Effects of age on the identification of emotions in facial expressions: a meta-analysis

© 2018 Gonçalves et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. For attribution, the original author(s), title, publication source (PeerJ) and either DOI or URL of the article must be cited.Background: Emotion identification is a fundamental component of social cognition. Although it is well established that a general cognitive decline occurs with advancing age, the effects of age on emotion identification is still unclear. A meta-analysis by Ruffman and colleagues (2008) explored this issue, but much research has been published since then, reporting inconsistent findings. Methods: To examine age differences in the identification of facial expressions of emotion, we conducted a meta-analysis of 24 empirical studies (N = 1,033 older adults, N = 1,135 younger adults) published after 2008. Additionally, a meta-regression analysis was conducted to identify potential moderators. Results: Results show that older adults less accurately identify facial expressions of anger, sadness, fear, surprise, and happiness compared to younger adults, strengthening the results obtained by Ruffman et al. (2008). However, meta-regression analyses indicate that effect sizes are moderated by sample characteristics and stimulus features. Importantly, the estimated effect size for the identification of fear and disgust increased for larger differences in the number of years of formal education between the two groups. Discussion: We discuss several factors that might explain the age-related differences in emotion identification and suggest how brain changes may account for the observed pattern. Furthermore, moderator effects are interpreted and discussed.This research was supported by a grant from the Fundação BIAL. Carina Fernandes was supported by a doctoral grant from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Carina Fernandes - SFRH/BD/112101/2015).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Magnetic and geometric effects on the electronic transport of metallic nanotubes

The investigation of curved low-dimensional systems is a topic of great research interest. Such investigations include two-dimensional systems with cylindrical symmetry. In this work, we present a numerical study of the electronic transport properties of metallic nanotubes deviating from the cylindrical form either by having a bump or a depression, and under the influence of a magnetic field. Under these circumstances, it is found that the nanotube may be used as an energy high-pass filter for electrons. It is also shown that the device can be used to tune the angular momentum of transmitted electrons.Comment: The following article has been accepted by J. of Applied Physic

Protecting forests at the expense of native grasslands: Land-use policy encourages open-habitat loss in the Brazilian cerrado biome

The agricultural conversion of natural habitats is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide. In the ∼2 million km2 Brazilian cerrado biome, a global biodiversity hotspot, vast areas have been converted into croplands and cattle pastures. Because the cerrado biome is overwhelmingly contained within private lands, Brazil's environmental legislation should serve as a decisive instrument in protecting these natural ecosystems. We assessed the role of Legal Reserves (LRs), legally defined as the minimum proportion of private landholdings set aside to protect natural vegetation, in the conservation of the cerrado biome. We assume that the property-scale allocation of LRs is primarily based on economic decision-making, creating a bias against cerrado protection. We therefore assessed the area ratio between forest vegetation (FV) and grassland vegetation (GV) areas across LRs within 48,762 landholdings, 9 formal protected areas (PAs) and 34 Indigenous Lands (ILs) within the cerrado (sensu lato) of the 903,357-km2 state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. We show that there are 7.26 ha of forest lands for each hectare of native grasslands within private RLs of the cerrado biome within Mato Grosso, a ratio almost three-fold larger than that found in formal PAs and ILs. ILs protect in absolute values (hectares) six-fold more native grassland vegetation than PAs. We discuss the policy relevance of this severe land-use bias in maintaining the heterogeneity of cerrado habitats for biodiversity conservation within private properties, which account for 90% of the entire cerrado biome

