Benthic meiofauna as indicator of ecological changes in estuarine ecosystems: The use of nematodes in ecological quality assessment

a b s t r a c t Estuarine meiofauna communities have been only recently considered to be good indicators of ecological quality, exhibiting several advantages over macrofauna, such as their small size, high abundance, rapid generation times and absence of a planktonic phase. In estuaries we must account not only for a great natural variability along the estuarine gradient (e.g. sediment type and dynamics, oxygen availability, temperature and flow speed) but also for the existence of anthropogenic pressures (e.g. high local population density, presence of harbors and dredging activities). Spatial and temporal biodiversity patterns of meiofauna and freeliving marine nematodes were studied in the Mondego estuary (Portugal). Both taxonomic and functional approaches were applied to nematode communities in order to describe the community structure and to relate it with the environmental parameters along the estuary. At all sampling events, nematode assemblages reflected the estuarine gradient, and salinity and grain size composition were confirmed to be the main abiotic factors controlling the distribution of the assemblages. Moreover, the low temporal variability may indicate that natural variability is superimposed by the anthropogenic pressures present in some areas of the estuary. The characterization of both meiofauna and nematode assemblages highlighted the usefulness of the integration of both taxonomic and functional attributes, which must be taken into consideration when assessing the ecological status of estuaries

Changes in volatile composition of Madeira wines during their oxidative ageing

The influence of the age in the volatile composition of Madeira wines made with Boal, Malvazia, Sercial and Verdelho varieties and aged in oak barrel during 1, 11 and 25 years old was been studied. For this purpose, the evolution of volatile compounds: higher alcohols, ethyl esters, fatty acids, furan compounds, enolic compounds, γ-lactones, dioxanes and dioxolanes, of the four most utilised varieties were determined using liquid–liquid extraction with dichloromeihane. Octan-3-ol was used as internal standard. The wines made with these varieties showed great differences in sugar content and small variations on pH and alcoholic degree. The results show that during ageing, the concentration of fatty acids ethyl esters, acetates and fatty acids decrease significantly contrarily to the great increase of ethyl esters of diprotic acids. There is a strong correlation between sotolon, 2-furfural, 5-methyl-2-furfural, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural and 5-ethoxymethyl-2-furfural with wine ageing. These findings indicate that these compounds can be used as ageing wine markers. Among the molecules studied, sotolon [3-hydroxy-4,5-dimethyl-2(5H)-furanone] was one of the few molecules present in concentrations above the perception threshold in Madeira wines. 5-Eihoxymethyl-2-furfural formed from 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural and 2-furfural, derived from sugars, are also involved in the aroma of sweet fortified white wines aged in oxidative conditions. The sensory properties change significantly after long periods of conservation

Representações sociais de enfermeiro supervisor elaboradas por estudantes de enfermagem

Supervision and learning must be guided and accompanied by expert nurses in the clinical area. The nurse supervisor is required, in addition to clinical skills, ability to discuss, to question and to reflect with the student (Ketola, 2009). Objectives: Identify the social representations (SR) of the clinical nurse supervisor characteristics, built by students. Analyze the relationship between the components of SR nursing clinical supervisor in prospective students. Methodology: Exploratory study, the sample consisted of 74 students of 4th year, 1st cycle of Nursing. Data collection was conducted through a questionnaire. We met the ethical and legal procedures. The data were categorized using the Microsoft Office Word and processed in software Evoc and SIMI. Results: There was a predominance of female respondents, with a mean age of 24.6 years. Of the 359 words evoked, 47 is ascertained different. The SR nursing clinical supervisor have the following structure: the more consensual elements - core - were accessible, competence, knowledge, available, empathy, experience, honesty and impartiality. The elements less consensus second-periphery - were: friend, collaborator, friendly, direct and commitment. The similarity analysis to prove the centrality of the elements available, knowledge and empathy and showed that there is a strong relationship between the elements available, friendly and a moderate relationship between the majority of the remaining elements with centrality. Conclusion: The nursing supervisor RS, developed by students, are structured skills of professional experience, supported by knowledge, and skills related to the personal nature of the nurse. Thus, the nurse supervisor, in the minds of students, must have experience and knowledge should be accessible, comprehensive, available, empathetic, honest and impartial. Clinical experiences are conditioned by the relationship between supervisor and student nurses (Cunha et al, 2010; Pearson, 2009)

