Seasonal variations for the concentrations of trace elements in common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) at Portuguese waters

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Lead in octopus (Octopus vulgaris) in Portugal: a preliminary study

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Severity of drought and heatwave crop losses tripled over the last five decades in Europe

Extreme weather disasters (EWDs) can jeopardize domestic food supply and disrupt commodity markets. However, historical impacts on European crop production associated with droughts, heatwaves, floods, and cold waves are not well understood—especially in view of potential adverse trends in the severity of impacts due to climate change. Here, we combine observational agricultural data (FAOSTAT) with an extreme weather disaster database (EM-DAT) between 1961 and 2018 to evaluate European crop production responses to EWD. Using a compositing approach (superposed epoch analysis), we show that historical droughts and heatwaves reduced European cereal yields on average by 9% and 7.3%, respectively, associated with a wide range of responses (inter-quartile range +2% to −23%; +2% to −17%). Non-cereal yields declined by 3.8% and 3.1% during the same set of events. Cold waves led to cereal and non-cereal yield declines by 1.3% and 2.6%, while flood impacts were marginal and not statistically significant. Production losses are largely driven by yield declines, with no significant changes in harvested area. While all four event frequencies significantly increased over time, the severity of heatwave and drought impacts on crop production roughly tripled over the last 50 years, from −2.2% (1964–1990) to −7.3% (1991–2015). Drought-related cereal production losses are shown to intensify by more than 3% yr−1. Both the trend in frequency and severity can possibly be explained by changes in the vulnerability of the exposed system and underlying climate change impacts

Severity of drought and heatwave crop losses tripled over the last five decades in Europe

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.Extreme weather disasters (EWDs) can jeopardize domestic food supply and disrupt commodity markets. However, historical impacts on European crop production associated with droughts, heatwaves, floods, and cold waves are not well understood - especially in view of potential adverse trends in the severity of impacts due to climate change. Here, we combine observational agricultural data (FAOSTAT) with an extreme weather disaster database (EM-DAT) between 1961 and 2018 to evaluate European crop production responses to EWD. Using a compositing approach (superposed epoch analysis), we show that historical droughts and heatwaves reduced European cereal yields on average by 9% and 7.3%, respectively, associated with a wide range of responses (inter-quartile range +2% to -23%; +2% to -17%). Non-cereal yields declined by 3.8% and 3.1% during the same set of events. Cold waves led to cereal and non-cereal yield declines by 1.3% and 2.6%, while flood impacts were marginal and not statistically significant. Production losses are largely driven by yield declines, with no significant changes in harvested area. While all four event frequencies significantly increased over time, the severity of heatwave and drought impacts on crop production roughly tripled over the last 50 years, from -2.2% (1964-1990) to -7.3% (1991-2015). Drought-related cereal production losses are shown to intensify by more than 3% yr-1. Both the trend in frequency and severity can possibly be explained by changes in the vulnerability of the exposed system and underlying climate change impacts.publishersversionpublishe

Gestão de cães e gatos errantes na área da grande Lisboa

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina VeterináriaOs animais errantes resultam em problemas de saúde pública, segurança e bem-estar animal, com impactos socioeconómicos relevantes. A natureza e extensão deste problema são notoriamente difíceis de caracterizar. O presente estudo tem por objetivo caracterizar a população de animais errantes e as medidas preventivas e de controlo adotadas pelos Centros de Recolha Oficial na área da Grande Lisboa, em 2011. A fim de atingir o objetivo pretendido, fez-se uma análise comparativa entre a gestão de animais errantes no Centro Oficial de Recolha Animal do Concelho de Odivelas e nos outros Centros de Recolha Oficial da Grande Lisboa, que incluem os municípios da Amadora, Sintra, Oeiras, Cascais, Mafra, Loures, Lisboa e Vila Franca de Xira. A recolha dos dados foi, em Odivelas, realizada com o recurso à base de dados do centro de recolha, e com recurso a questionários aos Médicos Veterinários Municipais responsáveis pelos outros Centros de Recolha Oficial. Estes contemplaram questões relevantes no âmbito desta problemática. Foram recolhidos em 2011 pelos centros da Grande Lisboa um total de 7805 animais das espécies canina (60,6%; 4735) e felina (39,4%; 3080). Do total de canídeos recolhidos, foram entregues diretamente nas instituições, um total de 2145 animais, sendo a principal causa de entrega a situação socioeconómica dos seus detentores. A adoção foi o principal destino dos canídeos alojados, quer no centro do município de Odivelas (67,2%), quer nos outros municípios (49,8%). As diferenças observadas são estatisticamente significativas (p <0,05). O principal destino dos gatos recolhidos em 2011 foi a eutanásia (39,2%). Foram sujeitos ao Programa de Captura, Esterilização e Recolocação 33,7% dos gatos recolhidos nos centros onde esta medida se encontra implementada. Não existe uma solução única para a problemática dos cães e gatos errantes, mas os meios utilizados devem justificar o fim – a salvaguarda da saúde pública e do bem-estar animal. Considera-se que os esforços no âmbito do controlo de animais errantes devem recair, essencialmente, em iniciativas que visem a sua prevenção devendo ser focados dois pontos essenciais: a educação e o controlo reprodutivo.ABSTRACT - Stray Dogs and Cats Control in the Metropolitan area of Lisbon - Stray animals cause several problems related to public health, safety and animal welfare. The dimension of this problem is very hard to characterize. The present study aimed to analyze and characterize the stray animals population, as well as control and preventive measures used in official shelters in metropolitan area of Lisbon, in 2011. To achieve the main goal in this study a comparative analysis was made between the official shelter in Odivelas and the other official shelters of the metropolitan area of Lisbon towards the different stray animals measures which are used. The other official shelters of the metropolitan area of Lisbon include: Amadora, Sintra, Oeiras, Cascais, Mafra, Loures, Lisboa and Vila Franca de Xira. In Odivelas, the data was gathered using the database of the official shelter and in the other official shelters of the metropolitan area of Lisbon the data was obtained by doing questionnaires to Municipal Veterinarians. These questionnaires were composed with essential questions related to the stray animals problem. In 2011, in official shelters of the metropolitan area of Lisbon were collected a total of 7805 animals both dogs (60.6%; 4735) and cats (39.4%; 3080). From the total of dogs collected, 2145 animals were delivered in official shelters and the main cause referred were the social and economic situation of the owners. Adoption was the main destiny of the dogs both in official shelter of Odivelas (67.2%) and in the other official shelters of the metropolitan area of Lisbon (49.8%). The differences are statistically significant (p<0.05). Only 33.7% of the overall number of cats collected were included in Trap-Neuter-Reuter programs, in the official shelters where this measure is implemented. There is not just one solution to the stray animals problem, however all the measures should achieve the same goal – to guarantee good levels of Public Health and Animal Welfare. It is recommended that all the efforts to solve the stray animals problem must be tied up with activities about prevention of the dogs and cats abandon. This prevention is based on two basic principles: education and reproductive control

