Regional Workshop on Co-management in Small-Scale Fisheries: Lessons Learned and Best Practices 12-13 December 2012, Bangkok, Thailand

An FAO project, the Regional Fisheries Livelihoods Programme, which is funded by Spain, has worked with the Timorese authorities and coastal communities to build local capacity and put in place effective methods to gather a variety of important fisheries data. This is used to help make important decisions relating to the management of the nation's fisheries sector. These actions, which are detailed in this publication, have been carried out at relatively little expense and in a participatory manner that has engaged communities while at the same time providing practical skills to all involved

7-Ketocholesterol modulates intercellular communication through gap-junction in bovine lens epithelial cells

BACKGROUND: Connexin43 (Cx43) is an integral membrane protein that forms intercellular channels called gap junctions. Intercellular communication in the eye lens relies on an extensive network of gap junctions essential for the maintenance of lens transparency. The association of Cx43 with cholesterol enriched lipid raft domains was recently demonstrated. The objective of this study is to assess if products of cholesterol oxidation (oxysterols) affect gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC). RESULTS: Primary cultures of lens epithelial cells (LEC) were incubated with 7-ketocholesterol (7-Keto), 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-OH) or cholesterol and the subcellular distribution of Cx43 was evaluated by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. The levels of Cx43 present in gap junction plaques were assessed by its insolubility in Triton X-100 and quantified by western blotting. The stability of Cx43 at the plasma membrane following incubation with oxysterols was evaluated by biotinylation of cell surface proteins. Gap junction intercellular communication was evaluated by transfer of the dye Lucifer yellow. The results obtained showed that 7-keto induces an accumulation of Cx43 at the plasma membrane and an increase in intercellular communication through gap junction. However, incubation with cholesterol or 25-OH did not lead to significant alterations on subcellular distribution of Cx43 nor in intercellular communication. Data further suggests that increased intercellular communication results from increased stability of Cx43 at the plasma membrane, presumably forming functional gap-junctions, as suggested by decreased solubility of Cx43 in 1% Triton X-100. The increased stability of Cx43 at the plasma membrane seems to be specific and not related to disruption of endocytic pathway, as demonstrated by dextran uptake. CONCLUSIONS: Results demonstrate, for the first time, that 7-keto induces an increase in gap junction intercellular communication, that is most likely due to an increased stability of protein at the plasma membrane and to increased abundance of Cx43 assembled in gap junction plaques

Comment on: Family caregiver assessment in primary care: How to strengthen the healthcare triad?

Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.publishersversionpublishe

MS-1 magA: Revisiting Its Efficacy as a Reporter Gene for MRI

Bacterial genes involved in the biomineralization of magnetic nanoparticles in magnetotactic bacteria have recently been proposed as reporters for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In such systems, the expression of the bacterial genes in mammalian cells purportedly leads to greater concentrations of intracellular iron or the biomineralization of iron oxides, thus leading to an enhancement in relaxation rate that is detectable via MRI. Here, we show that the constitutive expression of the magA gene from Magnetospirillum magnetotacticum is tolerated by human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells but induces a strong toxic effect in murine mesenchymal/stromal cells and kidney-derived stem cells, severely restricting its effective use as a reporter gene for stem cells. Although it has been suggested that magA is involved in iron transport, when expressed in HEK cells, it does not affect the transcription of endogenous genes related to iron homeostasis. Furthermore, the magA -induced enhancement in iron uptake in HEK cells is insignificant, suggesting this gene is a poor reporter even for cell types that can tolerate its expression. We suggest that the use of magA for stem cells should be approached with caution, and its efficacy as a reporter gene requires a careful assessment on a cell-by-cell basis

