IMPACTO DA EDUCAÇÃO VIRTUAL NO PROCESSO DE ENSINO E APRENDIZAGEM DE CRIANÇAS DURANTE A PANDEMIA DA COVID-19

In this research aimed identify the impact of virtual education in the teaching process and children’s learning and coping strategies. The survey was carried out online, between June and September 2021, authorized by the Ethics Committee, according to the recommendations cited in the circular letter nº 1/2021-CONEP/CNS/MS, with 111 families residing in Bahia with children under 12 years of age diagnosed with COVID-19 any of the members. The research was approved by CEP (4.749.366). Data were analyzed in the SPSS through single frequency. Development/results: In this research, it was evident that among the 111 respondent families, some were able to follow the classes online, had access to electronic devices, they had good quality wi-fi, they had a computer and cell phone to monitor classes, had the presence of parentes available to help, had a reserved environment and some had no difficulties with the electronic device for being old. Through this study it was possible to conclude that the degree of difficulty related to school difficulties is low, which seems to be confirmed by socioeconomic conditions. Therefore, the study was relevant for thinking in policy strategies to help minimize potential negative consequencesEste trabajo busca identificar el impacto de la educación virtual en el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje de los niños, así como las estrategias para afrontar los retos de ese contexto. Se realizó de forma online, entre junio y septiembre de 2021, según lo autorizado por el Comité de Ética, de acuerdo con las recomendaciones citadas en la Circular nº 1/2021-CONEP/CNS/ MS, con 111 familias residentes en Bahía, con niños menores de 12 años con diagnóstico de COVID-19 en cualquiera de los miembros. La encuesta fue aprobada por el CEP (4.749.366). Los datos se analizaron en el SPSS a través de la frecuencia absoluta. En esta investigación, se evidenció que, entre las 111 familias encuestadas, algunos niños podían seguir las clases en línea, tenían acceso a dispositivos electrónicos, tenían wi-fi de buena calidad, tenían computadora y celular para el seguimiento de las clases, tenían la presencia de padres disponibles para ayudar, tenían un entorno reservado y algunos no tenían dificultades con el dispositivo electrónico porque era antiguo. Aunque la condición socioeconómica de la muestra fue favorable para reducir el impacto de covid-19 en la educación de los escolares en estas familias, hubo informes de dificultades financieras durante este período. A través de este estudio, fue posible concluir que la pandemia tuvo un pequeño impacto en el desarrollo escolar de la muestra estudiada y esto parece ser confirmado por las condiciones socioeconómicas. Ante esto, el estudio fue relevante para pensar en estrategias políticas para ayudar a minimizar posibles consecuencias negativas.Este trabalho busca identificar o impacto da educação virtual no processo de ensino e aprendizagem das crianças, bem como as estratégias de enfrentamento aos desafios desse contexto. Realizou-se de forma online, entre junho e setembro de 2021, conforme autorizado pelo Comitê de Ética, de acordo com as recomendações citadas na Circular nº 1/2021-CONEP/CNS/MS, com 111 famílias residentes na Bahia, com crianças menores de 12 anos com diagnóstico para COVID-19 em qualquer dos membros.  A pesquisa foi aprovada pelo CEP (4.749.366). Os dados foram analisados no SPSS através de frequência absoluta. Nesta pesquisa, evidenciou-se que, dentre as 111 famílias respondentes, algumas crianças conseguiam acompanhar as aulas online, tinham acesso a aparelhos eletrônicos, tinham wi-fi de boa qualidade, tinham computador e celular para o acompanhamento das aulas, tinham a presença de pais disponíveis para ajudar, possuíam um ambiente reservado e alguns não apresentaram dificuldades com o aparelho eletrônico por ser antigo. Embora a condição socioeconômica da amostra tenha sido favorável para a redução do impacto da covid-19 sob a educação de escolares nessas famílias, houve o relato de dificuldades financeiras durante esse período. Por meio deste estudo, foi possivel concluir que a pandemia causou impacto pequeno no desenvolvimento escolar da amostra estudada e isso parece ser confirmado pelas condições socioeconômicas. Diante disso, o estudo foi relevante para pensar em estratégias políticas para ajudar a minimizar possíveis consequências negativas