On the Evaluation of Energy-Efficient Deep Learning Using Stacked Autoencoders on Mobile GPUs

Over the last years, deep learning architectures have gained attention by winning important international detection and classification challenges. However, due to high levels of energy consumption, the need to use low-power devices at acceptable throughput performance is higher than ever. This paper tries to solve this problem by introducing energy efficient deep learning based on local training and using low-power mobile GPU parallel architectures, all conveniently supported by the same high-level description of the deep network. Also, it proposes to discover the maximum dimensions that a particular type of deep learning architecture—the stacked autoencoder—can support by finding the hardware limitations of a representative group of mobile GPUs and platforms.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Varietal flavour compounds of four grape varieties producing Madeira wines

Boal, Malvasia, Sercial and Verdelho are the main white grape varieties used in Madeira wine production. To estimate the free fraction of varietal aroma compounds of these varieties, 39 samples of musts were analysed to determine their content of monoterpenols and C13 norisoprenoids (terpenoids), using dynamic headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The r-values for linearity studies of the analytical method used, varied between 0.977 (nerolidol) and 0.999 (linalool). The repeatability for each compound varied between 2.5% (citronellol) and 11.8% (β-ionone). The mean values from three vintages (1998, 1999 and 2000) confirmed that these musts have differentiated contents of terpenoids. In opposition to Verdelho musts, Malvasia showed the highest free terpenoids content. In order to establish relations between the compounds and the varieties under investigation, principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis were applied to the data, revealing a good separation and classification power between the four groups as a function of varietal origin

Características do enfermeiro supervisor: construções elaboradas pelos estudantes de 1º ciclo em Enfermagem

Introdução: A supervisão clínica em enfermagem constitui uma realidade no ensino da enfermagem em Portugal. O seu âmago não se restringe à transmissão de conhecimentos práticos. O enfermeiro supervisor deve possuir competências clínicas - técnicas, científicas e relacionais - a par da capacidade de discutir, questionar e fazer reflectir o estudante no desenvolvimento da acção (Ketola, 2009). Em simultâneo, deve possuir competências pessoais facilitadoras de uma relação efectiva com o estudante, como sejam, simpatia, empatia, assertividade, respeito, entre outras. Objectivos: Apreender as representações sociais das características do enfermeiro supervisor clínico, elaboradas por estudantes. Explorar a dimensão estrutural das representações sociais do enfermeiro supervisor clínico, na perspectiva dos estudantes. Identificar o campo das representações sociais de enfermeiro supervisor clínico, na perspectiva dos estudantes. Metodologia: Estudo exploratório, cuja amostra é constituída por 74 estudantes 4º ano, 1º ciclo de Enfermagem. A recolha dos dados foi feita em Fevereiro, através de questionário com questões que visavam a caracterização sócio-demográfica e um estímulo indutor (características do enfermeiro supervisor). Foram cumpridos procedimentos ético-legais, em conformidade com a comissão de ética da Área da Saúde e Bem-Estar da Universidade de Évora. Os dados foram categorizados recorrendo ao Microsoft Office Word e processados nos softwares Evoc e SIMI que forneceram estrutura das representações sociais e força da relação entre elementos. Resultados: A predominância dos respondentes era estudantes do sexo feminino, com idade média de 24,6 anos. As palavras evocadas pelos estudantes foram 359, apurando-se 47 palavras diferentes. As representações sociais de enfermeiro supervisor clínico têm a seguinte estrutura: - o núcleo central, fornece os elementos mais consensuais, é constituído por: acessível, competência, conhecimento, disponível, empatia, experiência, honestidade e imparcialidade; - a segunda periferia, fornece elementos menos consensuais com maior carga individual dos elementos do grupo em estudo, é constituída por: amigo, colaborador, cordial, directo e empenho. A árvore máxima que derivou da análise de similitude comprovou a centralidade dos elementos disponível, conhecimento e empatia. Mostrou, também, que existe uma relação forte entre os elementos disponível e cordial e uma relação moderada entre a maioria dos restantes elementos com centralidade. Conclusão: As representações sociais de enfermeiro supervisor, construídas pelos estudantes, assentam em duas competências básicas: competências de experiência profissional, alimentadas pelo conhecimento, e competências pessoais relacionadas com o carácter do enfermeiro. Assim, os estudantes têm no seu imaginário que o enfermeiro supervisor deve ter experiência e conhecimentos, deve ser acessível, compreensivo, disponível, empático, honesto e imparcial. Pearson (2009) diz que as experiências clínicas são condicionadas pela relação estabelecida entre enfermeiro supervisor e estudante. O enfermeiro supervisor deve ser capaz de questionar a sua prática clínica e estratégias utilizadas no sentido de possibilitar ao estudante compreensão dos ambientes de cuidados (Fernandes, 2007)