Sistema de ajuda contextualizada online

Trabalho de projecto de mestrado em Engenharia Informática (Sistemas de Informação), apresentado à Universidade de Lisboa, através da Faculdade de Ciências, 2011O presente relatório descreve o trabalho realizado ao longo de um estágio de nove meses no âmbito da cadeira Projecto em Engenharia Informática. É bastante usual o utilizador final de uma dada aplicação não possuir um conhecimento prévio das suas potencialidades/funcionalidades, o que por sua vez faz com que seja necessário fornecer um suporte aplicacional que o vise formar na utilização da aplicação. O projecto foi realizado na plataforma webMethods e surgiu justamente para colmatar o tempo gasto no suporte aplicacional e formação dos utilizadores, tendo sido a sua base o melhoramento de um sistema de ajuda contextualizada online para utilizadores de uma aplicação na Web que existia actualmente no Cliente. Entre os vários aspectos a melhorar estava o facto de a ajuda fornecida aos utilizadores não poder ser editável, o que tornava o sistema bastante estático e desactualizado mal se procedesse a uma alteração da aplicação. Após as etapas de Análise, Desenho, e Construção, ficou-se com um sistema onde a ajuda é editada online. Cada conteúdo de ajuda ficou conhecido por Tópico de ajuda, e por sua vez construiu-se uma árvore de Tópicos de Ajuda que representa a navegação possível dentro da aplicação Web. Assim, foi possível realizar adicionalmente um sistema de pesquisa de ajuda em que o resultado é o caminho desde a raiz da aplicação até ao nó onde se encontra o tópico de ajuda com o critério que o utilizador pesquisou. O sistema abrangeu 3 tipos de utilizadores (Administrador, Técnico e Utilizador), tendo cada um deles funções específicas e acesso a interfaces diferentes. O perfil de Administrador e Técnico pressupõem acesso a interfaces de BackOffice, onde se administram os vários projectos que têm um sistema de Help Online, sendo também possível fazer uma gestão dos conteúdos de ajuda para cada sistema de ajuda. O Utilizador por sua vez tem acesso a uma interface de FrontOffice onde é fornecida a ajuda sobre a aplicação web e também um sistema de pesquisa. Actualmente o sistema encontra-se a funcionar no cliente, sendo inclusive utilizado por outras empresas a desenvolverem no local.This report describes the work done over a nine-month internship for Computer Engineering Project Discipline. It is quite usual that an end-user of a given application does not have a prior knowledge of its capabilities/features, so it is necessary to provide an application support to train him in the use of the application. The project was made at the webMethods platform with the purpose of filling the time spent on the application support and user training. This was based on an improvement of an online help system for web application users that currently existed in the Client. Among the different points that needed an improvement was the fact that the Help content provided to the users could not be editable, which made the system easily too static and outdated. After performing the Analysis, Design and Construction steps, it was reached a system in which help content was editable online. Each one of the contents was named as a Help Topic, and it was part of a tree Help Topic Tree representing the possible navigation within the web application. Thus, it was possible to perform an additional search system where the result was the pathway from the web application root to the node with a help content that match the search key. The system has three types of users (Administrator, Technical and User), each one having specific functions and having access to different interfaces. The Administrator and Technical profile implies access to the Back office interfaces, where one can manage multiple projects (web Applications) that would have an Help Online system, and it is also possible to make a content management to each help system. The user has access to an Front Office interface that provides help to each page, and also a web search system. Currently the system is running on the client, and it is also being used by other companies working on the client

Projecto de uma caixa de velocidades eléctrica por meio da variação do número de pólos para motores em disco de rotor em alumínio e em materiais supercondutores de alta temperatura (SAT)

Nesta dissertação apresenta-se um motor em disco polifásico inovador bem como uma estratégia de controlo com base no método de variação de velocidade por comutação do número de pares de pólos. A configuração das bobinas aliada à escolha das correntes e tensões que se injectam nas bobinas dos estatores, permite comutar electronicamente o número de pólos do motor entre 2, 4 6 e 8 pólos, conseguindo-se controlar a característica binário/velocidade do motor. O motor em disco possui a bobinagem feita em cobre com dois semi-estatores, em que quando utiliza o rotor em alumínio (com condutividade diferente de zero) comporta-se como um motor de indução convencional. Quando se substitui o rotor em alumínio por um constituído por um supercondutor de alta temperatura (SAT), o dispositivo comporta-se como um motor de histerese. O princípio de funcionamento do motor em disco convencional é baseado na indução de força electromotrizes no rotor e, consequentemente, uma vez que o alumínio é bom condutor eléctrico, correntes eléctricas induzidas, originadas por haver um campo magnético variável que é criado pelos semi-estatores. O comportamento deste tipo de motores, no que diz respeito a principais características (como o binário/velocidade para os diferentes números de pares de pólos), circuito equivalente de Steinmetz, entre outras teorias associadas é já conhecido há bastante tempo. O princípio de funcionamento do motor SAT é diferente do apresentado anteriormente, funciona com base na dinâmica de vórtices e devido ao facto de aparecer o fenómeno de ancoragem de fluxo (flux pinning) nos supercondutores de alta temperatura. Como o campo magnético varia, então o disco roda. Este motor tem um princípio de funcionamento muito mais complexo que o motor de indução sendo a obtenção do modelo do motor SAT complicada. A obtenção do modelo do motor SAT não é abordado nesta dissertação. Os comportamentos e modos de operação do motor com disco de alumínio e em materiais SAT são simulados através de um programa comercial de elementos finitos, nesta dissertação, sendo a supercondutividade simulada com base na relação entre o campo eléctrico e a densidade de corrente pela lei da potenciação (E-J power law). Com as simulações pretende-se comparar o rendimento electromecânico de ambos os motores

What is the present role for general practitioners in dementia care? Experiences of general practitioners, patients and family carers in Portugal

