As fontes de informação políticas no jornalismo televisivo : o caso da SIC

O trabalho aborda o relacionamento entre fontes de informação e jornalistas, caraterizado por interesses cooperativos mas divergentes. Ao longo de décadas, esta questão tem merecido especial atenção no que respeita ao campo específico de fontes informativas políticas. A presente análise é sobre notícias transmitidas de novembro de 2011 a maio de 2012 (período não coincidente com nenhuma campanha eleitoral) numa estação de televisão portuguesa de natureza privada, que recorreram a fontes políticas. O estudo tem como objetivo verificar se a presença de entidades políticas nacionais na informação televisiva é equilibrada e representativa. Metodologicamente, utiliza-se o método quantitativo (análise de conteúdo) e entrevistas semidiretivas a jornalistas. No âmbito de um estágio curricular, com duração de cinco meses, na direção de informação da SIC, este trabalho procura analisar de que forma estão presentes as fontes políticas na informação, nomeadamente no Jornal da Noite transmitido às 20 horas. O presente relatório, não se confinando ao caso específico deste canal televisivo, apresenta uma breve contextualização sobre a relação simbiótica e complexa entre jornalismo e democracia e propõe uma reflexão sobre a presença de intervenientes do campo político no medium audiovisual e as consequências da ligação entre jornalistas e políticos.This paper shows the relationship between information sources and journalists, characterized by divergent interests but yet cooperative. For decades, this issue has received special attention in what concerns the specific field of political information sources. The analysis covers the broadcasted news, from November 2011 to May 2012 (period of non political campaign), on a private Portuguese television station that resorts to political sources. The study aims to determine whether the presence of national political organisms in television news is balanced and representative. Methodologically, we use the quantitative method (content analysis) and interviews to journalists. Within the scope of a five months traineeship, at the SIC channel, this work intends to analyse the way how political sources are presented in the information, namely in the Jornal da Noite broadcasted daily at 8:00 p.m.. This report is not confined to this television channel but shows a brief background on the complex and symbiotic relationship between journalism and democracy and proposes a reflection on the presence of political actors in the audiovisual medium and on the consequences of connection between journalists and politicians

Influence of anthropogenic factors in the comunity of sea turtles in portuguese continental waters

Doutoramento em Biologia e Ecologia das Alterações Globais – ramo Biologia e Ecologia MarinhaAs tartarugas marinhas são um dos grupos da megafauna marinha que mais sofreram com os impactos das atividades antropogénicas. As ameaças mais significativas incluem a captura direta, o desenvolvimento costeiro, a poluição e agentes patogénicos, o aquecimento global e os impactos das pescas. As tartarugas marinhas encontram-se protegidas por vários protocolos internacionais, incluindo a Convenção CITES, as Convenções de Bona e de Berna e a Diretiva Habitats. Recentemente foram definidas a nível global as “Unidades de Gestão Regionais” (RMU’s) para as várias espécies de tartarugas marinhas. Nas águas continentais portuguesas existem registos de ocorrência de 5 espécies de tartarugas marinhas, sendo que as mais abundantes são a tartaruga comum (Caretta caretta) e a tartaruga de couro (Dermochelys coriacea). As tartarugas comuns que ocorrem na costa continental portuguesa pertencem às RMU’s do Atlântico Noroeste e do Mediterrâneo, que se encontram classificadas como unidades de “Risco Baixo – Ameaça Elevada”. Enquanto, as tartarugas de couro que ocorrem na costa continental portuguesa pertencem à RMU do Atlântico Noroeste e esta unidade de gestão encontra-se classificada como “Risco baixo - Ameaça baixa”. O presente trabalho pretende aprofundar vários aspetos da ecologia das tartarugas marinhas ao longo da costa continental portuguesa, onde a informação era anteriormente bastante escassa. Foi dado um maior enfoque à tartaruga comum por ser a espécie mais abundante ao longo desta costa. Para esta espécie, foram estudados aspetos relacionados com a distribuição e causa dos arrojamentos, dieta e principais ameaças, de modo a promover e a poder contribuir para a sua conservação nas águas continentais portuguesas. No que se refere à análise dos arrojamentos de tartarugas marinhas em Portugal Continental, de 1978 a 2013 contabilizaram-se 806 arrojamentos dos quais 57.1% corresponderam a indivíduos de tartaruga comum e 41.8% corresponderam a indivíduos de tartaruga de couro. Embora se pensasse anteriormente que estas duas espécies de repteis marinhos eram visitantes ocasionais na costa continental portuguesa, os resultados do presente estudo mostram pela primeira vez que as águas continentais portuguesas são importantes corredores migratórios para a tartaruga comum e para tartaruga de couro na região do Atlântico Norte. Foi também possível verificar que a densidade relativa de arrojamentos de tartaruga comum tem vindo a aumentar nos últimos anos, sendo que a maior densidade relativa de arrojamentos de tartaruga comum ocorre na costa Sul de Portugal durante a primavera e o verão. A análise das causas de arrojamento e mortalidade revelaram que a interação com as pescas é uma ameaça importante a ter em conta na definição de futuras medidas de conservação para as tartarugas marinhas na costa portuguesa.Relativamente à ecologia alimentar das tartarugas comuns, foram analisados 95 tratos digestivos de tartarugas comuns arrojadas na costa continental Portuguesa entre 2010 e 2013. Os crustáceos são o principal grupo de presas na dieta da tartaruga comum na costa continental Portuguesa, sendo o pilado (Polybius henslowii) e os caranguejos eremitas (Pagurus spp.) as espécies mais importantes. Neste estudo, 41 espécies e 6 géneros constituíram novos registos para a dieta da tartaruga comum. As tartarugas comuns na costa continental portuguesa têm uma estratégia alimentar oportunista, embora pareça existir uma certa especialização relativamente ao pilado, a qual pode estar relacionada com a abundância deste caranguejo ao longo da costa continental portuguesa. Assim, além de ter sido demonstrada a importância das águas continentais portuguesas como corredor migratório para a tartaruga comum e para a tartaruga de couro, foi também demonstrado pela primeira vez que as águas continentais portuguesas são importantes zonas de alimentação para a tartaruga comum. As tartarugas marinhas foram recentemente propostas a nível Europeu como indicadores de bom estado ambiental (GES) no âmbito da MSFD (2008/56/CE), com maior importância para a monitorização do descritor D10 referente à variação de abundância de lixo marinho. Neste âmbito, e considerando ainda as 95 tartarugas comuns cujos tratos digestivos foram analisados, foi verificado que 56 indivíduos (59.0%) apresentaram lixo no trato digestivo, dos quais mais de metade das tartarugas comuns com lixo ingerido (56.8%) tinha ingerido itens de plástico. Além do lixo marinho, foi ainda possível aprofundar outro tema relacionado com a poluição dos oceanos, neste caso a contaminação por elementos inorgânicos em vários tecidos de tartarugas comuns. Neste estudo foram analisadas 38 tartarugas comuns e os resultados evidenciaram concentrações elevadas de cádmio (34.67 ± 3.21 μg/g, peso húmido tecido renal), que poderão contribuir para a deterioração da saúde dos indivíduos. A ocorrência de cádmio poderá estar relacionada com o consumo de caranguejo pilado, Polybius henslowii, a presa principal da tartaruga comum em Portugal, com possíveis implicações no futuro para a monitorização da poluição por cádmio no meio marinho. O presente estudo, envolvendo vários aspetos da ecologia das tartarugas marinhas, é pioneiro em Portugal e fornece uma importante base para o desenvolvimento de futuros esforços de conservação das tartarugas marinhas na costa continental Portuguesa. A elevada frequência de ocorrência de lixo nos tratos digestivos observada neste estudo sustenta o uso da tartaruga comum como um indicador adequado para a monitorização de padrões de ocorrência de lixo marinho, conforme requerido para uma correta implementação da MSFD (2008/56/CE). No seu conjunto, os trabalhos de monitorização dos arrojamentos, da evolução da dieta, da presença de lixo marinho nos tratos digestivos e dos níveis