Prova do Suor

Folheto técnico sobre o diagnóstico laboratorial da fibrose quística através da prova do suor. A fibrose quística (FQ) é uma doença monogénica autossómica recessiva com risco de recorrência de 25% em cada gravidez e resulta de uma mutação no gene que codifica a síntese de uma proteína transmembranar, Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR), com funções de canal de cloreto. Em Portugal, a incidência de FQ calculada é de 1/6000 novos casos de recém-nascidos, por ano. A FQ é caraterizada por obstrução e infeção pulmonar crónica, insuficiência pancreática e obstrução intestinal, infertilidade masculina e suor com níveis elevados de cloretos. O diagnóstico é baseado no fenótipo clínico associado a duas ou mais provas do suor positivas e/ou pela presença de duas mutações no gene afetado. O teste laboratorial de referência é a prova do suor, que se baseia na concentração elevada do ião cloreto no suor, tendo valor diagnóstico em aproximadamente 98% dos casos.N/

The Leap Motion Movement for 2D Pointing Tasks: Characterisation and Comparison to Other Devices

In this paper we present the results from an experiment designed to characterize the Leap Motion movement in 2D pointing tasks and compare it to a mouse and touchpad. We used the ISO 9241-9 multi-directional tapping test for comparing the devices, and we analyse the results using standard throughput and error rate measures as well as additional accuracy measures such as target re-entry, task axis crossing, movement direction change, orthogonal direction change, movement variability, movement offset, and movement error. We also present the results from the ISO9241-9 assessment of comfort questionnaire, and our observations from the participant’s postures when using the Leap Motion device. Results indicate that the Leap Motion performs poorly in these tasks when compared to a mouse or touchpad

Aedes albopictus arrives in Lisbon: an emerging public health threat

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CCTα and CCTδ Chaperonin Subunits Are Essential and Required for Cilia Assembly and Maintenance in Tetrahymena

Background - The eukaryotic cytosolic chaperonin CCT is a hetero-oligomeric complex formed by two rings connected back-to-back, each composed of eight distinct subunits (CCTalpha to CCTzeta). CCT complex mediates the folding, of a wide range of newly synthesised proteins including tubulin (alpha, beta and gamma) and actin, as quantitatively major substrates. Methodology/Principal findings - We disrupted the genes encoding CCTalpha and CCTdelta subunits in the ciliate Tetrahymena. Cells lacking the zygotic expression of either CCTalpha or CCTdelta showed a loss of cell body microtubules, failed to assemble new cilia and died within 2 cell cycles. We also show that loss of CCT subunit activity leads to axoneme shortening and splaying of tips of axonemal microtubules. An epitope-tagged CCTalpha rescued the gene knockout phenotype and localized primarily to the tips of cilia. A mutation in CCTalpha, G346E, at a residue also present in the related protein implicated in the Bardet Biedel Syndrome, BBS6, also caused defects in cilia and impaired CCTalpha localization in cilia. Conclusions/Significance - Our results demonstrate that the CCT subunits are essential and required for ciliary assembly and maintenance of axoneme structure, especially at the tips of cilia

One hand or two hands? 2D selection tasks with the leap motion device

In this paper, we present the results from an experiment designed to compare two selection gestures (hand grab and screen tap) for the Leap Motion controller in 2D pointing tasks. We used the ISO 9241-9 multi-directional tapping test for comparing the devices, and we analyze the results using standard throughput and error rate measures as well as additional accuracy measures. We also present the results from the ISO 9241-9 assessment of comfort questionnaire. To complement this analysis, the computer mouse was also evaluated in order to serve as a comparison. Results indicate that the hand grab gesture performs better than the screen tap