Background: Governments are being challenged to integrate at least part of dementia care into primary care. However, little is known about the current role of general practitioners (GPs) regarding dementia care, especially in countries that do not have dementia strategies in place. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of GPs, persons with dementia and their family carers in Portuguese primary care settings, to better understand GPs’ contribution to dementia care. Methods: A qualitative interview study of participants recruited from six practices in different social contexts within the Lisbon metropolitan area was carried out. Purposive sampling was used to recruit GPs, persons with dementia and carers. Interviews with GPs explored dementia care comprehensiveness, including satisfactory and challenging aspects. Interviews with patients and carers explored the experience of talking to GPs about cognitive impairments and related difficulties and the type of help received. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts was carried out using the framework approach. Results: Five major themes were identified: GPs have a limited contribution to dementia care, the case of advanced dementia, doctor–patient relationships, doctor–carer relationships and management of chronic conditions other than dementia. Conclusion: General practitioners seemed to contribute little to dementia care overall, particularly regarding symptom management. The exception was patients with advanced stages of dementia, given that specialists no longer followed them up. Remarkably, GPs seemed to be alone within primary care teams in providing dementia care. These findings strongly suggest that Portuguese primary care is not yet prepared to comply with policy expectations regarding the management of dementia.publishersversionpublishe

obstacles to the implementation of Portugal's Dementia Strategy

Financial support. The present publication was funded by Fundação Ciência e Tecnologia, IP national support through CHRC (UIDP/04923/2020).BACKGROUND: Portugal has a Dementia Strategy that endorses care coordination in the community, but the strategy is not implemented despite there being a network of multidisciplinary primary care clinics that could support it. Recent research into barriers to dementia management in primary care has focused essentially on general practitioners' (GPs) factors and perspectives. A comprehensive triangulated view on the barriers to dementia management emphasising teamwork is missing. AIM: To explore the barriers to the implementation of the Portuguese Dementia Strategy by primary care teams, from the perspectives of service users and professionals. METHODS: Purposive sampling was used to recruit 10 GPs, 8 practice nurses, 4 social workers, 8 people with dementia and 10 family carers from 6 practices in different social contexts within the Lisbon metropolitan area. The analytical framework combined codes derived from the transcripts with codes from the available literature. Themes focused on the access to professionals/community services, care coordination within healthcare teams, and between health and community services. FINDINGS: Several system barriers were identified (undefined roles/coordination within teams, time constraints, insufficient signposting to community services) along with individual barriers (limited competence in dementia, unrecognised autonomy, limited views on social health and quality of life (QoL)), hindering users access to dementia services. CONCLUSION: Enhanced competence in dementia, and nurse-led systematic care of people with dementia and their carers, are necessary. They can be effective in improving the QoL in dementia, but only if associated with better community support.publishersversionpublishe

Celebrando los 50 años de la revista interamericana de psicologia/interamerican journal of psychology: un análisis de contenido

The Revista Interamericana de Psicologia/Interamerican Journal of Psychology (RIP/IJP) was first published in 1967. During its fifty-year history, the goal of the journal has been to promote collaboration and communication among psychologists on the Americas through the dissemination of theoretical and applied research. The authors reviewed 1,200 articles published in the RIP/IJP between 1967 and 2016 (Volumes 1-50). The articles were coded into seven main content categories, which included type of article, research design, sample characteristics, data collection strategies, data analysis, thematic analysis, and author’s characteristics and affiliations. Results indicated that up to date, 2,688 authors from 30 identified countries have contributed research on a diverse array of psychological topics on primarily three languages: Spanish, English, and Portuguese. Data also suggest these articles are characterized by a broad range of research methodologies, data collection procedures and analysis, and sample characteristics.La Revista Interamericana de Psicología/ /Interamerican Journal of Psychology (RIP/IJP) se publicó por primera vez en el 1967. Durante sus cincuenta años de historia, el objetivo de la revista ha sido promover la colaboración y la comunicación entre los psicólogos de las Américas a través de la difusion de investigaciones teoricas y aplicadas. Los autores revisaron 1.200 artículos publicados en el RIP/IJP entre 1967 y 2016 (volúmenes 1-50). Los artículos se codificaron en siete categorías principales de contenido que incluyeron el tipo de artículo, el diseño de la investigación, las características de la muestra, las estrategias de recopilación de datos, el análisis de datos, el análisis temático y las características y afiliaciones del autor. Los resultados indicaron que hasta la fecha, 2,688 autores de 30 países han contribuido con investigaciones sobre una gran variedad de temas psicológicos en principalmente tres idiomas: español, inglés y portugués. Los datos también sugieren que estos artículos se caracterizan por una amplia gama de metodologías de investigación, procedimientos y análisis de recopilación de datos y características de la muestra.Fil: Torres Fernandez, Ivelisse. New Mexico State University.; Estados UnidosFil: Polanco, Fernando Andrés. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Departamento de Informática. Laboratorio Investigación y Desarrollo en Inteligencia Computacional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Pereira, Steve R.. New Mexico State University.; Estados UnidosFil: Béria, Josiane Sueli. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Psicología. Departamento de Formación Profesional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Zapico, Martín Gonzalo. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentin