Semantic and pragmatic characterization of learning objects

Tese de doutoramento. Engenharia Informática. Universidade do Porto. Faculdade de Engenharia. 201

MarinEye - A tool for marine monitoring

This work presents an autonomous system for marine integrated physical-chemical and biological monitoring – the MarinEye system. It comprises a set of sensors providing diverse and relevant information for oceanic environment characterization and marine biology studies. It is constituted by a physicalchemical water properties sensor suite, a water filtration and sampling system for DNA collection, a plankton imaging system and biomass assessment acoustic system. The MarinEye system has onboard computational and logging capabilities allowing it either for autonomous operation or for integration in other marine observing systems (such as Observatories or robotic vehicles. It was designed in order to collect integrated multi-trophic monitoring data. The validation in operational environment on 3 marine observatories: RAIA, BerlengasWatch and Cascais on the coast of Portugal is also discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Uma metodologia de avaliação de ensino distribuído

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Gestão de Informação, na Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, sob a orientação do Prof. Doutor Carlos Vaz de Carvalho e da Doutora Lígia Maria Ribeir

First report of Meloidogyne graminis on golf courses turfgrass in Brazil.

Plant-parasitic nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne, known as root-knot nematodes (RKN), have an important economic impact on golf course turfgrasses. The most prevalent RKN species associated with grasses are M. chitwoodi, M. graminicola, M. graminis, M. incognita, M. marylandi, M. microtyla, M. minor, M. naasi and M. sasseri. In 2010, slight thickening of the roots and RKN females with unusual features were observed in turfgrass roots on golf courses in Araras, São Paulo state, Brazil. This population (MgARA) was maintained in the lab and studied including morphological, morphometrical, biochemical and molecular markers. Morphology and morphometry were variable and not useful for identification, although perineal pattern morphology showed highly similarity with M. graminis description. Concerning to biochemical characterisation, the esterase phenotype Mg1, characterised by a very slow and fainter band, was detected in some protein homogenates. Regarding to molecular analysis, D2-D3 region of 28S rDNA gene and cytochrome oxidase subunit II region from mitochondrial DNA were amplified by PCR and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Brazilian isolate, found associated with turfgrass, grouped with M. graminis isolates (98-99% bootstrap; variation of 8-11 and 0-24 bp, respectively), close to M. marylandi, supporting its identification as M. graminis. This is the first report of M. graminis on golf courses in Brazil

Frequency of gastrointestinal parasites in cats seen at the University of São Paulo Veterinary Hospital, Brazil

Abstract The frequency of gastrointestinal infections in 502 cats seen at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil, between 2005 and 2014, was measured. The samples were analyzed using methods of flotation and sedimentation. The results were compared with those from studies published previously using fecal samples from the same hospital at different times. Associations between the frequency of positivity for each parasite and age, breed, sex, diarrhea and use of anthelmintic were investigated (chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests). A partitioned chi-square test was used to compare different periods. Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp., Cystoisospora spp. and Sarcocystis spp. were the most common parasites, followed by Toxocara cati and Ancylostoma spp. Cryptosporidium spp. presented higher frequency in young cats and Sarcocystis spp. with the presence of diarrhea (p < 0.05). Results from this study with previous periods showed that the frequencies of Cryptosporidium spp., Cystoisospora spp. and T. cati were lower (p < 0.05) than those observed in previous periods. The frequencies of Giardia spp. and Ancylostoma spp. were similar to the results found in the preceding period and lower than the values found for the other periods (p < 0.05). The reasons for these changes should be investigated

Performance of language tasks in patients with ruptured aneurysm of the left hemisphere worses in the post-surgical evaluation

ABSTRACT Sub-arachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) promotes impairment of upper cortical functions. However, few information is available emphasizing changes in language after aneurismal SAH and aneurysm location influence. Objective To assess the language and verbal fluency performance in aneurismal SAH pre- and post-surgery in patients caused by an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery (AcomA), left middle cerebral artery (L-MCA) and left posterior comunicating artery (L-PcomA). Methods Assessment in 79 patients with SAH, on two occasions: pre- and post surgical treatment. They were divided into three groups by the aneurysms’ location. Results Deterioration is detected in the performance of all patients during the post-surgical period; L-MCA aneurysm patients displayed a reduction in verbal naming and fluency; L-PcomA patients deteriorated in the written language and fluency tasks. Conclusion After the surgical procedure the patients decreased in various language tasks and these differences in performance being directly related to the location of the aneurysm

Meloidogyne graminis.

<p>Light (A, B, E, H, J) and scanning electron microscope (C, D, F, G, I, K) photographs. Females: A, perineal pattern. Males: B, C, anterior region in lateral view; D, head region showing inner labial sensilla; E, F, posterior region in lateral view; and G, lateral lines. Second-stage juveniles: H, anterior region; I, head region; and J, K tail region. Scale bars: A, B, E, H, J—20 μm; C, F, K—10 μm; D, G, I—5 μm.</p

Phylogenetic relationship based on the alignment of sequences of D2-D3 region of 28S rDNA gene of <i>Meloidogyne</i> sp. isolate MgARA with available sequences of other <i>Meloidogyne</i> species.

<p><i>Pratylenchus vulnus</i> was used as outgroup.</p

First report of <i>Meloidogyne graminis</i> on golf courses turfgrass in Brazil - Fig 3

<p>DNA amplification products obtained from <i>Meloidogyne</i> sp. isolate MgARA to (A) D2-D3 region of the 28S rDNA gene and (B) mtDNA COII. M—DNA marker (HyperLadder II; Bioline).</p

Morphometrics of males and second-stage juveniles of <i>Meloidogyne</i> sp. isolate MgARA.

<p>Morphometrics of males and second-stage juveniles of <i>Meloidogyne</i> sp. isolate MgARA.</p