Coccolithophores as potential marine resource for sustainable aquaculture

Coccolithus braarudii (holococcolith) and Emiliana huxleyi (heterococcolith) were isolated from Portuguese coastal waters and domesticated under laboratory conditions with the objective of providing strains with high potential for the production of high value products for aquaculture and biotechnology. The growth patterns and photophysiology of the two species were investigated under controlled conditions, (19±1°C, 12:12 Light: Dark, 115 µmol photons m-2 s-1) using pulse amplitude modulated fluorometry (PAM), and the different growth phases characterized by flow cytometry (cell size, complexity, chlorophyll a autofluorescence and lipid content). The biochemical and nutritional profile of the studied species was assessed by elemental analyses, gravimetric quantification of total lipids and the fatty acid profile determined by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The growth rate of C. braarudii was on average 69.5% higher (0.76d-1) when compared with E. huxleyi (0.44d-1) (P=0.005). Results from biochemical analyses revealed that this strain of C. braarudii has high protein and lipid content, 34.6% and 22.1% of total dry weight, respectively. The fatty acid (FA) profile was mainly composed of ω-3 PUFA, 64.1% total FA, with high levels of DHA and EPA. E. huxleyi revealed lower (P<0.001) protein and lipid contents and a fatty acid profile rich in DHA but poor in EPA. Finding alternative sources to ω-3 PUFA from wild fish is currently a major challenge for aquaculture. Given the cell size, high growth rate and nutritional quality, C. braarudii is a promising candidate for microalgae-based diets in aquaculture, particularly of larval stages, thus contributing to sustainable aquaculture practices.N/

Flashing light emitting diodes (LEDs) induce proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and pigments in three microalgae

As the periodic emission of light pulses by light emitting diodes (LEDs) is known to stimulate growth or induce high value biocompounds in microalgae, this flashing light regime was tested on growth and biochemical composition of the microalgae Nannochloropsis gaditana, Koliella antarctica and Tetraselmis chui. At low flashing light frequencies (e.g., 5 and 50 Hz, Duty cycle = 0.05), a strain-dependent growth inhibition and an accumulation of protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, chlorophyll or carotenoids (lutein, β-carotene, violaxanthin and neoxanthin) was observed. In addition, a 4-day application of low-frequency flashing light to concentrated cultures increased productivities of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and specific carotenoids up to three-fold compared to continuous or high frequency flashing light (500 Hz, Duty cycle = 0.05). Therefore, applying low-frequency flashing light as finishing step in industrial production can increase protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids or pigment contents in biomass, leading to high-value algal products.publishedVersio

In situ monitoring of chlorophyll a fluorescence in Nannochloropsis oceanica cultures to assess photochemical changes and the onset of lipid accumulation during nitrogen deprivation

In situ chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements were applied to monitor changes in the photochemical variables of Nannochloropsis oceanica cultures under nitrogen-deplete and nitrogen-replete (control) conditions. In addition, growth, lipid, fatty acid, and pigment contents were also followed. In the control culture, growth was promoted along with pigment content, electron transport rate (ETR), and polyunsaturated fatty acids, while total lipid content and fatty acid saturation level diminished. Under nitrogen-deplete conditions, the culture showed a higher de-epoxidation state of the xanthophyll cycle pigments. Fast transients revealed a poor processing efficiency for electron transfer beyond Q(A), which was in line with the low ETR due to nitrogen depletion. Lipid content and the de-epoxidation state were the first biochemical variables triggered by the change in nutrient status, which coincided with a 20% drop in the in situ effective quantum yield of PSII (Delta F'/F-m'), and a raise in the V-j measurements. A good correlation was found between the changes in Delta F'/F-m' and lipid content (r = -0.96, p < 0.01). The results confirm the reliability and applicability of in situ fluorescence measurements to monitor lipid induction in N. oceanica.ES1408; PTDC/BBB-EBB/1374/2014-POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016640info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wild vs cultivated halophytes: Nutritional and functional differences

