Persistence and coexistence of spatially structured populations in heterogeneous environments : the case of Cabrera and water voles in mediterranean farmland

Esta tese avalia o modo como as populações animais respondem à heterogeneidade ambiental analisando a sua importância para a persistência do rato de Cabrera (RC) em paisagens fragmentadas, e para a coexistência desta espécie com o potencial competidor dominante rato- de-água (RA). A ocorrência do RC foi parcialmente explicada pelo tamanho e isolamento das parcelas de habitat, de acordo com a teoria das metapopulações, embora a persistência dos fragmentos e a composição da matriz sejam também criticas para a persistência da espécie. A coexistência de RC e RA pode ser explicada pela segregação espacial dentro das parcelas de habitat, provavelmente devido à diferenciação do micro-habitat a múltiplas escalas. A partição temporal a escalas finas poderá igualmente favorecer a coexistência, embora provavelmente como um mecanismo secundário. Globalmente, este estudo sugere que a análise da heterogeneidade a múltiplas escalas será essencial para avaliar a persistência e coexistência de espécies ecologicamente semelhantes. ⓿⓿⓿ ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates how animal populations respond to environmental heterogeneity, by analysing its importance for the persistence of Cabrera voles in highly fragmented landscapes, and for the coexistence of this species with a potentially dominant competitor (the water vole). The occurrence of Cabrera voles was partly explained by the patch size and isolation paradigms of metapopulation theory, though patch persistence and the composition of the intervening matrix also appeared to be critical for species persistence. Coexistence of Cabrera and water voles could be reasonably explained by spatial segregation within patches, probably reflecting microhabitat differentiation across multiple spatial scales. There was also some time partitioning between vole species, but this was probably a secondary mechanism favoring their coexistence. Overall, results suggest that measurements on heterogeneity at multiple spatial and temporal scales may be essential to properly assess the persistence and coexistence of ecologically similar species

LC–MS/MS Analysis of the Emerging Toxin Pinnatoxin-G and High Levels of Esterified OA Group Toxins in Galician Commercial Mussels

The occurrence of marine harmful algae is increasing worldwide and, therefore, the accumulation of lipophilic marine toxins from harmful phytoplankton represents a food safety threat in the shellfish industry. Galicia, which is a commercially important EU producer of edible bivalve mollusk have been subjected to recurring cases of mussel farm closures, in the last decades. This work aimed to study the toxic profile of commercial mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) in order to establish a potential risk when ingested. For this, a total of 41 samples of mussels farmed in 3 Rías (Ares-Sada, Arousa, and Pontevedra) and purchased in 5 local markets were analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Chromatograms showed the presence of okadaic acid (OA), dinophysistoxin-2 (DTX-2), pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2), azaspiracid-2 (AZA-2), and the emerging toxins 13-desmethyl spirolide C (SPX-13), and pinnatoxin-G (PnTX-G). Quantification of each toxin was determined using their own standard calibration in the range 0.1%–50 ng/mL (R2 > 0.99) and by considering the toxin recovery (62–110%) and the matrix correction (33–211%). Data showed that OA and DTX-2 (especially in the form of esters) are the main risk in Galician mollusks, which was detected in 38 samples (93%) and 3 of them exceeded the legal limit (160 µg/kg), followed by SPX-13 that was detected in 19 samples (46%) in quantities of up to 28.9 µg/kg. Analysis from PTX-2, AZA-2, and PnTX-G showed smaller amounts. Fifteen samples (37%) were positive for PTX-2 (0.7–2.9 µg/kg), 12 samples (29%) for AZA-2 (0.1–1.8 µg/kg), and PnTX-G was detected in 5 mussel samples (12%) (0.4 µg/kg–0.9 µg/kg). This is the first time Galician mollusk was contaminated with PnTX-G. Despite results indicating that this toxin was not a potential risk through the mussel ingestion, it should be considered in the shellfish safety monitoring programs through the LC–MS/MS methods.This research has received funding from the following FEDER co-funded grants. From Conselleria de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria, Xunta de Galicia, 2017 GRC GI-1682 (ED431C 2017/01). From CDTI and Technological Funds, supported by Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, AGL2014-58210-R, AGL2016-78728-R (AEI/FEDER, UE), ISCIII/PI16/01830, RTC-2016-5507-2, and ITC-20161072. From the European Union POCTEP 0161-Nanoeaters -1-E-1, Interreg AlertoxNet EAPA-317-2016, Interreg Agritox EAPA-998-2018, and H2020 778069-EMERTOX. This work was also supported by the program “Juan de la Cierva 2016” from the Spanish Government. Paz Otero is recipient of a Postdoctoral Funding (Ref. IJCI-2016-27774)S

O sistema interno de promoção e garantia da qualidade e o sistema de informação integrado da Universidade de Évora

Nos últimos anos a Universidade de Évora (UEvora) tem vindo a efetuar uma aposta estratégica no desenvolvimento de um sistema de informação que integre a monitorização e melhoria continuada das componentes académicas e de investigação com as componentes de garantia de qualidade e de gestão. Neste sentido, a UEvora tem desenvolvido, desde 1993, modelos dinâmicos e sistemáticos de (re)organização interna dos seus procedimentos e práticas, com vista à operacionalização de resultados que garantam a conquista de índices de qualidade evolutivos no tempo, dando assim origem ao Sistema Interno de Promoção e Garantia da Qualidade (SIPGQ). Determinante para o sucesso do SIPGQ tem sido o trabalho dos Serviços de Informática, nomeadamente pelo desenvolvimento, desde 1999, do Sistema de Informação Integrado (SIIUE). O SIIUE é um sistema que foi implementado recorrendo exclusivamente a tecnologias baseadas em software livre, tais como, o sistema gestor de base de dados PostgreSQL e a linguagem PHP, integrando as componentes académicas mais diretamente relacionadas com os alunos (matrículas, inscrições, avaliações) e com os docentes (distribuição de serviço, horários, pautas) com as componentes de investigação e desenvolvimento (gestão de projetos de I&D, contratos de colaboração e prestação de serviços). Tendo em conta o interesse manifestado por diversas instituições de Ensino Superior portuguesas e estrangeiras, a UEvora está a iniciar um processo de consolidação e modularização, visando a sua disponibilização futura a outras instituições. O SIPGQ é o sistema de garantia de qualidade da UEvora e é um dos poucos sistemas que, em Portugal, foi certificado pela A3ES – Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior. O SIPGQ integra indicadores elaborados com informação base proveniente do SIIUE, assim como o resultado de inquéritos de opinião realizados aos alunos sobre as unidades curriculares que frequentaram, o seu curso e a Universidade. Esta integração permite efetuar a geração automática de relatórios de unidades curriculares, de curso e de unidade orgânica. Também o processo de avaliação dos docentes e das unidades orgânicas da UEvora encontram enquadramento e suporte no SIPGQ e no SIIUE, respetivamente. Em suma, tanto o SIIUE e o SIPGQ constituem-se como ferramentas fundamentais para o apoio a uma gestão informada na Universidade de Évora

Chronic cannabinoid administration to periadolescent rats modulates the metabolic response to acute cocaine in the adult brain

Purpose: To analyze brain metabolic response to acute cocaine in male and female Wistar rats with or without a history of cannabinoid exposure during periadolescence. Procedures: The synthetic cannabinoid agonist CP 55,940 (CP) or its vehicle (VH), were administered to male and female rats during periadolescence. When these animals reached adulthood, saline and cocaine-induced changes in 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro D glucose (FDG) uptake were studied by positron emission tomography. Results: The baseline (post-saline) metabolism in the septal nuclei was higher in CP-females than in VH-females, although septal metabolism was lower in CP-females after cocaine, reaching similar values to those of VH-females at baseline. Cocaine did not affect metabolism in VH-females. Periadolescent cannabinoid treatment did not influence baseline metabolism in males although cocaine reduced the FDG uptake in the dorsal striatum of males that received the VH but not CP. Conclusions: These results suggest that cannabinoids during periadolescence modify baseline and cocaine-evoked brain metabolism in a sex-dependent manner. In the case of CP-females, the involvement of septal metabolic alterations in their susceptibility to the rewarding effects of cocaine should be further investigated.This work was supported by grants from the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Grants nº SAF2004-08148 and SAF2007-064890); Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo (Grants RD06/ 00170029 of Instituto de Salud Carlos III, PNSD 2004 2007 and 2008 2010); Dirección General de Investigación de la Comunidad de Madrid (Grant S-SAL/0261/2006, I+D CANNAB-CM Consortium); and UNED (Plan de Promoción de la Investigación) to EA, and grants from the “Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología” (TEC2004-07052-C02-01/TCM), “Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo” (CIBER CB06/01/0079, PNSD 2007 2010, FIS CP08/00017), “Ministerio de Industria” (CENIT program) and “Fundación de Investigación Médica Mutua Madrileña” (2007 2010 and 2008 2011) to MD.Publicad