Tangible fixed assets For SME: Portuguese and Spain evidence

The problem statement of this research is the application level of IAS 16 - Property, Plant and Equipment in SMEs provide by SME in Portugal and Spain. Indeed, the purpose of the research is comparing the accounting framework of IAS 16 - Property, Plant and Equipment in SME in Portugal and Spain. Also, it considers the information disclosure, conduct annually by the SME in both countries, comparing their similarities and differences. The methodology a used descriptive, pilot and explanatory analysis with support of a literature review of the normative and legal framework applicable to SME in the two countries. In addition, it understands the accounting changes resulting from legislation compared to previous normative. Indeed, it will be made an exhaustive documentary analysis of the content of the disclosure provided in the Annual Reports made by SME, through the Annex. The findings of the research allow to analyze the disclosure made by the SME and the applicable framework and the detail information about the IAS 16 - Property, Plant and Equipment. The main conclusion is centred on the Tangible Fixed Assets represent the largest percentage of assets in SME as collateral of financial decisions. Therefore, it allows stakeholders to take strategic decisions, including new investments

Science communication from undergraduate students to children: activities, opportunities and challenges

Science is the engine of society’s development and the promotion of scientific literacy is very important not only to engage new generations in the world of science but also to make scientific concepts more clear, accessible and appealing to non-expert citizens. Science education should start as early as possible, awakening children to critical observation of the surrounded environment and the scientific thought. The most effective and successful way seems to be through experimental activities, which in turn should be provided as soon as possible.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Rare earth elements - Source and evolution in an aquatic system dominated by mine-Influenced waters

Acid mine drainage (AMD), formed by the instability of sulfides, typically generates acidity and releases potentially toxic elements and sulfate to the environment, among other pollutants. An example is the group of rare earth elements (REE) that may have high toxic behavior. This toxicity leads to degradation of soils, water reservoirs and rivers, promoting serious risks for the ecosystems. So, the main goal of the present work is to study the hydrochemical properties of a system with mine-influenced waters during the rainy season, focusing on the origin, evolution/behavior, and concentration of REE. The study area is the São Domingos mining complex, located in one of the largest metallogenetic provinces in the world (Iberian Pyrite Belt), known by the evidences of AMD contamination. The obtained results reveal extraordinarily low pH (0.4), high electrical conductivity, reaching 26,200 μS/cm, and high values of sulfate and acidity. Regarding the REE, the determined concentration exceeded that observed in normal pH of neutral freshwaters by 2-3 times the order of magnitude. The results revealed that Y and Ce are distinguished in practically all sampled sites, due to its higher concentrations, with maximum values of 221.8 and 166.9 μg/L. In general, the concentrations increase as the water pH decreases. The statistical analysis indicates that REE elements may have a common origin, mutual dependence, and similar behavior during transport with typical AMD elements and composition of host rocks. Most samples show enrichment in middle REE (MREE) (Gdn/Lun), like the classic signature of AMD. In turn, colloids and AMD-precipitates may be participating in the incorporation of these elements. Therefore, due to potential risk of impacts on ecosystems, REE are a topic of relevant interest for future studies in order to assist monitoring processes and help government decisions related to water quality management.Patricia Gomes acknowledges FCT (Science and Technology Foundation, Portugal) by the research fellowship under the POCH (Programa Operacional Capital Humano) supported by the European Social Fund and National Funds of MCTES (Ministerio da Ciencia, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) with reference SFRH/BD/108887/2015. This work was co-funded by FCT through projects UIDB/04683/2020, UIDP/04683/2020 and Nano-MINENV 029259 (PTDC/CTAAMB/29259/2017) . The authors are grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable contributions to improving the manuscript