant agreement N810139: Project Portugal Twinning for Innovation and Excellence in Marine Science and Earth Observation – PORTWIMS.There is an increasing demand for sea cucumbers, for human consumption, mainly from Asian markets and, as a consequence, NE-Atlantic species are now new targets for exploitation and exportation. Holothuria mammata is one of the most valuable species in Europe. However, the lack of historical economic interest in this species in most European countries has also led to a lack of studies concerning biological and ecological aspects on wild populations and this is a major issue for stock management. This study aims to determine the temporal and spatial patterns of distribution of H. mammata, considering its abundance and demographic structure in a NE-Atlantic area, SW Portugal, as a function of environmental conditions. For that, a population from a marine protected area was followed for 1 year at 1.5-month intervals. Throughout the coastal area, six sites were selected and at each sampling campaign three random transects per site and substrate (rock and sand) in which all H. mammata individuals were counted and measured. For each site and survey several environmental parameters of interest, from the water column, the sediment and substrate cover, were also measured. Generalized Linear Models were used to model the spatial and temporal distribution of the species according to environmental conditions, to determine the species’ habitat preferences. The distribution models indicate that abiotic and biotic parameters of the water column are not the main drivers shaping the distribution of H. mammata. The species has a patchy distribution, and its habitat preferences depend on environmental stability, the presence of shelter and habitat complexity, which is more important for smaller, more vulnerable, individuals, while bigger size classes tend to venture more into less stable environments in an opportunistic fashion. The knowledge of these population traits is determinant to develop stock management measures, which are now urgent to prevent the depletion of commercial sea cucumber populations in the NE-Atlantic. Sustainable fisheries policies should be developed and start by considering to delimit fishing areas and periods, considering the species spatial and temporal distribution patterns.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Transboundary cooperation and Mechanisms for Maritime Spatial Planning implementation. SIMNORAT Project

El proyecto SIMNORAT, Supporting Implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning in the Northern European Atlantic region (SIMNORAT), fue un proyecto cofundado por la UE de ordenación del espacio marítimo desarrollado en la región atlántica. Los objetivos del proyecto eran apoyar a los Estados miembros (EM) para aplicar la Directiva 2014/89/UE del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 23 de julio de 2014, por la que se establece un marco para la ordenación del espacio marítimo (OEM); y poner en marcha y llevar a cabo iniciativas concretas y transfronterizas de OEM entre los EM participantes en el proyecto (España, Francia y Portugal). Para desarrollar y probar aspectos de la ordenación del espacio marítimo con el fin de elaborar directrices y recomendaciones útiles en un contexto transfronterizo, las autoridades competentes de los países también participaron en el proyecto. Los resultados de SIMNORAT, como el desarrollo de una metodología conceptual para la ordenación del espacio marítimo transfronterizo, el análisis de las herramientas y los datos aplicados en el proceso de ordenación del espacio marítimo, la evaluación de las demandas y tendencias espaciales de los sectores marítimos, y la participación de las partes interesadas, ayudaron a identificar las mejores prácticas en los aspectos científicos, técnicos y sociales de la ordenación del espacio marítimo para una cooperación eficaz, especialmente en las áreas de estudio de casos transfronterizos, para mejorar la aplicación de la Directiva sobre ordenación del espacio marítimo en cada país con esfuerzos de colaboración y una visión común. Esto, a su vez, puede apoyar la creación del marco adecuado para desarrollar una economía azul sostenible en la región, gestionando el sistema socioecológico asociado en un entorno cambiante