Parafascicular thalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation decreases NMDA receptor GluN1 subunit gene expression in the prefrontal cortex

The rodent parafascicular nucleus (PFn) or the centromedian-parafascicular complex of primates is a posterior intralaminar nucleus of the thalamus related to cortical activation and maintenance of states of consciousness underlying attention, learning and memory. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the PFn has been proved to restore arousal and consciousness in humans and to enhance performance in learning and memory tasks in rats. The primary expected effect of PFn DBS is to induce plastic changes in target neurons of brain areas associated with cognitive function. In this study, Wistar rats were stimulated for 20mins in the PFn following a DBS protocol that had previously facilitated memory in rats. NMDA and GABAB receptor binding, and gene expression of the GluN1subunit of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) were assessed in regions related to cognitive functions, such as the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The results showed that PFn DBS induced a decrease in NMDAR GluN1 subunit gene expression in the cingulate and prelimbic cortices, but no significant statistical differences were found in the density of NMDA or GABAB receptors in any of the analyzed regions. Taken together, our findings suggest a possible role for the NMDAR GluN1 subunit in the prefrontal cortex in the procognitive actions of the PFn DBS

Brain metabolism in lewis and fischer 344 rats after morphine self-administration and extinction: a PET imaging study

Proceeding of: The 72nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Scottsdale, Arizona, June 12-17, 2010.MICINN (SAF2007-064890); Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo (RD06/001/0029 y CP08/00017 del ISC III; Plan Nacional sobre Drogas 2004-2007 y 2008-2010); Fundación Mutua Madrileña; and CAM (S-SAL/0261/2006)

Augmented acquisition of cocaine self-administration and altered brain glucose metabolism in adult female but not male rats exposed to a cannabinoid agonist during adolescence

Marijuana consumption during adolescence has been proposed to be a stepping stone for adult cocaine addiction. However, experimental evidence for this hypothesis is missing. In this work we chronically injected male and female Wistar rats with either the cannabinoid agonist CP 55,940 (CP; 0.4 mg/kg) or its corresponding vehicle. Adult acquisition (seven 30 min daily sessions) and maintenance (fourteen 2 h daily sessions) of cocaine self administration (1 mg/kg), food reinforced operant learning under conditions of normal (ad libitum access to food), and high motivation (food restriction schedule) were measured. Additionally, brain metabolic activity was analyzed by means of [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. During the acquisition phase, female CP treated rats showed a higher rate of cocaine self administration as compared to vehicle treated females and males; no differences were found between both male groups. This effect disappeared in the maintenance phase. Moreover, no differences among groups were evident in the food reinforced operant task, pointing to the cocaine specific nature of the effect seen in self administration rather than a general change in reward processing. Basal brain metabolic activity also changed in CP treated females when compared to their vehicle treated counterparts with no differences being found in the males; more specifically we observed a hyper activation of the frontal cortex and a hypo activation of the amygdalo entorhinal cortex. Our results suggest that a chronic exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence alters the susceptibility to acquire cocaine self administration, in a sex specific fashion. This increased susceptibility could be related to thechanges in brain metabolic activity induced by cannabinoids during adolescenceThis work was supported by Grants FIS G03/05 (Red de Trastornos Adictivos), BSO2001-1099, FIS 01-05-01, Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (PNSD) 2001–2003, PNSD 2004–2007, GR-SAL/0260/2004 to EA and Grants INT/2012/ 2002, CB06/01/0079, and CENIT (2006–2009) to MDPublicad

CRM strategies for alumni business schools: a qualitative analysis and recommendations for NOVA School of Business and Economics

Customer Relationship Management(CRM) is gaining increasing notoriety in both the business world and academic articles, but there is a gap in the literature concerning CRM strategies for business schools’ alumni. In this thesis, a qualitative research is performed in 4 schools of the Top 30 European Business Schools 2012 ranking of the Financial Times, with the purpose of knowing the current CRM practices being adopted and their results. Findings indicate schools value the benefits alumni bring and are investing in CRM systems to nourish strong, sustainable relationships with their alumni, by offering communication, educational/professional and social initiatives. This thesis points to some tools business schools can use to better manage and capture alumni value

A utilização de espumas de betume na reciclagem de pavimentos flexíveis

Tese de mestrado. Vias de Comunicação. 2006. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Port