WORKSHOP NACIONAL “INVESTIGAÇÃO EM OLIVICULTURA E AZEITE - RESULTADOS E APLICAÇÕES

Workshop Nacional “Investigação em Olivicultura e Azeite – Resultados e Aplicações” De 27-06-2013, 09:00 a 28-06-2013 Sala de Conferências do Pólo da Mitra da Universidade de Évora O Workshop Nacional dedicado ao tema “Investigação em Olivicultura e Azeite – Resultados e Aplicações” realizou-se nos dias 27 e 28 de junho de 2013. Pretendeu-se com este evento, dirigido a produtores, técnicos, e todos os interessados, divulgar os resultados obtidos no âmbito de projetos de investigação em curso em Portugal na área da Olivicultura e Azeite, com especial ênfase nas potenciais aplicações e contribuições para o desenvolvimento do setor. As sessões incidiram nos seguintes temas Sistemas e Técnicas Culturais Recursos Genéticos e Melhoramento Proteção Fitossanitária Tecnologia e Qualidade do Azeite Apresentações Tema 1 - Sistemas e Técnicas Culturais Múltiplos olhares sobre a transpiração do olival - Francisco Lúcio dos Santos Gestão de cobertos vegetais de leguminosas anuais de ressementeira natural em olival - Manuel Ângelo Rodrigues Mecanização do Olival - soluções e novos desafios - Arlindo de Almeida Máquina para a Colheita em Contínuo de Azeitona - António Bento Dias Influência de diferentes regimes hídricos no uso e na eficiência do uso da água, produção e qualidade do azeite - Anabela Silva Medidas de prevenção e mitigação dos impactos da seca no olival de sequeiro: efeitos da rega sustentável e de coberturas vegetais - Eunice Bacelar Contribuição do COTR para o uso eficiente da água na rega do olival - Luís Boteta Tema 2 - Recursos Genéticos e Melhoramentos A diversidade genética da mosca-da-azeitona na bacia mediterrânica - Luís Teixeira Evolução dos primeiros estados fenológicos em oliveira - diversidade intervarietal e alterações climáticas - António Cordeiro Variabilidade genética e química - implicações na rastreabilidade de azeites - Paula Lopes Tema 3 - Protecção Fitossanitária A elevada incidência de vírus em olivais nacionais: causas e consequências - Rosário Félix Como proceder para fertilizar racionalmente o olival - Pedro Jordão Avaliação de Genótipos de Olea europaea vs Infecção de Colletotrichum acutatum - Teresa Carvalho Isolamento e seleção de fungos endofíticos da oliveira para luta biológica contra Colletotrichum acutatum e Verticillium dahliae - Paula Batista A utilização de indicadores biológicos como ferramentas para avaliar o impacte de práticas agrícolas na sustentabilidade do olival - Sónia Santos Proteção contra pragas da oliveira: fomento da ação dos inimigos naturais pelo estabelecimento da flora autóctone - Albino Bento Fungos entomopatogénicos em pragas da oliveira: isolamento, caracterização e selecção para controlo biológico - Paula Batista Tema 4 - Tecnologia e Qualidade Redefinição da Denominação de Origem Protegida “Azeite de Trás-os-Montes” e criação da Denominação de Origem Protegida “Azeite do Douro” - Ricardo Malheiro Azeitonas de mesa do nordeste de Portugal - contributo para a sua caraterização e promoção - Nuno Rodrigues ÁCIDOS GORDOS E POLIFENÓIS EM AZEITE VIRGEM - Isabel Baer Influência da rega na produção e qualidade de azeites produzidos em olivais intensivos (cv. Cobrançosa) e em olivais em sebe (cv. Arbequina) - Mariana Mota Efeito do processamento culinário na composição nutricional e química de azeites portugueses - Susana Casal A Arte do Azeite - Ana Carrilho O Azeite Português na Economia Global: Oportunidades e desafios - Teresa Zacarias Comissão Organizadora: Adélia Sousa, Grupo ASC do ICAAM António Bento Dias, Grupo CTV do ICAAM Fernando Rei, Grupo CTV do ICAAM Francisco Lúcio dos Santos, Grupo ASC do ICAAM-coordenador Raquel Garcia, Grupo CTV do ICAAM Renato Coelho, Grupo CTV do ICAAM Joana Perdigão, UDIT-ICAA

Hydrogeophysics and remote sensing for the design of hydrogeological conceptual models in hard rocks - Sardón catchment (Spain)

Hard rock aquifers are highly heterogeneous and hydrogeologically complex. To contribute to the design of hydrogeological conceptual models of hard rock aquifers, we propose a multi-techniques methodology based on a downward approach that combines remote sensing (RS), non-invasive hydrogeophysics and hydrogeological field data acquisition. The proposed methodology is particularly suitable for data scarce areas. It was applied in the pilot research area of Sardón catchment (80 km2) located west of Salamanca (Spain). The area was selected because of hard-rock hydrogeology, semi-arid climate and scarcity of groundwater resources. The proposed methodology consisted of three main steps. First, we detected the main hydrogeological features at the catchment scale by processing: (i) a high resolution digital terrain model to map lineaments and to outline fault zones; and (ii) high-resolution, multispectral satellite QuickBird and WorldView-2 images to map the outcropping granite. Second, we characterized at the local scale the hydrogeological features identified at step one with: i) ground penetrating radar (GPR) to assess groundwater table depth complementing the available monitoring network data; ii) 2D electric resistivity tomography (ERT) and frequency domain electromagnetic (FDEM) to retrieve the hydrostratigraphy along selected survey transects; iii) magnetic resonance soundings (MRS) to retrieve the hydrostratigraphy and aquifer parameters at the selected survey sites. In the third step, we drilled 5 boreholes (25 to 48 m deep) and performed slug tests to verify the hydrogeophysical interpretation and to calibrate the MRS parameters. Finally, we compiled and integrated all acquired data to define the geometry and parameters of the Sardón aquifer at the catchment scale. In line with a general conceptual model of hard rock aquifers, we identified two main hydrostratigraphic layers: a saprolite layer and a fissured layer. Both layers were intersected and drained by fault zones that control the hydrogeology of the catchment. The spatial discontinuities of the saprolite layer were well defined by RS techniques while subsurface geometry and aquifer parameters by hydrogeophysics. The GPR method was able to detect shallow water table at depth between 1 and 3 m b.g.s. The hydrostratigraphy and parameterization of the fissured layer remained uncertain because ERT and FDEM geophysical methods were quantitatively not conclusive while MRS detectability was restricted by low volumetric water content. The proposed multi-technique methodology integrating cost efficient RS, hydrogeophysics and hydrogeological field investigations allowed us to characterize geometrically and parametrically the Sardón hard rock aquifer system, facilitating the design of hydrogeological conceptual model of the area

Neuronal deletion of GSK3beta increases microtubule speed in the growth cone and enhances axon regeneration via CRMP-2 and independently of MAP1B and CLASP2

BACKGROUND: In the adult central nervous system, axonal regeneration is abortive. Regulators of microtubule dynamics have emerged as attractive targets to promote axonal growth following injury as microtubule organization is pivotal for growth cone formation. In this study, we used conditioned neurons with high regenerative capacity to further dissect cytoskeletal mechanisms that might be involved in the gain of intrinsic axon growth capacity. RESULTS: Following a phospho-site broad signaling pathway screen, we found that in conditioned neurons with high regenerative capacity, decreased glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) activity and increased microtubule growth speed in the growth cone were present. To investigate the importance of GSK3β regulation during axonal regeneration in vivo, we used three genetic mouse models with high, intermediate or no GSK3β activity in neurons. Following spinal cord injury, reduced GSK3β levels or complete neuronal deletion of GSK3β led to increased growth cone microtubule growth speed and promoted axon regeneration. While several microtubule-interacting proteins are GSK3β substrates, phospho-mimetic collapsin response mediator protein 2 (T/D-CRMP-2) was sufficient to decrease microtubule growth speed and neurite outgrowth of conditioned neurons and of GSK3β-depleted neurons, prevailing over the effect of decreased levels of phosphorylated microtubule-associated protein 1B (MAP1B) and through a mechanism unrelated to decreased levels of phosphorylated cytoplasmic linker associated protein 2 (CLASP2). In addition, phospho-resistant T/A-CRMP-2 counteracted the inhibitory myelin effect on neurite growth, further supporting the GSK3β-CRMP-2 relevance during axon regeneration. CONCLUSIONS: Our work shows that increased microtubule growth speed in the growth cone is present in conditions of increased axonal growth, and is achieved following inactivation of the GSK3β-CRMP-2 pathway, enhancing axon regeneration through the glial scar. In this context, our results support that a precise control of microtubule dynamics, specifically in the growth cone, is required to optimize axon regrowth