de contaminação das tartarugas marinhas, poderão ajudar a delinear medidas para a sua conservação no âmbito da aplicação de Diretivas Europeias, nomeadamente no âmbito da já referida Diretiva 2008/56/EC que estabelece diretrizes no campo da política para o ambiente marinho na União Europeia.Among marine megafauna, sea turtles were highly impacted by anthropogenic activities. The most significant threats include direct take, coastal development, pollution and pathogens, global warming and the impacts of fisheries. Sea turtles are protected by various international protocols, including CITES, the Bonn Convention, the Bern Convention and the Habitats Directive. Recently "Regional Management Units" (RMU's) were defined for several sea turtle species worldwide. In portuguese continental waters the occurrence of 5 species of sea turtles were recorded, and the most abundant are the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) and the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). Loggerhead turtles that occur in the Portuguese coast belong to Northwest Atlantic RMU and the Mediterranean RMU, which are classified as units of "Low Risk - High Threat". As for the leatherback turtles that occur in the Portuguese coast, they belong to the Northwest Atlantic RMU and this management unit is classified as "Low risk - Low threat" This work shed light onto various aspects of the ecology of sea turtles along the Portuguese coast, where information was previously very scarce. A greater focus was put on loggerhead sea turtles since this is the most abundant species along this coast. As such, aspects related with loggerhead distribution and causes of strandings, their diet and major threats were evaluated in order to promote and contribute to their conservation in Portuguese continental waters. With respect to the analysis of marine turtle strandings in Portugal, in the period 1978-2013 806 strandings were recorded including mostly loggerheads (57.1%) and leatherbacks (41.8%). Although these two species of marine reptiles had been previously considered occasional visitors in the Portuguese coast, the present study shows for the first time that the Portuguese continental waters are important migratory corridors for the loggerhead sea turtle and leatherback turtle in the North Atlantic region. It was also possible to verify that the relative density of loggerhead sea turtle strandings has been increasing over the recent years. Also, higher relative density values of loggerhead sea turtle strandings occur in the south coast of Portugal during spring and summer. The analysis of the causes of stranding and mortality revealed that interaction with fisheries is a major threat, which should be taken into account when defining future conservation measures for sea turtles in the Portuguese coast. Regarding the feeding ecology of loggerhead sea turtles, we analyzed 95 digestive tracts of loggerhead turtles, stranded along the Portuguese continental coast, between 2010 and 2013. In the Portuguese continental coast, crustaceans are the main loggerhead preys. The Henslow’s swimming crab (Polybius henslowii) and hermit crabs (Pagurus spp.) are the most important species. In this study, 41 species and six genera constituted new records for the diet of loggerhead sea turtles in the Portuguese coast. Loggerhead sea turtles have an opportunistic feeding strategy, although they appear to show a cerain specialis character with respect to Henslow’s swimming crab, which may be related with the abundance of this crab in this area. Apart from demonstrating the importance of Portuguese continental waters as a migratory corridor for both loggerhead leatherback turtle, the present study also demonstrated for the first time that Portuguese continental waters are important feeding grounds for loggerhead sea turtles. Sea turtles have recently been proposed at European level as good environmental status indicators (GES) under the MSFD (2008/56/EC), particularly with respect to monitoring descriptor D10 relating to changes in abundance of marine debris. In this context, out of the 95 loggerhead sea turtles whose digestive tracts were analyzed, 56 turtles (59.0%) had marine litter in their tracts, and more than half of the loggerhead turtles with ingested litter (56.8%) had ingested plastic items. In addition to marine debris, it was also possible to deepen other aspects related with ocean pollution, such as the levels of inorganic elements in various tissues of loggerhead turtles. This study analyzed 38 loggerhead sea turtles and the results showed high concentrations of cadmium (34.67 ± 3.21 μg/g, ww kidney tissue), which may contribute to the deterioration of turtle health. The occurrence of high cadmium concentrations may be related to the consumption of Henslow’s swimming crab, the main prey of the loggerhead sea turtle in Portugal, with possible implications in the future for monitoring cadmium pollution in the marine environment. This study, involving various aspects of the ecology of marine turtles, is a pioneer in Portugal and provides an important basis for the development of future sea turtle conservation efforts in the Portuguese mainland coast. The high marine litter frequency of occurrence in the digestive tracts in this study supports the use of the loggerhead sea turtle as a suitable indicator for monitoring marine debris occurrence patterns as required for a proper implementation of the MSFD (2008/56/EC). Overall, monitoring marine turtle strandings, the evolution of their diet, the presence of marine litter in their digestive tracts and their contamination levels may help to outline measures for their conservation whitin several European Directives frameworks, particularly in the context of the aforementioned Directive 2008/56/EC which establishes guidelines for marine environment policies in the European Union

Trace elements in loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) stranded in mainland Portugal: Bioaccumulation and tissue distribution

Pollution is among the most significant threats that endanger sea turtles worldwide. Waters off the Portuguese mainland are acknowledged as important feeding grounds for juvenile loggerheads. However, there is no data on trace element concentrations in marine turtles occurring in these waters. We present the first assessment of trace element concentrations in loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) occurring off the coast of mainland Portugal. Also, we compare our results with those from other areas and discuss parameters that may affect element concentrations. Trace element concentrations (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, Se, Zn) were determined in kidney, liver and muscle samples from 38 loggerheads stranded between 2011 and 2013. As was the only element with higher concentrations in muscle (14.78 μg g-1ww) than in liver or kidney. Considering non-essential elements, Cd presented the highest concentrations in kidney (34.67 μg g-1) and liver (5.03 μg g-1). Only a weak positive link was found between renal Cd and turtle size. Inter-elemental correlations were observed in both liver and kidney tissues. Hepatic Hg values (0.30 ± 0.03 μg g-1) were higher than values reported in loggerheads in the Canary Islands but lower than in Mediterranean loggerheads. Cd concentrations in the present study were only exceeded by values found in turtles from the Pacific. Although many endogenous and exogenous parameters related with complex life cycle changes and wide geographic range may influence trace element accumulation, the concentrations of Cd are probably related to the importance of crustaceans in loggerhead diet in the Portuguese coast.Sociedade Portuguesa de Vida Selvagem for their assistance with data and sample collection and the staff at the Centres Científics i Tècnics of the Universitat de Barcelona. The authors also thank the Oceanário de Lisboa for their support. LN, MF and AM were supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) grants (SFRH/BD/51416/2011, SFRH/BD/30240/2006, SFRH/BPD/64889/2009, respectively). Also, LN, SM and CE were supported by CESAMUID/AMB/50017/2013 (FCT) co-funded by FCT/MEC and FEDER, within PT2020 and Compete 2020. Sample collection was partially supported by Project LIFE MarPro (Life09 NAT/PT/000038) co-funded by the European Commission and Project CetSenti RECI/AAG-GLO/0470/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER- 027472), FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) and FEDER - COMPETE (POFC)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessment of harbour porpoise bycatch along the Portuguese and Galician Coast: insights from strandings over two decades

The Iberian harbour porpoise population is small and fisheries bycatch has been described as one of its most important threats. Data on harbour porpoise strandings collected by the Portuguese and Galician stranding networks between 2000 and 2020 are indicative of a recent mortality increase in the western Iberian coast (particularly in northern Portugal). Overall, in Portugal and Galicia, individuals stranded due to confirmed fishery interaction represented 46.98% of all analysed porpoises, and individuals stranded due to probable fishery interaction represented another 10.99% of all analysed porpoises. Considering the Portuguese annual abundance estimates available between 2011 and 2015, it was possible to calculate that an annual average of 207 individuals was removed from the population in Portuguese waters alone, which largely surpasses the potential biological removal (PBR) estimates (22 porpoises, CI: 12–43) for the same period. These results are conservative and bycatch values from strandings are likely underestimated. A structured action plan accounting for new activities at sea is needed to limit the Iberian porpoise population decline. Meanwhile, there is an urgent need for a fishing effort reorganization to directly decrease porpoise mortality.LA/P/0094/2020; LA/P/0101/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A estratégia saúde da família no município de São Luís : avanços e desafios

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, 2009.A Estratégia Saúde da Família propõe uma nova organização dos serviços e ações de saúde a partir da Atenção Básica, com integração das ações programáticas e de demanda espontânea, articulando ações de promoção e vigilância à saúde, prevenção e tratamento de agravos, abordadas de forma interdisciplinar, inseridos em uma rede de serviços que se configura como a porta de entrada do Sistema de Saúde. Dessa forma, ampliando a possibilidade de obter atendimento com qualidade e resolutividade, o que viabiliza o acesso universal caracterizando a territorialização, espaço onde se concretiza a interação e intervenção. O objetivo geral deste estudo é analisar a implantação da Estratégia Saúde da Família, no município de São Luís, no período de agosto de 2007 a abril de 2008, segundo os seus princípios. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório descritivo que foi desenvolvido em duas etapas. Na primeira, foi utilizado fonte de dados secundários do Sistema de Informação da Atenção Básica. As informações possibilitaram definir a população do estudo, assim como o número das equipes cadastradas, e a população adscrita a cada equipe. Na segunda etapa, foi realizada a coleta dos dados primários por meio de entrevistas com os profissionais das equipes de Saúde da Família e os gestores das Unidades Básicas de Saúde. O estudo revelou que a implantação da Estratégia Saúde da Família no município de São Luís foi lenta, se fortalecendo em 2002 a partir do incentivo financeiro do Ministério da Saúde. Ocorreram avanços na distribuição geográfica das equipes de Saúde da Família nos Distritos Sanitários que favoreceu o princípio da equidade. A maioria dos profissionais tinha mais de um ano na equipe, especialização em área afim à Atenção Básica. Chama a atenção o desconhecimento da população adscrita por 24,2% dos entrevistados. O município de São Luís tem 46% de suas equipes responsáveis por mais de 4.000 habitantes. A interdisciplinaridade no atendimento aos usuários demonstrou que ainda persiste o cuidado individualizado, focado na doença, com atendimento baseado na demanda espontânea, pouca ênfase nas ações educativas e de diagnóstico epidemiológico e no planejamento, comprometendo o princípio da integralidade. O monitoramento sistemático das ações desenvolvidas pelas equipes pode contribuir para que a Estratégia Saúde da Família se consolide realmente como uma proposta de reorientação do modelo de saúde. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe Family Health Strategy proposes a new organization of services and health actions through the Primary Health Care, integrating the programmed actions and the spontaneous demand, creating actions aimed at promotion and surveillance of health, prevention and treatment of conditions, with inter-disciplined approaches, inserted on a service network which is configured as the gateway to the Health System. Consequently, widening the possibility to obtain a quality and effective care service, which grants the right for universal access, characterizing the territorial division where the interaction and intervention occurs. This essay is aimed at analyzing the Family Health Services Implantation Strategy in the city of São Luis, from August 2007 to April 2008, according to its principles. It is a descriptive and explanatory study which was developed in two different stages. On the first stage it was used the secondary databank from the Primary Health Care Information System. This information allowed the definition of the study population, as well as the number of teams enrolled, and the population designated to each team. On the second stage, it was carried out the primary data gathering through interviews with the staff from the Family Health teams and the Primary Health Unity managers. The study revealed that the implantation of the Family Health Program in the city of São Luis was slow, being improved in 2002 since the financial support from the Health Ministry. There were improvements on the Family Health geographical distribution on the sanitary districts, which has favored the equity principle. Most of the professionals had more than a year experience on the team and a post-graduation certificate in an area related to the Primary Health Care. Stands out that 24.2% of the interviewed professionals were unaware of their designated population. The city of São Luis has 46% of its teams responsible for more than 4.000 inhabitants. The interdisciplinarity during the patients care has shown the persisting idea of individualized care, focused on the condition with a spontaneous demand based care, poorly emphasizing the educational actions, the epidemiologic diagnosis and planning, compromising the integrality principle. The systematic monitoring of the developed actions by the teams may contribute to the Family Health Strategy steady consolidation as a remodeling proposal to the health model

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) applied to diatom identification: influence of culturing age

Diatom identification is based on classical morphological methods, focused on both the frustule shape and ornamentation analysis and possible chain-forming. Being many morphological aspects common to several species, diatom identification and characterisation is both time-consuming and high expertise demanding. Furthermore, the use of advanced microscopy, such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is frequently necessary to differentiate these organisms. In this work, the matrix-assisted laser desorption /ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was used to differentiate diatom taxa in a preliminary study of the possibility of using this technique to obtain reliable fingerprinting of diatoms in the range 2 to 20 KDa. Seminavis robusta, Coscinodiscus sp., Thalassiosira sp. and Cyclotella meneghiniana were used. The influence of culture age was studied concerning reproducibility. It was shown that MALDI-TOF MS spectra varied with culturing time and the need of taking this in considerations when setting up experimental standard conditions in the identification of diatoms is clearly established. One of the most important observations was that each diatom strain presented a specific age from where the mass spectrum became reproducible. For all Seminavis robusta strains and for Cyclotella meneghiniana this age was 9 days whereas for Thalassiosira sp. and Coscinodiscus sp. this limit was 13 days. Even with the limitations related with culture aging versus spectra reproducibility, MALDI-TOF MS proved to be a useful complementary tool to identify and characterise diatoms at the level of genus. However, it seems that it was not possible to distinguish different mating types inside the same species, as evidenced by the results obtained with Seminavis robusta isolates.The authors sincerely acknowledge W. Vyverman and P. Vanormelingen for kindly providing the diatom cultures. The authors thank the FCT Strategic Project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013, the FCT Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and the Project 'BioENV - Biotechnology and Bioengineering for a sustainable word', REF. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000048, co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 - O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER

Hand dredging for the wedge clam (Donax trunculus) in the Algarve coast (southern Portugal): fishing yield, bycatch, discards and damage rates

This study aimed to characterize the catches, quantify fishing yield, bycatch and discards, and also estimate damage and mortality rates using hand dredges with two different mesh sizes (20 and 25 mm) for harvesting the wedge clam (Donax trunculus). A total of 160 tows were performed in Lota Beach and Armona Island in the Algarve coast (southern Portugal). Overall, were caught 12,319 individuals (3985 in Lota Beach and 8334 in Armona Island) belonging to 48 taxa distributed among seven phyla (14 taxa in Lota Beach and 44 taxa in Armona Island). Bycatch proportions ranged from 13.1% to 32.0% in abundance and from 10.7% to 32.9% in biomass, with more bycatch using hand dredges with 20 mm mesh size. Commercially undersized D. trunculus (MCRS = 25 mm SL) prevailed within the bycatch, representing over 40% of discards using both mesh sizes. Due to different size selectivity, the target catch (CPUE) and bycatch per unit effort (BCPUE) in abundance and biomass, as well as fishing yield as a function of tow duration and towed area, were lower for hand dredges with 25 mm mesh than with 20 mm mesh. In general, damage and mortality rates were fairly low (1.3-2.6%) independently of mesh size, reinforcing the importance of releasing live bycatch to the sea immediately after sorting the catches. Overall, this study prompted the need to develop a good practice guide for hand dredgers, aiming to mitigate avoidable indirect discards mortality and improve the sustainability of this traditional harvesting activity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Morphometric relationships, relative growth and roe yield of the sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) from the Portuguese coast

Sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) populations from the northwestern (Carreco) and southwestern (Aljezur) coasts of Portugal were surveyed to analyse and compare their morphometric relationships, relative growth (isometry vs. allometry) and roe yield. Specimens were hand-collected from intertidal rock pools and sampled monthly during two consecutive years (November 2010-November 2012). Overall, 1220 P. lividus larger than 40 mm in test diameter (542 from Carreco and 678 from Aljezur) were analysed during the study period. Morphometric relationships established between specimen size (test diameter, height and volume) and weight (total and gonad weight) were statistically significant and displayed high correlation coefficients (r = 0.484 - 0.974), with allometric coefficients ranging from b = 0.962 to 1.239 (linear variables) and from b = 2.541 to 3.437 (linear and ponderal variables). Sea urchins mean roe yield was significantly higher in Carreco (7.5 +/- 3.1%) than in Aljezur (6.8 +/- 3.5%) and varied depending on the sampling month. The present data on morphometric relationships, relative growth and roe yield was duly compared with previous studies available on these topics, through an exhaustive review covering the distributional range of P. lividus along the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biotransformation modulation and genotoxicity in white seabream upon exposure to paralytic shellfish toxins produced by Gymnodinium catenatum

Fish are recurrently exposed to paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) produced by Gymnodinium catenatum. Nevertheless, the knowledge regarding metabolism of PSTs and their toxic effects in fish is scarce. Consequently, the current study aims to investigate the role of phase I and II detoxification enzymes on PST metabolism in the liver of white seabream (Diplodus sargus), assessing ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities. Moreover, the genotoxic potential of PSTs was examined through the erythrocytic nuclear abnormality (ENA) assay. Fish were intracoelomically (IC) injected with a nominal dose (expressed as saxitoxin equivalents) of 1.60 μg STXeq kg⁻¹ semipurified from a G. catenatum cell culture with previously determined toxin profile. Fish were sacrificed 2 and 6 days after IC injection. PST levels determined in fish liver were 15.2 and 12.2 μg STXeq kg⁻¹, respectively, at 2 and 6 days after the injection. Though several PSTs were administered, only dcSTX was detected in the liver after 2 and 6 days. This was regarded as an evidence that most of the N-sulfocarbamoyl and decarbamoyl toxins were rapidly biotransformed in D. sargus liver and/or eliminated. This was corroborated by a hepatic GST activity induction at 2 days after injection. Hepatic EROD activity was unresponsive to PSTs, suggesting that these toxins enter phase II of biotransformation directly. The genotoxic potential of PSTs was also demonstrated; these toxins were able to induce cytogenetic damage, such as chromosome (or chromatid) breaks or loss and segregational anomalies, measured by the ENA assay. Overall, this study pointed out the ecological risk associated with the contamination of fish with PSTs generated by G. catenatum blooms, providing the necessary first data for a proper interpretation of biomonitoring programs aiming to assess the impact of phytoplankton blooms in fish.Authors greatly appreciated the helpful assistance of Pedro Lino in injection of fish.publishe