Some halophyte plants are currently used in gourmet cuisine due to their unique organoleptic properties. Moreover, they exhibit excellent nutritional and functional properties, being rich in polyphenolics and vitamins. These compounds are associated to strong antioxidant activity and enhanced health benefits. This work compared the nutritional properties and antioxidant potential of three species (Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum, Suaeda maritima and Sarcocornia fruticosa) collected in saltmarshes from Portugal and Spain with those of cultivated plants. the latter were generally more succulent and had higher contents of minerals than plants obtained from the wild and contained less fibre. All species assayed are a good source of proteins, fibres and minerals. Additionally, they are good sources of carotenoids and vitamins A, C and B-6 and showed good antioxidant potential particularly S. maritima. Chromatographic analysis of the phenolic profile revealed that ferulic and caffeic acids as the most relevant phenolic compounds detected in the halophytes tested.XtremeGourmet project [ALG-010247-FEDER-017676]FCT Foundation for Science and TechnologyPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [UIDB/04326/2020]Portuguese National BudgetFCTPortuguese Foundation for Science and TechnologyEuropean Commission [SFRH/BD/123658/2016, SFRH/BD/140143/2018, SFRH/BD/115325/2016, SFRH/BPD/86071/2012, UID/MULTI/00612/2013]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Urban wastewater treatment by Tetraselmis sp CTP4 (Chlorophyta)

The ability of a recent isolate, Tetraselmis sp. CTP4, for nutrient removal from sewage effluents before and after the nitrification process under batch and continuous cultivation was studied. Biomass productivities in both wastewaters were similar under continuous conditions ( 0.343 +/- 0.053 g L-1 d(-1)) and nutrient uptake rates were maximal 31.4 +/- 0.4 mg N L-1 d(-1) and 6.66 +/- 1.57 mg P-PO43 L- 1 d(-1) in WW before nitrification when cultivated in batch. Among batch treatments, cellular protein, carbohydrate and lipid levels shifted with aging cultures from 71.7 +/- 6.3 to 29.2 +/- 1.2%, 17.4 +/- 7.2 to 57.2 +/- 3.9% and 10.9 +/- 1.7 to 13.7 +/- 4.7%, respectively. In contrast, CTP4 cultivated continuously in Algal medium (control) showed lower biomass productivities ( 0.282 g VSS L-1 d(-1)) although improved lipid content (up to 20% lipids) in batch cultivation. Overall, Tetraselmis sp. CTP4 is promising for WW treatment as a replacement of the costly nitrification process, fixating more nutrients and providing a protein and carbohydrate-rich biomass as by-product. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [SFRH/BD/105541/2014]FCT [SFRH/BPD/81882/2011, IF/00049/2012]FCT Investigator Programmeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Natural products from marine invertebrates against Leishmania parasites: a comprehensive review

Parasitic infections by Leishmania parasites remains a severe public health problem, especially in developing countries where it is highly endemic. Chemotherapy still remains a first option for the treatment of those diseases, despite the fact that available drugs exhibit a variety of shortcomings. Thus, innovative, less toxic more affordable and effective antileishmanial agents are urgently needed. The marine environment holds an immeasurable bio- and chemical diversity, being a valuable source of natural products with therapeutic potential. As invertebrates comprise about 60 % of all marine organisms, bioprospecting this class of organisms for antileishmanial properties may unravel unique and selective hit molecules. In this context, this review covers results on the literature of marine invertebrate extracts and pure compounds evaluated against Leishmania parasites mainly by in vitro methods. It comprises results obtained from the phyla Porifera, Cnidaria, Bryozoa (Ectoprota), Mollusca, Echinodermata, Annelida, Cetnophora, Platyhelminthes, sub phyla Crustacea (phylum Arthropoda) and Tunicata (phylum Chordata). Moreover, structure-activity relationships and possible mechanisms of action are mentioned, whenever available information is provided. About 70 species of marine invertebrates belonging to seven different phyla are included in this work. Besides a variety of crude extracts, a total of 140 pure compounds was tested against different Leishmania species. Although the research on the antileishmanial potential of marine invertebrates is in its early beginnings, promising results have been achieved that encourage further research. As more extracts and compounds are being screened, the possibility of finding active and selective antileishmanial molecules increases, rising new hope in the search for new treatments against leishmaniases