Sustainable forest management of miombo woodlands in Niassa National Reserve, northern Mozambique: a multidisciplinary approach of fire resistance analysis.

Poster presented at XIII World Forestry Congress. Buenos Aires (Argentina). 18 - 23 Oct 2009

O achigã (Micropterus salmoides): uma espécie com interesse para a pesca desportiva.

A pesca recreativa de águas interiores é uma importante actividade de lazer em Portugal Continental. O achigã (Micropterus salmoides), espécie dulciaquícola originária dos EUA e introduzida nos Açores em 1898, é um dos peixes com maior interesse para a pesca desportiva. Hoje, o achigã pode ser pescado em quase todas as albufeiras e rios de águas calmas de Portugal tendo contribuído para a redução das populações autóctones de ciprinídeos. O repovoamento com achigãs de cultura, o uso de isco artificial, a pesca sem morte e o reajustamento do tamanho mínimo de captura têm sido utilizados como medidas de manutenção das populações. Neste trabalho de revisão descreve-se o habitat, a morfologia e os hábitos alimentares e reprodutivos desta espécie piscícola

Sustainable management of miombo woodlands in the Northern part of Mozambique (Niassa National Reserve - NNR).

Poster presented at Commiting Science to Global Development. Lisbon (Portugal). 29-30 Sep 2009

The prevalence of abnormal chest radiograph findings among HIV infected children

Background: Human Immunodeficiency virus infected children are highly susceptible to opportunistic infections of the respiratory system which are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality. The chest radiograph is the most frequently requested examination for the evaluation of respiratory disease. Its applications include screening, diagnosis and monitoring response to medication of respiratory illnesses.Objective: To determine the prevalence of abnormal chest radiograph findings among HIV infected children. Design: Prospective cross-sectional descriptive study Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital and Mbagathi Level 5 Nairobi County hospital Subjects: The chest radiographs and clinical history of 123 HIV infected children below 15 years were studied between November 2014 and February 2015. Results: The age range of the children was 1-15 years with a median age of 24 months. The male: female ratio was 1:1.02. Normal chest radiographs were found in 54/123 (44%) while 69/123 (56%) had abnormal chest radiographic findings. Pulmonary opacities were identified in the majority of patients with abnormal chest radiographs (67%) while almost 51% showed lymphadenopathy. In the pulmonary opacities, “other infiltrate’’ (61%) was found to be more common than consolidation (39%). Pleural effusions were not common while cavitary lesions and pneumothorax were not identified. There was no significant association between the radiographic findings and the children’s age and sex. The findings of this study correlated well with similar studies in Africa. Conclusion: HIV infected children especially those below the age of 5 years, are highly susceptible to chest infections. This was seen in the high prevalence of cough and severe respiratory distress as well as the significant number of abnormal chest radiograph findings. The high prevalence of ‘other infiltrate’ in this study may indicate that the causative pathogen may not respond to standard antibiotic regimes; and further clinical studies to confirm this are required

Crops use-efficiency of nitrogen from a manure allowed for organic-farming

During the last decade, Europe bus witnessed a fast development in the organic agriculture segment. This lead to the emergence of new markets for fertilisers allowed for organic farming. Taking into account the relatively high prices of some of these products it is essential to look into their fertilizing value. In this work, the agronomic behavior, of an organic amendement allowed for organic farming was compared to that of a conventional N fertiliser. We lay out results of crops N nutritional indices, N uptake and aboveground dry matter yields from a double-cropping system, which includes a mixture of small grains as winter cover crop and silage maize as summer crop

The Bronchiectasis Severity Index and FACED score for assessment of the severity of bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis (BC) is a multidimensional and etiologically diverse disease and, therefore, no single parameter can be used to determine its overall severity and prognosis. In this regard, two different validated scores are currently used to assess the severity of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB): the FACED score and the Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Unraveling the phase behavior, mechanical stability, and protein reconstitution properties of polymer-lipid hybrid vesicles

Hybrid vesicles consisting of natural phospholipids and synthetic amphiphilic copolymers have shown remarkable material properties and potential for biotechnology, combining the robustness of polymers with the biocompatibility of phospholipid membranes. To predict and optimize the mixing behavior of lipids and copolymers, as well as understand the interaction between the hybrid membrane and macromolecules like membrane proteins, a comprehensive understanding at the molecular level is essential. This can be achieved by a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and experiments. Here, simulations of POPC and PBD22-b-PEO14 hybrid membranes are shown, uncovering different copolymer configurations depending on the polymer-to-lipid ratio. High polymer concentrations created thicker membranes with an extended polymer conformation, while high lipid content led to the collapse of the polymer chain. High concentrations of polymer were further correlated with a decreased area compression modulus and altered lateral pressure profiles, hypothesized to result in the experimentally observed improvement in membrane protein reconstitution and resistance toward destabilization by detergents. Finally, simulations of a WALP peptide embedded in the bilayer showed that only membranes with up to 50% polymer content favored a transmembrane configuration. These simulations correlate with previous and new experimental results and provide a deeper understanding of the properties of lipid-copolymer hybrid membranes

The Safe-Port project: an approach to port surveillance and protection

SAFE-PORT is a recently started project addressing the complex issue of determining the best configurations of resources for harbour and port surveillance and protection. More specifically, the main goal is to find, for any given scenario, an adequate set of configuration solutions — i.e., number and type of sensors and equipments, their locations and operating modes, the corresponding personnel and other support resources — that maximize protection over a specific area. The project includes research and development of sensors models, novel algorithms for optimization and decision support, and a computer-based decision support system (DSS) to assist decision makers in that task. It includes also the development of a simulation environment for modelling relevant aspects of the scenario (including sensors used for surveillance, platforms, threats and the environment), capable to incorporate data from field-trials, used to test and validate solutions proposed by the DSS. Test cases will consider the use of intelligent agents to model the behaviour of threats and of NATO forces in a realistic way, following experts’ definitions and parameters

Influência de fitorreguladores e nitrato de potássio na germinação de sementes e no crescimento de porta-enxerto de Citrus amblycarpa

The effects of growth regulators (gibberellins and cytokmins) and potassium nitrate were evaluated for Citrus amblycarpa seed germination and rootstock growth. First an experiment was performed in a germinator, using as a medium for seed germination filter paper wetted with distiled water. Seeds were treated with growth regulators and potassium nitrate during 24 hours. The results obtained indicate that the treatment of 100 mg/1 of GA4 + GA7 + phenylmethylaminepurine was the best, with a percentage of germination of 88% at 21 days. Based on the results obtained in the germinator, seeds of Citrus amblycarpa were seeded in soil and when the seedlings were 6 cm high they were sprayed with 50 mg/1 of GA4 + GA7 + phenylmethylaminepurine; 100 mg/1 of GA4 + GA7 + phenylmethylaminepurine and 150 mg/1 of GA4 + GA7 + phenylmethylaminepurine. Dry weights of leaves and stems, leaf area and height of plants were evaluated. The analysis of these parameters showed that the GA4 + GA7 + phenylmethylaminepurine at 50 mg/1 was the best treatment.Foram avaliados os efeitos de fitorreguladores (giberelinas e citocininas) e nitrato de potássio (KNO3), na germinação de sementes e na promoção do crescimento de "seedlings" do porta-enxerto 'Nasnaran' (Citrus amblycarpa Ochese). Realizou-se primeiramente o experimento em germinador, contendo papel de filtro umedecido com água destilada e gerbox, como meio para a germinação das sementes. Os tratamentos foram realizados mediante imersão das sementes, em soluções preparadas com os fítorreguladores e KNO3, durante 24 horas. Através dos resultados obtidos, concluiu-se que o tratamento com 100 mg/1 de GA4 + GA7 + fenilmetilaminopurina, apresentou a maior porcentagem de germinação (88%), num tempo médio de 21 dias. Tomando como base o resultado do germinador, sementes de Citrus amblycarpa foram semeadas em canteiros e quando as plantas atingiram a altura de 6,0 cm receberam 2 pulverizações com 0; 50; 100 e 150 mg/1 de GA4 + GA7 + fenilmetilami-nopurina, com intervalo de 21 dias. Avaliou-se a matéria seca total, caule e folhas, área foliar e altura das plantas, sendo que a análise desses parâmetros mostrou que o GA4 + GA7 + fenilmetUaminopurina na concentração de 50 mg/1 foi o tratamento que apresentou os melhores resultados